The sun., 1918-09-08

already contracted for. Indeed, the build
ing of more water turbines would actually
call into service plant facilities which
otherwise would be idle. Again, the water
power units can be produced not only
quicker but several times more cheaply
than steam turbo-generators of identical
capacity, and the water impelled ap-
paratus performs a great deal more eco
nomically.
This is not matter of speculation, but
a fact that has been cOnvincingly demon
strated by big corporation in the South.
The Alabama Power Company is distrib-
uting current to-day over more than 800
miles of conductors, and its two greatest
power plants are located on the Coosa and
the Warrior rivers. The Warrior plant,
now being substantially doubled in capac-
ity to meet war needs, is steam operated,
while the Coosa River plant is hydro
electric.
The Warrior plant is situated in the
heart of the Alabama coal fields, and the
fuel is mined Immediately at the rear of
the power house, so that the transportation
problem is virtually eliminated. That por-
ton of it in active service is capable of
developing under admittedly ideal condi-
tions 10000 kilowatts, while the hydro
electric power house on the Coosa River is
producing $4,000 kilowatts with five
turbo- generators. The steam plant pro-
duces IA kilowatts man employed. The
hydroelectric installation requires but
twelve men for the two shifts, and the
output of energy is $3.50 kilowatts man
employed! That is to say, measured by
the unit of human labor, one power house
is relatively more than 800 times as eco
nomical as the other. Hydroelectric in
stallation thus means an infinitely smaller
demand ON the nations man power.
Water Wheels Work Continuously.
But this is not the whole story. Since
its completion the hyd oelectric plant has
experienced but one trining mechanical
arrangement, and that was not serious
enough to interrupt operations. The water
wheels and their associated electrical gen.
orators have been working continuously,
without a hitch and with a minimum of
upkeep expense. The very ruggedness of
the turbines and the associate dynamos
has largely contributed to these results.
The Warrior steam plant, on the other
hand, while admittedly up to date in every
respect and skilfully managed, has had
numerous difficulties.
One of the prime difficulties has arisen
in the failure of the friedrich Innings of the
furnaces. To-day it is well nigh impos-
sible to OBI ain friedrich of the pre-war
standard, and steam power plants the
country over are suffering in consequence.
Finally hydroelectric installation does
away with transportation problems; 1t
is not necessary to bring motive sup
plies in large quantities by rail. The
lubricants required represent but modest
freight item, and so do the average mate
rails for repair or replacement.
It is undoubtedly true, as the advocates
of water power plants frankly admit, that
the building Of dams is an exceedingly
costly feature of such undertakings, but
once built they are permanent. Building
the dams does not call for skilled labor.
There is plenty of cement to be had for
the concrete, and the type of workmen
needed can be far more easily recruited
than that demanded, as n whole, Cor
Quitting and erecting steam driven
plant of anything like equal capacity.