The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-05

the other statistics collected and made BY the
Department. comprise a store of information
necessary and adequate for future operations.
NO following administration need be hsndi-
capped for lack of this fundamental data
INVENTORY OF WATER RESOURCES
Subsequent to my message Of two years ago.
calling attention to the expediency of taking q
an inventory OF the water resources Of ths
Commonwealth, in order that legislation might
be enscted to provide for their conservation
and utilization under proper State control In
a manner which will best promote the inter-
ests Of all the people of the State. the General
Assembly directed the Water Supply Commits
sion of Pennsylvania to make complete inven-
tory of all the water resources Of the Conn
monwealth TO collect all pertinent informa-
ton In connection herewith. and to classify.
upon the basis thereof. to determine the points
-at which reservoirs may be constructed for
the purpose of minimzing foods, of storing
ana conserving water for power. of increasing
tne low water how of rfvers and streams for
the purpose of navigation and, generally to
devise all possible ways and means to con-
serve and develop the water supply and water
resources OF the Commonwealth for the use of
the people thereof. To this end the said Com
mission was directed to study and determine
upon a public policy wi h regard to the mar
kettng and equitable distribution of the water
OF the State; to the restoration. development.
)
to the supply Of water for domestic and in
dustrial use. and to the conservation of water
resources by the aid of forestation.
=, The sum of sl50,008 was appropriated for
revenue was compelled to reduce the sum TO
$4,000. In consequence. the Commission will
submit partial report to the General As.
sembly OF 1915. 1t will contain data concern
streams. The inventory deals with water
supplies; water power; lakes and ponds; de-
seriptions of all named streams: foods navi.
CATION culm in the streams Of the anthracite
coal field; study of the methods of flood re.
mel IN Turtle Creek Valley; purity; foresta.
ton. and fish.
The State would suffer if this work were to
oe abandoned. Better, by far, continue the
of State control and development of this re-
naming great resolrc. is worked out.
PYMATUNING RESERVOIR
Inc Pymatuning reservoir should be COM
peted at an early date. It is a conspicuous
example of the highest form of conservation
ana utilization of stream flow. There was ap.
priated TO the Water Supply Commission the
sum of 100000. for the purchase of land and
to build an extensive storage reservoir in
Crawford County. on the headwaters of the
ohenango river, TO prevent food damage and
tn afford ample water supply for municipal
and industrial use in communities where short
age OF water retards development was COM
Peiied PEI to reduce the spprorriation to 100000.
DEVELOPMENT
Consideration of public welfare dictate that
the State shall assume more direct control of
the economic development of its resources.
Industrial development Is intimately connect
ed with the abundance of fuel and cheap pow.
er; and while steam power used by manufac.
turing establishments has increased By leaps
and bounds, yet the use of Water power has
declined.
of all states in the Union, Pennsylvania
ranks first in the production of coal coke
iron and STEEL cement, glass and leather rail
road cars and some manufactured articles II
holds second place in various products includ.
edg textile and electrical machinery and in to-
hacco manufacturing. To long maintain su.
premacy in these lines our natural resources
must be conserved.
In no way id the waste of natural resources
better illustrated than by coke manufacture
In beehive ovens. Pennsylvania. in the year
1912, had 4S,Si7 active beehive ovens, whfch
produced but 58T short tons of coke per oven
For every 1G0 tone of btuminous coal used
these ovens produced only Sc tons of coke
Ihey destroyed 81 tons OF every 100 tons. On
the other hand. by-product ovens yield 73.s
tons of coke from 100 tons of COAL and they
do more. They pr ducc gas, tar. and ammonia
as by-produets. In the year 1912 the l.442
by-product ovens in Pennsylvania produced
1859 tons of coke per oven. Moreover, and
this is the point of the matter, these 1,442
ovens produced approximately $1,000, 900 worth
of by-products in addition to l,974,619 short
tuhS VI cohe' Inc value OF Dy-Droducts was
about four-tenths of the value of the by-pro.
duct coke. If the coke made in beehive ovens
in the year 1912 had been made in by-producl
ovens 4.011,T6o tons of coal and about s37 500.
900 worth of by-products would have been
saved.
The effect Of forest depletion upon the lln.
ber industry is we'll known. Fortunately, tim.
ber is different from coal. Enough timber can
be grown to meet the States needs but coal
once burned is gone forever. Pennsylvania
investment tnta nj larc
of money.
lnasmuch the total value of iron and
steel produced annually in Pennsylvania IL
enormous, the State Government and ali ner.
sons concerned with econQmc development
should be interested in the delivery of iron
ere to the great steel centers at the lowest
possible cost. The railroad systems are excel.
lent but must expand to keep pace with the
states progress. The most important poin,
where the transportation system need,
strengthening is that between Lake Erie and
the Ohio river. where approximately 90, 0o0. .O0C
tons OF iron ore, coal and coke move annually
between the Lake and the Pittsburgh and Ma.
honing Valley districts. Pittsburgh's suprem.
acy in the iron and steel trade is to be main.
tanned only by cheap ore.
The Act approved June 27. 1918, provide,
for the construction, operation. and mainten.
ance by the Commonwealth of a canal o,
waterway between Lake Erie and the Ohio
river. The sum of sl50,00o was appropriated
to defray the expenses of the Canal Board
IN making the surveys and plans and prepar.
ing for construction. The mills per ton.
mile rate. including tolls, as estimated for thi,
proposed waterway, looks attractive as compar.
ed with an existing rate of about 8 mills per
ton-nlie over railroads from Lake Erie ia
Pittsburgh.
IL the proposed Lake Erie and Ohio River
Canal should be found desirable by the inyes.
tigation now ordered, it should receive s,In.
port from Pennsylvania. improvements in
water terminal facilities in the Pittsburgt
district including better connections with ths
railroads, would be necesstated by the canal
In the value of export and imports of mer.
chandse. Philadelphia, during the year 1918
ranked fifth among Atlantic and Gulf ports
but it ranked second in tonnage. Customs
duties in the year 1918 amounted to sIs.s7b
this the total expenditures by the Federal
State and City governments in improving and
maintaining the harbor of Philadelphia. from
1890 to 1914, amounting to only Sl7. .9ea O0o
This sum does not include the coat of in,
proving the Delaware River from Philadelnhis
to the sea, which. from 1886 to 1919 amount
ed TO s17.523.00O
The improvement of PHILADELPHIA and Pitts
burghs water terminals is not a local mat
ter. The whole State is interested. The VAS
improvements needed at these cities are mat
ters of State, City and Federal cooperation.
Hand in hand with the physical improys
ments at the water terminals in Philsdsinh;,
and Pittsburgh should go cooperation betweer
railroads. shipping interests and municipaIf
ties. Pro-rating, through bills of Iadinq h,
water and rail- reasonable terminal chare..
physical connections between railroads
wharves and warehouses are all items of orea,
Importance coming under State regulation.
In addition. the Lehigh and Susquehann,