Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-07-31
THE PLACE FOR THAT NITRATE PLANT

report recently issued by the Smithsonian Institute
points out that the $2000000 government nitrate plant
recently authorized by congress will be only drop in the
bucket toward meeting the military and agricultural
needs of the United States for independent Of
cheaper nitric acid for the manufacture Of explosives and
ammonia for fertilizers.
The report of the Smithsonian institute among other
things says:
eff the entire sum to be put into powersite de-
yelopment it would furnish somewhere around 10000
horsepower capable of yielding in the neghborhood of
$4,000 tons of nitric acid about oneourth the estl-
mated military emergency requirement alone and at
that the entire cost of plant installation running into the
millions of dollars, would have to be additional TO salts
fly government estimates of around 100000 ton wartime
requirements would entail power generation OF around
100000 horsepower $4,000 more than the entire
Niagara power development Such project would cost
around to eventuate and in its operation
during peace times an agricultural proposition IN COM
petition with other would necessitae an annual
subsidy running into the millions OF dollars without OF
fering single advantage excepting as preparedness
measure
Members of congress- army officers and others familiar
with this situation are urging that even If the project full
fills all the projectors hope for it, it will supply only
small part of the than 1000 tons of nitrate of soda
Imported yearly from Chile To relieve the strain
is reported that ammonia is being made in ever ncreas
ing quantities as a by-product from the coking of
COAL 1t is estimated that from this if all the am
mona was saved from all the coke would amount
to about 100000 tons year. and so far no means have
been discovered of converting this byproduct ammonia
into nitric acid for in explosives and its use IN con-
fined to agricultural and other industries.
The Smithsonian report shows that the only present
hope of securing abundant supply of cheap nitric acid
and ammonia which will make the Unitetd States indie
pendent of foreign supply and at the same time reduce
the price of fertilizers the farmer afford to use
them lies in the development of water powers for by the
Of the very cheapest power alone the supply of
atmospheric nitrogen be obtained
This is grave national question and in which
politics and pork should have place; yet was
the proposed than several places after the
locating of the plant at trng power source, att
that would require more than the whole twenty mil
lions to harness wofuly insufficient power.
If the administrative officials who will have charge off
the work are good businessmen they will consider the
Pacific coast before all Others the place for the oca
tion of such plant, any number of them. Oregon,
Washington Idaho California, all furnish ideal sites
where the greatest power be brought under control att
the least cost.
About all that is required for the work is power and
air. and in the northwest both of these of the BEST
Oregon has water power going to waste most of it,
variousy estimated at from 100000 to 100000 horse
power 1t also the easily secured power anywhere
requiring vast dams expensive canals. Plants can
be placed along such streams the Santam the McKen
ze the Rogue Deschutes any of the dozens of fine
streams that pour their floods down from the high areas
taking advantage of the entire force of the stream over
and over again at minimum expense
Another important feature is the regularity of the
flow in OregonS streams The SHOWS from which thel
streams derive their flow high in the mountains and
last almost the year through The Cascade mountains
extending for about 250 miles the state great