Evening star., 1920-07-15
JAPANESE PROPOSE
|ELECTR|FY|NG ALL
| STATE RAILWAYS
Part OF BilIion-DoIIar Scheme
for Hydro-EIectric Power
Development.
BY JUNICS n. WOOD.
by Cable to The Star and Chicago
Daily News. Copyright, 1920.


TOXIC, Japan, July 12-Japan has
\ an ambitious project for the electri-
ncation of the imperial government
railways. Though it is a big under
taking, 1t Is only part of the larger
plan for hydro-electric power devel-
opment on the islands. Its plan calls
for an expenditure of $1,000. 600, 900.
1t is hoped that most of the capital
will come from America-another
reason for continuing the friendly re-
lations between the two countries.
With the promoters ready to offer
bonds paying 10 and IL per cent on
the investment, il is possible that in
few years their hopes will be re-
allied.
White coar'-the pleasing name
given to water whether bubbling
down rivers. tumbling over falls or
flowing through drainage canals aft
er it has been harnessed to generate
electricity-is not new in Japan. High.
narrow water wheels. looking as if
they had been taken off a giant cart.
have been familiar in picturesque
Japan landscapes for ages. Modern
electric power plants. perched on
hillsides. draining the maximum pow
er out of small but swift rivers are
comparatively recent development.
Japan mines some excellent coal and
more that is not as good. but is
obliged to import much of what she
uses. white COAL now furnishes
more than 100000 kilowatts for pub
lie utilities. industries and govern
ment works. Even when this is
enormously increased as planned it
will not supply. according to the
, figures of kyuichi HaseEawa, chief of
the river sections of the home de-
partment. enough power to dispense
with black coal for power purposes.
Much Power Now Developed.
The governments record of hydro
electric power plants shows the ex-
tent to which the industry has already
developed. 1t is:
pubue service corporations. -...-......... $40
Railways own service. ce............. Al
. Private and public service As
Private service only y-......-.......23 300
'ovenments own service 135
Total plants operating. g 1G3
Fuji's white peak, which dominates
every Japanese landscape, furnished
the turbulent streams for the first
ventures in modern water-power de-
velopment. Most Of the power from
the upper portions of the Full river
is brought to Toxic. One of the cor
porations which has several plants
there is capitalized for $50, 900 900
The subsequent Fuji and Lake Suwa
developments are planned to supply
Toxic and Yokohama. TOXIC and Ka-
nagawa prefectureS, where the two
cities are located. have few streams
suitable for power development. The
Sagami and it's upper part, the Kat
sura river. near Yokohama and the
Lake 1nawashiro district, 200 miles
from Toxic. with the Akano river are
Nthe two big future sources of supply
for the two cities
The new railroad plants are planned
for the upper portions of the Shinano
river with a capacity Of 204. 500 horse
power. At presnt the Toxic street
car system gets current from power
houses on the kinu river. near Nikko,
one of the least successful systems
on account of the shortage of water in
the winter. Another extensive devel-
opment is around Nagoya and Gifu on
the Niagara. Hida and Kiso rivers.
North of there, on the opposite side
of the main Island of Hondo, is
big series of plants on the Kudzuryu,
Sho. Jindzu, Joganji and Kurobi
rivers. DR.. Jokichi Takamine. who
married a Chicago girl and for many
years has lived at 334 Riverside drive,
New York city, the head of various
chemical works in America. is largely
interested in these.
Great Wealth in Power Plants.
Figures of the latest government
report. December 81. 1918. show the
licenses which have been granted. not
the number of plants under each
license, for the use of rivers on the
four largest of Japan's 1000 islands.
They are:
Operating. Planned. Total.
Island No. HIP. No. HIP. HIP.
Hokkaids -. Is 5714o ~ 1s.e1 1ss, ,sM