Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-09
PLAN IS OUTLINED
FOR VAST ELECTRIC
CURRENT SYSTEM
Network of Stations, Boston
to Washington, Explained to
Water Power League.

W Is 10 DE llnhen up IN
the great superpower system. by
| which network of power stations
from Boston to Washington is to
supply electric current to industries
and transportation systems. described
| by W. S Murray. chairman of the
lsuperpower survey. at the final meet
ing of the convention of the Water
Power League of America yesterday
afternoon at Hotel Washington.
The survey, which is being made
under the authority of the sundry
l civil act of Congress for the year
1921. and fer which SIPS 600 was ap-
propriated. is to ascertain the ad-
visibility and feasibility of establish
\ ing vast power system. linked to-
gether. for the distribution of cleo
ttricity to transportation lines and in
dustries, in a territory between Bos-
| ton and Washington, averaging $50
miles inland from the coast and COM
prising some $4,000 square miles. or
IL per cent of the area of the United
States.
Program Is Outlined.
! 1t is proposed, Mr.. Murray said. to
deliver power to a great transmission
| and diStribution system fed by high
powered, high-economy steam gene
1
tide water and at mouths of mines.
where condensing water and coal
istorage are available. Added to such
a supply of power will be that OBJ
| tanned from the great rivers of this
TERRITORY, the Delaware. the Susque-
ihanna and the Potomac Reaching
into this area of $4,000 square miles
! may come the great water powers Of
| the ST. Lawrence, which will supply
the New England districts of the
zone. and every kilowatt Of power SO
supplied will reserve in natures
storehouse two pounds of coal. which
would have been required to re-
iplace it.
"Treading through the superpower
| zone will be trunk transmission
| system which will he common to all
which viii be included also the great
central stations Of the character now
built at Boston. Providence, New
York, Newark, Philadelphia, Balti-
| more and Washington"
2.7Oo.0OO kilowatts Added.
| Continuing. Mr.. Murray said that.
"approximately speaking. there VIII
capacity to be added to that of the
great stations just named. and their
functions will be to furnish the base
load in this great reservoir Of power
for joint use by the railroads and in
| dustries. This, it is believed. can be
done at an expenditure of from to
~ pounds of coal per horsepower
hour. the peak loads. with their
lesser kilowatt hour. being furnished
Contrast this with steam locomo-
tiveS now using seven pounds of coal
per horsepower hour, and again with
| the factory use of coal at even
greater rate. 1t is but a simple calcu-
lation in arithmetic to show that the
saving of 30,000,0 tons of coal per
annum is conservative one for this
zone now using $4,000. 100000 kilo-
for power doubling itself every four
years.
Il have been profoundly impressed
by the information We have already
secured in ascertaining that the aver
this zone is on the order OF 5000 kilo-
watts. Visualize this little station
competing in the economic production
of power with one 100 times as large.
for it is quite likely that the super
stallation Of 100000 kilowatts in
single station. and maybe more.
Direct Saving Of $15O,00Oy 900.
The conservation of 80. 100000 tons
iof coal means a direct saving of
$150.000.O0O a year, and there may be
added to that $780, 100000 more due
Ito the lesser cost of maintenance of
electrical versus steam machinery. in
which latter figure is also included
certain savings affected through the
reduction of train miles by virtue of
the higher speeds and the higher
tractive efforts obtainable in the cleo
trical locomotives. Please do not gain
the impression that all of the steam
railroads in this territory are to he
converted for electrical operation
Only those where the density of traf-
fic justifies will be electrified"
Mr.. Murray made il clear that the
|superpower system is not suggested
as competitive to existing power com
panies. but that it is suggested to
carry on in larger degree and to
started and now being carried on by
them He said that the rivers in the
zone will contribute only Is per cent
of the total power requirements.
In a trip through the superpower
zone. Mr. Murray said. to meet the
Executives of various railways. public
utility companies and industrial
chiefs. he had been amazed at the
alacrity of their offers of assistance.
which have been backed up by Hood
|survey.
The objects of the survey. he said.
are two: First. the ALLEGATION and
amount Of waste incident to present
improper form of power production
and distribution, and, second. the rec
!ommendation OF regional plant
through means of which this waste
may be eliminated.
Discusses Mining Problem.
Discussing the mining problem So
intimately related to the superpower
system in the matter of continuity or
power, Mr.. Murray said: Il am OF the
belief that none of the large super
power stations should be erected with
in the confines Of large cities. Ring
buses should be placed around them.
from which power may be delivered,
and the new superpower stations
built as far outside the limits OF such
cities, and another prerequisite OF as
much importance as securing water
will be that of securing ground for
coal storage. Such storage will
amount to millions of tons and VIII
be a regulating feature paramount to
a continuity of power production,
while answering also the fiuctuating
labor conditions at the mine.
Among the many problems we are
studying is one Of prime Importance.
looking to the establishment OF pow
err continuity is the selection OF a
coastal point where may be erected
three co-ordinated plants--one coal
ing station, where the coal VIII be re-
ceived in bulk from the mines ana
loaded into barges for transport by
sea 10 the superpower stations erect
ed at tide water; another a. power
station generating its quota OF energy
for the superpower system. ana the
third a by-product Plant extracting
the gas. the ammonium sulphate. ben
col and tar. and coke, tne iaIter 70 De
used for metalurgical or power sta
tions, as conditions may dictate.
Increase OF Machine Power.
"Durinr the last ten years the CEN
sus shows US that the horsepower per
lace Garner has increased IS per