Evening star., 1919-09-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO In THE STAR

Discussion Of the question Of utilix-
ing the Potomac water power started
by The Star in its
Plan for Power columns fifty years
n: ago continued with
'"' varying sugges-
ing the power of the river to account.
In The Star of September Is, 1869, Is
the following:
1--WE give place with pleasure to
the following from an intelligent
source in regard to the water power
question and welcome further sug-
gestions from any quarter in relation
to matter Of such general interest
to this community as the question of
utilizing our vast water power. That
water power can be made fully avail
water by the agency Of the canal or
sluiceway, or by mills on the Vir-
ginia side near the Great Falls, or
on the Maryland side, as suggested
by our correspondent, by power
transmitted across the river. The
would apparently be by the use Of
the canal at Georgetown and along
the Georgetown level as there would
be a rare combination of water power.
nav1gable water and canal and rail
communication with the sources of
supply and with the great markets:
In last Saturdays number of The
star you say. in regard to utilizing
the immense power of the Great Falls
or the Potomac, "as great volume of
water, with more head, could be pro-
cured than at Georgetown, but it
would require a railroad on the vir-
glnia side to reach it. The Maryland
side is not deemed available, ETC."
Allow me to differ with you alto
gether. The Maryland side may be
made available. the power may be
transmitted from the Virginia side,
ana the Maryland side is well adapted
for building factories alongside of
the canal, which may be used as a
highway to the shipping point of
Georgetown. How is this to be done :?
In the same manner as it has been
done at Schaffhausen, at the falls of
the Rhine. The power Of these falls
is transmitted to the factories two
miles above it, and the system has
been in successful operation for over
eight years: therefore there can be
no difficulty in transmitting the
power of the Great Falls across the
river to any convenient point on the
Maryland side.
This transmission of power is ac-
complished through wire-rope belts
running around large pulIeys estab-
lished 400 feet apart and running
from one to the other to any distance
required. This system having been
proved entirely feasible. why should
the power of the great falls run to
waste any longer? 1t is well known
that on the Virginia side a short ca
nal had been built years ago and is
now lying idle. Let the power of the
falls be thrown into 1t and by means
of turbine wheels let the power be
utilized and transmitted across the
river. where there is ample room to
enough in the falls to drive all the
machinery that might be put UP.
Who will take the initiative to make
this immense water power useful?
1 understand that an eminent lawyer
of Washington is the proprietor,
short canal on the Virginia side. Can
they not undertake to make this
power useful, with the concurrence of
our capitalists"
Railroad traffic between Washing
ton and New York was far from ideal
fifty years ago. as the
Shortening line was crooked and
~. r.. there were bothersome
'ne Alne' delays. especially in
Baltimore. The Star Of September
Is. 1869. prints the following dispatch
from the Boston Herald relative to
prospective improvements in the serv-
iice:s
1.-The travelling public, who have
had in years past SO much reason to
complain Of the through railroad
route between New York and Wash
ington, will be glad to learn that
more new improvements are in prog
ress to shorten the line. Last year,
under a consolidated management Of
the four connecting lines for through
passengers, new cars, new engines,
new Conductors and porters, new
sleeping and compartment cars and
cars with reserved chairs, etc, were
placed on the line and the time was
reduced nearly two hours. In a Few
months the time will be reduced in
another hour, SO that trains will pass