The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-07
WATER WASTE 80 TIMES
u. 5. LABOR CAPACITY
Franklin X. Lane, Secretary of In
terror, Shows Nation Has Vast
Water Power Resources.
BASIS FOR MATERIAL PROGRESS
Millions of Acres Now in Arid Waste
Can be Converted Into Fertile and
Productive Farms-Grcat Wealth
of Raw Materials.


public today by the Water Power De-
velopment Association. sums up the
unused water power of the country
as being capable of producing as
much work as could l,S00000,000
every adult in America could do. The
article follows:
tBy Franklin X. Lane-Secretary of
the Tnterfor.)
We are living today in the dawn
OF an age in which power Is the basis
for our material progress The pro-
ductive abilities of our 100,000,O00
people are increased by the use of
probably 125, 100000 horse power of
mechanical energy. not including the
animal power furnished by 1000. 900
horses and mules. Most of the me-
chanical energy is used in the form
Of electrical current. When applied
TO industrial uses ono electrical horse
power does the work of ten men
without firing That Is. one electri-
cal horse power. continuously ope-
rated, does as much work as thirty
men working in eight hour shifts.
Conservation of human labor goes
hand in hand with utilization of
mechanical energy. and utilization of
that form of energy must cheaply
and least wastefufiy developed ac-
composites the maximum in freeing
man from muscular toll and increas-
ing his productivity. In the last
decade we have harnessed for our
utilities and industrial needs some
thing like 100000 horse power OF
water. This means, in terms of hui
man energy. that streams which be-
fore that time flowed to waste are
now doing work equivalent to the la
Dor OF 1870. 1000 900 men working eight
hours day. This development alone
represents three times the produc-
tive capacity of tho unaided hand la
Dor Of our adult population.
Should Make Greater Progress
This accomplishment stands for
real progress, but. as compared with
Gus possibilities, It Is not such prog
ress as We should have obtained, AL
though we are utilizing today $780,
600 horse power of water, we are
annually. daily neglecting and was
ting ten times that amount. largely
because OF our inapplicable laws.
since most OF the water powers not
in use are under government con-
troll, and the present laws do not ade-
quately make provision for their
in nonuse in the United States enough
the wheels OF industry, the daily la
Dor of 1.s00,00o.o0o men. or thirty
times our present adulr population.
We are depicting our fuel supply
in the manufacturing sections OF the
East and Middle West. while in the
far West are mountains OF undevel-
oped raw materials adjacent to I'M
used water powers whose develop
ment would mean the establishment
of great new industries in new man
ufacturing centres.
We are rohbing our farm lands of
fertility and failing to realize the ut
most OF our agricultural opportuni-
ties because OF our dependence upon
foreign sources of high priced sup
piles for chemical plant foods or fer
tilizers. while mountains of phos-
phate rock, lime and ignite in the
West await only the magic touch OF
atmospheric nitrogen extracted and
fixed with the aid of cheap hydro
electricity to furnish a low priced
and plentiful supply OF fertilizing
elements.
. Millions Of acres of lands rich in
western country which can be con-
verted into fertile and productive
farms, gardens and orchards merely
by pumping into them the waters OF
the streams flowing through them,
This miracle of making the desert
bloom awaits for accomplishment
only the laws which will permit cap
ital and enterprise to engage in the
Harvesting of these streams so that
they can pump themselves onto the
thirsty soil.
BE Prepared For Peace
To conserve these vast natural re-
10 he n "A Y ms
which the craftsmanship OF our day
can supply itself.
To be truly prepared for war Is to
be fully prepared for peace.
This preparation. in its best sense,
involves the fullest use and co-ordin-
alton of all the natural resources and
industrial attachments and activities
OF the nation. There is no good rea-
son why the United States, with its
wealth of resources. its leadership in
science and invention and its peerage
ideals, should be dependent upon any
other nation or country for any of
the things necessary to either the FULL
est enjoyment Of peace Or the most
complete preparedness for undesired
conflict.
More than forty per cent of the
potential water power of the United
States lies in the comparatively mar
row strip bounded by the Cascade
Mountains and Sierras In the east. the
Pacific Ocean in the west. Canada in
the north, and Mexico in the south.
Some of these water powers now un-
used. are among the cheapest In the
world. Long distance. high voltage
transmission has almost annihilated
distance in making hydro electricity
available in this great western en-
pire.
Developments will open to the west
an industrial era of such posi- bilities
as have been almost undreamcd Of
The fuels available include natural
gas oil. Ignite and coal. The coal.
reduced to coke. offers raw material
for the production, by electric smelt-
ing processes. OF the carbide extensive
ly used for Illuminating purposes.
Here at hand are great deposits OF
limestone that will furnish the lime
required to form calcium carbide used
in the f1xation of nitrogen and the pro-
duction of ammonia. At hand. also.