Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-08-07

Water Powers in Maine


The argument made by advocates OF State ownersb;
development OF water powers and used with much irenn
and perhaps with as much any. is thar h 60
meat Of the water powers great saving will be maj
When coal IS high and hard obian such an ar,nn,
naturally easy to accept by those unfamiliar with actaI ~
diton careful stuoy OF actual conditions, however shows
but little substance to the above cited claim.
Eliminating the of coal BY the steam railroads -
Staefthere is comparatively small of coal used i
Maine for poorer purposes. Nearly all of The great
OF the State derive their power power develop
ments. OP
This statement applies the great pulp and paper mills
the cotton aud wooden mills the shoe shops machine shon
and shpouldng plants (Saw mills obtain their power from
the use OF mill waste and do not enter into tire question:
There few exceptions to this rule In the Kennebec
Valley where hydro-eIecrc power highly developed
the only coal used for power purposes is used by steam
railroads and by the Central Maine Power Co. as an
auxiliary to ITS water powers In other sections OF the State
the same condition obtains in a slightly less degree.
The great quantities of coal used by pulp aud paper COM
panes for cooking the pulp, heating rolls of the
paper machines and for heating the mills in cold weather
The steam used to drive the paper machines is in by
product OF the heating operation and does affect the
consumption. The coal used By the mills is almo,
entirely used for heating purposes Exceptions the rule
few and steps have been taken supply need as
soon as normal conditions return.
The further development powers manufactur-
ing purposes viii not reduce the consumption of COAL will
necessarily increase it, for heat the plan, and
necessary houses which will be built together stores
and other buildings incident development wl require
coal than is used This is objection de-
velopmen, it is condition that must be but
that power development will measurably decrease
consumption of coal is erroneous.
The single conspicuous opportunity reduce the
coal for power purposes lies electfyng the railroads OF
the State This simply economic problem. If the rail-
roads can be equipped with electricity ard the equipment
maintained lower cost than the OF using COAL then
that would be distinct economic gan but whether the
nng of the trains the State by electricity would be cheap
than by using coal has not been determined.
irresponsible persons apt say thai the railroads
should be electrified bat they do know the and they
do pay bills The fact that electricity is used
railroads does affect the situation in this State
The conditions where electricity is used entirely
different. The great terminals of New York and Chicago,
with frequent trains and comparatively short distances
covered by the electrical equipment not fairly to be
compared with the nfrequent and the greater dis
lance covered by our Maine railroads.
All the present time, with the high price OF copper and
electrical machinery, it is very doubtful if it would he
paying propositions the other hand with lower OF
electrical equipment syl cheaper COAL that the
problem still exists tina, only careful study and costly
perments will determine
1t may be OF interest o that this question has
ceived careful consideration by prominent railroad
agements that steps taken of the most
important powers in the State the purpose cleo
cal development for railroad USE but conditions
that made it mpacticabe undertake the necessary work
and experiments determine whether it would be
paying venture
1t illustrates that capital is ready to develop power
any legitimate enterprise where fair may be had
but that under abnormal conditions capital will until
these conditions change.
Can the State afford be less careful in the expend
ture OF the peoples money!
(Signed) VIM. NJ. Pennell, Publicity Agent
RumiOrd FAIL. Company, Androscorgn MIL.
Oxford Paper Company, ionalP Paper
Northern
Union
Company
81 crOiI Paper Company. Bate. Manufacturing Company,
Company Manufacturing
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