Evening journal., 1918-10-03
u. S. TO PROVIDE
power ON RIVERS
War Plants Situation in
Winter Acute, Army
Says
WILMINGTON TO
BE BENEFITED

WASHINGTON. Oct. 3.-The sum o
sii,5o0,Oo0 is to be expended in thr
Philadelphia shipbuildlng district, ex
tending from Bristol TO Wilmington. fol
additional power with which TO operate
the shipbuilding plants and munitior
factories II the emergency power bill
now before The Senate, is passed by
Congress.
The measure was passed by The
House on Tuesday. IL calls for the ex-
penditure OF si75OO0.0O0 for the takins
over and erection OF power plants al
natural water sites and at the mouths
OF coal mines to furnish badly needed
power TO the plants turning out war
materials.
The War Department made the pre-
liminary surveys and It was upon the
departments recommendation the bill
was introduced.
The power situation in the Philadel-
phia district Is one Of the most acute
In the country, the War Departments s
report says. The Philadelphia Electric
Company, the only concern now supply
ing electric power within the district,
can furnish only 220,O00 horsepower. An
additional 10000 horsepower is needed
for war plants along the Delaware river
during the coming winter, the army
engineers reported TO Congress
The greatest lack Of power now is
felt In Chester the army engineers
said, where three large shlpbuldlng
plants are located Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Norfolk and Pittsburgh are more
in need Of additional power than any
other centers I'm the country, the War
Department and the war industries
board told Congress.
The War Department plan, which
undoubtedly will be carried out II ths
Senate passes the bill, does not prOvids
for the construction Of any electric
power plants at the mouths Of mines In
eastern Pennsylvania. The War Depart
ment has reported adversely on this
proposal, cOntendlng that the loss OF
power in the long transmission to
Philadelphia would be too great. For the
Philadelphia district water power We uld
be utilized TO provide the necessary
10000 additional horsepower.
The Bethlehem Steel COmpany's plant
at Bethlehem has utilized all Of the
available power in the eastern part OF
Pennsylvania, Congress was told, and
there IS none left for the other munition
plants. The Hunt Electric Company.
which operates an enormous plant at
the mines near Hazleton, furnishes
large part OF the power needed by the
Bethlehem Company for the manufac-
ture OF guns and armOr.
The amount recommended for the
Philadelphia district is larger than for
any other district OF small area in the
~ hn 4
expended in the Pittsburgh district
which embraces all OF western Pennsyl-
vania, part OF West Virginia and all OF
Ohio, except the section around Cleve-
land.
In that district alone Il is proposed
to construct power plants at the mines.
The plan OF the Administration, which
is left free TO expend the appropriation
in whatever manner it sees flt under
the terms Of the bill as it passed the
House, is fully set fourth in a letter
sent to Congress by the war industries
board II follows:
"The power section Of the war in
dustries board has made detailed esti-
mates OF the additional power that must
be provided 10 adequately supply eX-
listing work essential TO the war, and
has estimated the cost Of the cOnstruc- |
tion necessary TO supply the power. |
The aggregate cost OF the additional |
generating plants and transmission and |
distribution systems TO supply power |
to meet the essential demands prior 10 |
the winter Of 1920 Is estimated as
Si3s. 600. This is based upon the |
present war production in army, navy |
and Emergency Fleet undertakings. and |
the larger part OF this power is urgent /
ly required for operation prior to the |
winter OF i9is-i9.
"The figures in nearly every case are
the result OF definite plans and estl- :
mates supported by a mass OF detail |
compiled under the direction Of the |
power section OF the war industries |
board by army engineers assigned for /
the work This known increase Of ca
pacity that should be available prior to |
the winter OF i9iS-i9 the cost o. which /
is included in the estimate Of Si3S. Az /
900, is t.233,000 horsepower.
THE following is a statement Of the |
requirements for additional power IA
cilities and their estimated cost based /
on existing governmental orders.
Additional
Horsepower
Required For Estimated
Power District. 10lsioi9 Cost
Philadelphia. Chester.
and adjacent terri .
stote sGey of New Jersey. 5000 5000 10000 $4,000
Western Pennsylvania
and eastern Ohio
Pittsburgh. Youngs-
town. Akron, Can
ton. Wheeling, Con
cent cent territories) .... 100000 a5,OOO,OOO
N. nafn
and adjacent terri -.o.o .o,,ooo
" TIeinity IiShssO"' ....'......a. @ la9OO 10000
re9nsysSiIo@ c1is region ......... $1,000 100000
New England States. 5000 100000
Southern States ....:.. lSoVoV lo,VVo'VVV
smsuer
power systems scat
sTn sna states missie " 10000 si25OOOO
P1slss Snssv SlSSRs SRountSns %sss 81 @ ... 100000
ro,.,s j. .2ss, 300 s1ss, ,427 900
.sThe constantly increasing war pro
nam for the supply Of which procure
nent orders in army, navy ana other
ines of work have not yet been placed
Vim require a further increase in pow
r facilities which cannot be deinitely
etermined until the manufacturing
rorram is further developed. These
,rther mower requirements cannot be
ssumed as less than 10000 horse
over and this addition should be
at least by the winter OF 1919 !
~ the war program is to be fulfilled.
''To accomplish this increase In time
IT the required service the construction
hould be undertaken at the earliest