Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-08-27

is only necessary to point out what
is already being done along these
lines to not only be convinced of the
feasibility but also to realize that
much more satisfactory service would
be given.
Would the owners of the rail-
roads running into New York City
return to the use of coal-made steam
as motive power for their equipment?
Would the people of New York City
for one moment seriously consider
granting to those railroads the tight
to again return to the use of coal?
Lest some may think that such a COM
parison is unfair, may l call to your
attention the fact that at the present
time one of the great transcontinen-
tai railroads.&c. Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul-is engaged in electri-
flying $50 miles of it's main line, rum
ming from Harlowtown, Montana, to
Avery, Idaho. 1t is certain that this
company would not incur the cost in
volved in changing it's equipment, if
it was not convinced that so doing
will prove good business PROPOSE
ton"
Pointing out that if the water
power now unused could be devel-
oped, the railroads of this state and
many others very likely would use
electric power, the governor contin-
ued:
mot only would there be a great
financial saving, but there would
also be prevented many forest fires
in our timber districts, the start of
which is directly traceable to loco
motive sparks. The elimination of
the need for using equipment in
transporting their own coal supplies,
would make available that much adj
ditional equipment in the possession
of the railroads for transporting COM
modities over their lines, thus in
creasing, without new equipment in
vestment, the tonnage earning capac-
ity Of the railroads, not to mention a
of car shortages. The
travelling public, also, would greatly
the change from coal to
on passenger trains.
Would Conserve Coal.
"The government reports estimate
that there are 916.OOO,00O tons of
coal in the state of Washington. Dur
ing the year 1914, 100000 tons
were used for all purposes. l have
been unable to obtain a reliable state
ment showing what proportion of this
was used by the railroads
but believe it is safe to say that the
railroad consumption was one-half of
the total, or 100000 tons. Thus,
by substituting hydro-electric energy
for coal this enormous amount of fuel
would be conserved for future use
and in it's place we would utilize en-
ergy that is now going to waste, of
no service whatever to mankind.
Large quantities of electrical en-
ergy developed by water could be
used in the production of fertilizers.
During the year 1918, 100000 tons
Of fertilizers, valued at 100000
were sold in the United States. For
use in manufacturing this fertilizer,
over $4O,000,00O worth of nitro
genous and other materials, were i'm
Ported, although the bulk of such i'm
ortations could have been produced
in this country. had we sufficient
quantity of cheap electric power.
cat the present time over 100000
horse power is being used in the
United States for this purpose. AL
most all of our supply of nitrates is
obtained from Chilli. Statistics show
us that the Chilean supply will be
exhausted in twenty years,
after which time we will be almost
dependent upon European
for our supply of nitrates,
unless we manufacture them our
selves.
1.-The utilization of our water powers
for the fixation of atmospheric nitro
gen and for the extraction of phos-
pheric acids from phosphate rocks,
would produce a plentiful supply of
nitric acid for making explosives to be
used for the national defense. and also
in the manufacture of cheap fer
tilizers. The greater use of fertilizers
wou1d hiring about more jntenSiva
farming and larger financial returns,
as we'll as production returns, from
our farms.
THE average amount of fertilizer
used in the United States is about %
pounds per acre of cultivated lands,
while in European countries it
amounts to about 200 pounds to the
acre. AS result of it's use, the aver