The Washington herald., 1918-08-17
WESTINGHOUSE
SAW FAR AHEAD
Holland Points Out He
Cited Water Power Use
Ten Years Ago.

tHc Chited states WOuld pc utiiizeu
so as to furnish electric energy for
the hauling OF trains upon practically
all OF the railroads OF the United
states. Mr.. Westinzhouse spoke 10
the delegates of the Southern Busi-
ness Congress, which met at Atlanta
Learly ten years ago.
1t was one of the rare occasions
when Mr.. Westinghouse accepted in
vitation to make public addresses.
But he felt that the Industrial and
transportation interests of the South
had at hand such an inconceivabiy
great natural resource whereby power
for Industrial and transportation pur-
poses could be secured that II might
be OF some service to the people of
tho. Sorth IL he called attention to
this resource.
He felt justified In going 50 fer as
to predict that the water ppwers Of
the South would, within the course
of fifteen or twenty years, perhars
., oner. pe captured and harnessed SO
rhat frum them could be procured
electric energy in amounut sufficient
to meet. Industrial and transportation
needs.
No doubt at that time Mr.. McAdoo,
who had perfected the so-called Nc
Adoo tubes, whereby transportation
by tunnel under the Hudson river
from Manhattan Island to Newark
could be secured. obtained a good
understanding of what the future
relation of electricity to the move
ment of trains was sure to be. The
electric current which operates the
trains that run through the McAdoo
tubes from New York to Newark Is
secured by burning coal II there
were in the vicinity of New York
abundant water power that un-
doubtediy would have been utilized
not only for the McAdoo tubes but
also for the Pennsylvania electri-
fed system as. well as that part of
the New York Central and of the
New Haven railroad. where trains
are operated by electricity.
McAdso and Electricity.
Now Secretary McAdoo has had
opportunity during his excursion to
the Pacific Coast and back to Wash
ington to take heed of the enor-
nous water powers of the West and
probably to gain some information
respecting the utilization Of water
powers in the mountain regions of
the Northwest whereby original en-
ergy Is converted into electric en-
ergy sufficient to operate trains up
on a section nearly five hundred
miles in length OF that part Of the
st. Paul railroad system which has
been recently completed to the Pa
cific coast
Mr.. McAdoo's observation OF these
water powers and OF the utilization
Of some of them which has already
been made led him to say upon his
return to Washington q few days
ago that he was of the opinion that
these water powers throughout the
country could be so utilized as to Ie-
suit IN the electrifying of the railroad
systems of the United States.
The First Cost.
When Mr.. Westinghouse first sug-
ses:eo that electricity be used as mo-
tive power for hauling railroad trail 8,
the railroad managers were fearful
lest the cost OF installing electric
rlInts and equipping railroads with
electric apparatus would be so great
as 10 make a proposition OF that Kind
rnrracticable. But the experience of
the New Haven Railroad. which IS
electrified from New York to New
Haven, and the later experience upon
the Pacific extension of the st. Paul
Railroad have demonstrated appar-
emily, that, although the cost en-
tailed by installing electricity as the
motive power for the railroads is
great, nevertheless the economies
which are effected and the various
facilities for operating trains which
electricity makes possible fully JUS
tify the Investment OF the capital
needed for installing hydro-electric
power and for operating the rail-
roads with electricity. Mr.. McAdoo
clearly intimates that IL the govern
ment is to continue to administer the
railroads of the United States for
considerable period at the close of the
war, he would advocate the utilization
of water power and electricity for
hauling railroad trains.
The government would be able with
its vast financial resources to facili-
tate the employment of water power
for producing electricity and also the
equipment of railroad lines with cleo
trio apparatus.
Mr.. McAdoo is quoted as saying that
there is an inconceivably great en-
pire of water power yet to be har-
messed and turned to account in the
portation of persons and traffie over
the railroads. These are almost the
exact words used by Mr.. Westing-
house in his address Of ten years ago.
An Inexhnustible Resource.
Aside from the convenience, econ
omy and efficiency which the utiliza-
ton of electricity for moving trains
makes possible, there Is another point
of view which is of equal Importance.
For IL the water powers Of the Unit
ed States which constitute an inex-
haustible natural resource be so har-
messed as to create another. mex
haustible resource. which Is electric
ity. then the serious question of the
conservation of coal will be answered.
Some Enonths ago DIR. z. G. Ache
son, who is recognized as one of the
foremost Of American men Of science,
demonstrated In an article that if the
water powers of the United States
were utilized for Industrial and trans
portation purposes then the menace
of the exhaustion Of our supplies of
coal would be removed.
DR.. Acheson gained information
from high authority which justified
him In calling attention to the belief
Of some Of the experts that our sup
ply Of anthracite coal at the present
rate of consumption may be exhaustes
in about fifty years. Our supply of BIZ
luminous coal at the present rate of
consumption might last about $50
years longer. but as DR.. Acheson
said, what is Q century in compare
son to the life of nation.
The United States, he asserted,