New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-10
600 Manufacturers Organ
ize to Fight Repression
of Water Power.
EXISTING RESOURCES
NOT YET DEVELOPED
With End Of Munition Contracts
in Sight 100000 Men Face
Unemployment.

power development, representatives OF
leading hydro-electric installation man
ufacturers met yesterday In the Offices
Of the Cramp shipbullding Company
and organized the Water Power Devel-
opment Association.
Il was asserted that since the begin
ming Of the Wilson Administration the
industry has been almost strangled TO
death through the practical suspension
Of the issuance Of water power permits.
plants representing a wsge-paying
power Of billion dollars have been
rendered idle By this" said H. W.
Hand, Of 'he Cramp company, who was
chosen chairman Of the new sssocia-
tons executive committee. A great
many Of the companies owning these
plants had tided over the difficulty by
munition contracts.
Thousands Face Idleness.
But the end OF these contracts Is In
sight" he said, "snd that means that
thousands OF men will be thrown out of
work A proper development Of the
water power possibilities Of this coun-
try would absorb these coming thou
sands Of idle men.
"Ths repression Of water power de-
velopment has come as e result Of the
agitation by conservstionists during
the last seven or eight years. Millions
Of cheap horsepower is going TO waste
in this country which might be used TO
reduce the cost Of living in many
ways"
Among the concerns represented at
yesterdays meeting we're the Allis-
Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Of
Milwaukee; American Rolling Min
Company, Mansfield. Ohio; American
Smelling and Refining Company, New
York Anaconda Copper Mining Com
pany, New York; Archbold- Brady Com
psny, Syracuse; Buffalo Foundry and
Machine Company, Buffalo; Goulds
Manufacturing Company, Seneca Falls,
\. Y; James Leffel e. Co, Springfield,
Ohio; Locke lnsulator Manufacturing
Company, Victor. y. y; General Elec-
tric Company. Schenectady; !. ?. Morris
Company, Philadelphia; Ohio Brass
Company. Springfield, Ohio; Pelton
Water Wheel Company, San Francisco;
Pittsburgh High Voltage lnsulator
Company, Derry, Penn; Plstt Iron
Works. Dayton, Ohio; S. Morgan Smith
Company, York. Penn; Standard I'm
derground Cable Company, East Liver
pool, Ohio; Wellman-S eayer Morgan
Company, Cleveland. and Westingh house
Electric and Manufacturing Company,
East Pittsburgh, Penn.
Companies Employ 100000 Men.
There are in the United States about
600 hydro-eloctric installation MANI
/ featuring companies, employing shout
/ 400 900 men, engaged in making water
wheels, cables, cement, generators, tur-
hines, electric motors insulstors, wire,
switch boards and other appliances used
in the conversion of water power into
electric. The association IS Organizing
the entire industry.
/ With Mr.. Hand on the executive com
mittee are Calvert Townley. OF the
Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing
T Company; W. ". Nichols, AllisC hsl-
mers Manufacturing Company; Chester
W Larner. OF Wellmsn-Sesver-Mo Morgan
/ Company, and J. i. Way, Of r. Thomas
d. Sons.
Support Shields Bill.
I'VE are not interested IN any par
ticular bill" said M Hand, so long ss
some bill goes through. ] believe the
Shields bill, which passed tho Senate
Yesterday, is a good measure. IL per
mits the construction OF dams on navi-
gable rivers under licenses issued by
the Secretary Of War, and gives
grantees the right TO operate power
plants for fifty years, after which time
the Federal government may take over
the plant. after giving Two years notice
and having fair valuation.
"Reoulstion % rates and services IS
placed with the state IN which the
plants arc located, or, II interstate com
merce is involved, with the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
"The Ferris bill. which has passed
the Senate. will relieve the situation s5
10 the public lands. II is 10 obtain pub
lie backing for such measures as these
that We shall work"
Tenth Of Power Developed.
Figures gathered by the association
show that the Geological Survey est
mates there are 81 ,676,000 water horse
power in the United States, the total
development up 10 1913 being only
100000. most Of which came before
1908. when restrictive legislation was
enacted. The total available power Or
all countries in Europe is put at less