Arizona republican., 1917-01-12
WATER POWER
Of ALPS PLAYS
MILITARY ROLE
Republican A. p. Leased Wlre1


PARIS. Jan. 1.-THE water power
OF the Alps, the Pyrenee. and the
central mountainous region is playing a
big role in the military effort Of France
and VIII have an even greater share
in the after-war economic struggle
Many new hydraulic power plants,
born OF the war needs are turning out
shells chemicals and other necessities
for the army. Many others. born or
the coal famine and its lessons will re-
place steam power after the war
France utilized thirteen per cent OF
its total estimated natural water
power in 1914. She was utilizing
more than twenty per cent in July OF
this year and the proportion Is every
day increasing. Competent engineers
fix at 100000 horse power the energy
France could secure from its water
falls at low water. while $500 600
horse power is the estimate for ave-
rage seasons. The Total steam energy
used in France before the war was
only about $500 600 horse rover di-
vded among about 81 900 establish
ments.
rhe water power OF the Alps has
given the name OF the vale Of Alum
hmm" 10 the Valley OF the Are. where
$4,000 horse power is used transform
ing alumine into aluminium bars. La
Eomanche in the wild valley from
Bourg 1Oisons to, Pont de Claiz is
the valley OF carburet and metallic
alloys" absorbing $1,000 horse power
Electric steel plants are concentrat-
ing ir the basin Of the Arly. where
one concern has installed compl etc
mlll with electric furnaces run by
turbines OF 1900 horse power. Seven
1 important new plants are being bull;
/ In the region Of Grenoble
In the valley OF the Durance new
I plants aggregating 1900 horse power
Tor the eleetro-chemical industry are
Under way while above Modane one
( or the biggest chemical works in
France has acquired rights 10 about
10000 horse power OF water fall tina,
! VIII ne utilized speedily
fyira llic electrical plants in Cen
trail France nave saved the famil,
ribbon industry OF Saint Etienne. I'm,
little home shops had begun to dis.
appear-unable TO compete with IN,
mills Electric motors OF a quarter Of
2 horse power have set this domestf,
occupation going again. keeping al
nome men and women who woult
otherwise he driven to the looms ~
the big mills Little motors are iiser
all through that region for cabine
makers Had they not existed befor.
the war. IL would be necessary TO in.
vent them or something equivalen
Tor the use OF manned soldiers
The electric motor is counted uoor
also TO solve TIE problem OF farn
heip IN regions accessible TO current
Cooperative societies are bein,
FORMED to buy current for distribution
among the members. the installatio,
OF a power station is being considere,
py one OF them. A law to encourag
ana help such projects il now helm,
considered in the chamber.
Electric Energy for Paris broueh
from the Alps Is the most ambition
project Tor the future A dam :
yards high In the Rhone AT Genissiat
packing the water up II miles 10 IN
SWISS frontier. viii furnish n fall SUI
Iiclent 70 operate a power station q
Sze.ooo horse power and 240. 900 kslo
warts. The energy Is to be trans
ported TO Paris in the form OF an al
teTnatins current under tension q
10000 volts. The line of trsnsmissio
VIII be 3l2 miles long.
one hundred and twenty millio
francs ~ the estimated outlav-th
CO II aboat day and half OF wa
10 France
Thts enterprise would alone ecooo
mize 100000 tons Of the 20 millIo
tons OF coal France imported annual
before The war Engineers fIgnr
that current brought from the sv.is
frontier may be sold with sufficien
profit In Paris at confines a lSiIo
wait houF, an economy OF about 4
per cent on the cost Of current pro
duced oy steam before the war.