Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-08
SUPERPOWER REPORT

One or tile lllOSl llllCl eoliiiS
documents that has come to our
attention recently, is the Report
OF the Superpower Survey just
submitted to President Harding.
It contains the results of an en-
gineering study made by the
United States Geological Survey.
II seems that Congress wisely
made an appropriation for this
work, designating the labor to be
performed as special investlga-
ton OF the possible economy OF
fuel, labor, and material result
ing from the use in the Boston,
Washington region. Of colnpre-
hensive system for generating and
distributing electricity to trans
portation lines and industries. !"
The published report is now
issued from the Government
press, and displays a wealth OF
technical information in the form
OF statistical tables, test figures,
and maps. which 'open up new
and magnificent vistas for the
future of the Atlantic coast
states.
The superpower project has its
significance in the saving OF coal
and the increasing OF the product
ivity OF labor. III these times OF
tremendous competition among
nations, anything that makes tor
greater and cheaper production
and better and cheaper transporta-
ton, is OF vital Importance. The
Identification of industries and
railroads seems to be the solution
of this breathless problem. 10
connect all the large generating
plants on the Atlantic Coast
both steam and water poWer--lll
one gigantic system, means more
and cheaper electric current, be-
cause each ton OF coal will be used
to the best advantage, and our
hundreds Of idle streams made to
turn thousands OF now non-eN1st-
ing wheels.
According to the report the
total amount of coal that could be
saved by the year 1880, would be
about fifty million tons. Under
motor operation the industries
would save SloO,OO0,000 annual
" in their power bill and would
yield far greater output. The
ordinary citizen will likewise
profit directly by the superpower
system since it promises a reduc-
ton Of one cent per kilowatt hour
in the first cost Of the current as
put on the transmission lines.
Cheaper electricity means more
comfort to the home, and great
er efficiency to the workshop.
The Report discloses the fact
that most OF the manufacturing
plants in this region can purchase
power cheaper than they can man
ufacture it. That if they had
purchased it in 1919, for instance,
they would have saved thirteen
and one-half million tons Of coal.
BY 1880 the complete electriflca-
ton Of the manufacturing and
mining plants in this area would
show an annual saving OF $780,
100000, as stated. over and above
the fixed charges against all IN
vestnlent Of 100000 for
motor equipment. The railroads,
By Identification, would save y
100000 tons Of coal yearly, which
\ 1uld incidentally increase the
available car supply. The aboli-
ton Of smoke and cinderS, and
the noise OF steam locomotives
would likewise prove a blessing
to the public.
All in all, the Report is monu-
mental work of information. The
United States Geological Survey
deserves all honor and credit for
its painstaking and laborious COM
pilation. This Bureau, by the
way, is one of the most efficient
bodies in the world today. Its
staff, composed OF hundreds OF