The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-10
NEW YORK'S WATER POWER.
Preliminary Steps TO Make 1t Availa.
bic for Generating Electricity.

10 THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: A
story in THE Sun of February pro-
nounces New York State laggard
ir respect to hydroelectrlc development.
The fact Is that much necessary work
preliminary to such development has
been done.
Chapter $50 of the Laws OF 1907 d.
rected the State Water Supply Commits
sion Ito devise plans for the progres sive
development OF the water powers OF the
State under State ownership, control and
| maintenance for the public use and bene-
At and for the increase Of the public rev.
enue." This act was supplemented by
other appropriations In each OF the sue
| ceeding two or three years until the
| surveys and estimates OF available power
| sites had been completed and the results
| and data recorded In the reports Of the
State Water Supply Commission These
valuable records are still available. as
sumo In the archives of the Conservation
Commission, which later absorbed the
State Water Supply Commission
| The provisions of Article VII, Section
Z, or the State Constitution were a bar
to the building of storage reservoirs in
the forest preserve counties of this State
where any State land would be used.
| This bar was removed by n constitu-
tlonal amendment adopted In 1918.
! Chapter 662 of Laws of 1915 provided
a system for water power development.
On Its pa ssage an amendment was
slipped In by some one which made II
UNIV orkable. but this was remedied by
an amendment Chapter 5S4 OF Laws
of 1915.
These laws make hydroelectric devel-
opment practicable on favorable basis
in every part Of this State But the high
cost OF material and of labor and the
| inability to obtain necessary material has
prevented carrying forward a number
OF extensive contemplated developments
under the provisions of the laws OF
l1915-l916.
| One contemplated development on the
| Sacandaga River would create a lake
about forty miles long and inpound
water enough to insure a development
of about $4,000 horse power Mt an initial
cost OF about $4,000. 900 I was recently
assured by the leading spirit in this en-
terprise that It had not been abandoned,
but was waiting for more favorable
conditions.
For general hydroelectrc development
in this State no further legislation is now
needed, unless 1t is contemplated that the
State Itself shall take the initiative and
bear the enormous expense by bond Issue
or otherwise The law OF 1915, az
amended in 1915. provides for district
development under State direction by
local commissions FOR each district APP
pointed by the Governor The expense Is
! to be borne in the district by the prop
critics and municipalities benefited The
districts making the developments have
first claim to their Use. The instru.
mentalities which operate plants or dis.
pense power are under State supervision
and the reservoirs that are built become
the property Of the State and under 1t,
control.
Legislation would be necessary in or.
der to use any surplus waters Of the
canals for power purposes. The canal.
were constructed and are maintained fol
transportation. There Is apparently
some surplus water which might be used
, FOR power, but no one knows or can tel
how much until the demands TO be made
, upon the water supply by the commerce.
or the canals are made known after thi:
commerce has been again developed tc
its maximum.
The canals and their water supply ar.
protected by the state Constitution ant
the canals have and must have the frs
claim upon the water supply impoundet
= FOR them and necessary for them. II ny
droelectric power plants should be con.
: structed to use the surplus waters OF IN,
canals based upon present conditions, be
fore the canal commerce has been de
: veloped. the development would be baset
/ Upon large surplus which year or fv,
9 years hence Will not exist AZ a surplus
I II 10 manifest that II the canal com
Y mercs demanded all the water Their
7 would be no surplus for power and ever,
I dollar put into power plants would b.
= wasted, II appeals strongly to the un
: informed TO point to the canal water
now running away. and they say, WI,
not use 1t for power" No private enter
y prise would risk the capital niece ssary 10
] utilizing canal surplus waters unde
I these conditions. knowing that there ma,
he no surplus within less time than 1
would take to construct the power plant.
n and the State should not take such
r risk.
Z Exclusive OF the canal surplus. OF tn
: Niagara and St Lawrence rivers, Their
I Is estimated 20 be about 400. 900 waite
q horsepower to be DEVELOPED in this State
a There are about 100000 on the St Law
n renee. and about 100000 in the Rapid
n of Niagara below the Falls. Surely unit
these have been utilized TO some extern
n Mt least, there is no wisdom or reason 70
nfat n LAT ha pf
: waters which may not exist year O
two hence.
Any one interested or contemplatin
legislation should study the existing law
:, OF 1e15-1el6 ! have referred to befor
. going far FRANK 8. GARDNER.
" Secretary New York Board OF Trade an
Transportation.
Il New YORK. February g.