Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-08
us. WATERP0WER
RESOURCES AMPLE,
SAYS COL. GREELEY
OF 10000, 900 Horsepower in
National Forests, But $780,
600 Are Developed.


The water-power resources of the
national forests, both developed ano
undeveloped, are in round numbers
1e.000,00O horsepower, or 20 per cent
of the total water-power resources OF
the country, Col. w. b. Greeley, chief
of the United States forestry bureau
today told the delegates to the ma
tional convention of the Water er
League of America. The power de-
velopments in plants occupying ma
tional forest lands. he SAID. To-Day
amount only to about $4,000 horse
power. In other words, the water
powers in the national forests are
the future.
Col. Greeley discussed the probable
demands for hydro-electrlc power
generated from sources within the ma :.
tfonal forests. and declared that II
would be required to aid in meeting
the demands of the lumber market
and in relieving the paper shortage
He said:
Col. Greel~y'x Statement.
Zone of the most significant and in
teresting demands for national forest
water power is now coming from
forest industries. industries indeed
which use wholly or in part the TIM
Der produced on the national forests
as their raw material.
I'VE thus have a linking up of two
of the great resources in these ma
tional possessions, timber and water
power. as the basic factors in very
important industries. This phase OF
national forest development is as
Stunning increasing Importance every
day because of the westward move
ment of forest Industries. Sixty-one
per cent of our remaining timber lies
n Mains Ii has been
estimated that the depletion of for
estS in the lake states and In the
south will necessitate an increased
cut of western timber to supply east
ern and central lumber markets, which
within another decade will amount to
ten billion feet a year.
Newsprint Solution.
The only effective solution of the
shortage of newsprint and other pa
pers is to increase their production:
and aside from the opportunities for
additional paper mills offered in east
ern Canada, the best opportunity for
Increasing the production of this es-
sen.Iai commodity lies in the national
1m--.ssH CT the northern Rocky noun
taina- the private and public forests
III the Pacific northwest and the ma
tional forests of southern Alaska.
There is already prospective move
ment of paper mills to these regions
The 500-odd billion feet of timber
in the national forests is going to
prove of inestimable value to the
nation in meeting the shortage of
lumber, paper and other important
products of the forest, and in the de-
velopment of the industries necessary
to utilize this timber national forest
water powers will play an essential
part: A water power site is the
key to successful newSprint fac
tory.
Print Paper Estimate.
TO illustrate what. the develop
ment of forest industries may mean
in their demands for hydro electric
that the national forests Of Alaska
can produce 100000 tons of paper
annually in -perpetuity....Th This lis pos
sible, in other words, II the cut of
timber from these forests is kept
within what they are producing cur
rently by growth. To produce this
quantity of paper yearly will require
not less than 100000 horsepower of
electric energy.S an amount not far
below the total hydro electric devel-
forest sites. To utilize all of the
pufpwoods grown on the national for
ests as a whole for the manufacture
of papers on basis of permanent
production adjusted to the growth of
the forests under technical manage
from 100000 to 100000 horsepower
of hydro-electric energy"
Describes Procedure.
Col Greeley described the manner in
which water power developments may
proceed on the national forest land,
under the new water-power act of
Congress. He said that these develop
inents could proceed with little diff
ficulty. in his opinion. In conclusion
he said:
"All the resources within the ma
tional forests are for use. The prob
lem of the forest service is simply
the practical one of obtaining the
most complete and well rounded de-
vefopment of the exceedingly varied
resources which these public holdings
contain. Our aim will be, in drafting
the istipulations covering power de-
veiopment, to fit the hydro-electric
plant into this we'll rounded develop
ment along such practicable lines as
will make the national forests of the
maximum service"
The convention will close with it's
session this afternoon. w. S. Murray,
chairman of the super-power survey,
is to deliver an address on THE SUI
Progress" and a number of commit
tees to deal with important subjects
Will be appointed.
Discusses Niagara Falls.
T. kennard Thompson of New York
read "A paper discussing the treatment
of the water power at Niagara Falls.
He declared that the most valuable
water power possibilities in America,
if not in the world. are at Niagara.
Enthusiastically" he said. these
should be considered and developed
as an international unit, so that the
maximum amount of power can be
obtained at the minimum of cost,
instead of letting everybody take a
bite out of the cake, thereby spoil
ing il for all.
""The logical plan seems to be that
the United States anu Canadian gov
erninents should get together and
allow "A comprehensive treatment of
the entire project.
Mr.. Thompson suggested that the
most economical plan would be to
build a dam in the rapids at Eos
tiers Flats" some four miles below
The falls, taking advantage of the
drop of 102 feet in the Niagara river
from the base of the falls to Lewiston.
Water Power League