The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-08
Fifteen Mile Falls In
Hydro Electric Project

where the demand for it is great
| est.
1t is estimated that in the terri
tory covered by the report, extend
ing from the coast Approximately
$50 miles inland and embracing
parts of Maine, New Hampshire
Vermont, New York, Pennsylva-
MIA, Delaware and Maryland ana
all of Massachusetts,, Connecticut
Rhode Island and New Jersey the
total coal saved annually under
conditions reasonably expected to
develop by 1880 will be 50,000,000
tons. A possible saving of $780,.
100000 year with an increased
output of product can by realized
| by industry.
The North Atlantic coast region
was chosen as the field of activities
of the Superpower commission be-
cause of the enormous industrial
activity concentrated in this dis
trict which is an area Of 2 per cent
of the nation contains % per cent
of the population of the United
States anG. supports $4,000 indus
trial plants, 315 electric utilities and
Is railroads, most of which are
operated independently. Moreover,
it is far more important to simpli-
fly distribution and production of
power here than in such territories
as the Far West where there is
an abundance of waterpower
which makes efficient transmission
not so vital to industry, for the
demands of the East are so great
that the supply of enerpv must be
handled in the way that makes for
the least possible waste.
Owing to the lack of sufficient
waterpower steam plants must
supplement the hydro-electric sta
tons, but it is hoped that after
1850 the improvements contem-
plated on the st. Lawrence and
engagements of the generating IA
cilities of Niagara NAV add ma
terially to the total of waterloo
veloped electricity.
Economy, both of investment
and of operation, is the purpose
of the plan whose details were
worked out by George Otis Smith,
director of the geological survey,
with w. S. Murray of New York
as chief of the engineering staff.
The saving to be effected is esti-
mated at one cent per kilowatt
hour in first cost of current as put
on the transmission lines and this
is expected to amount to S190,000,-
600 year in industrial plants
alone and to $A29,000,000 when all
items, including the electric utili-
ties themselves, are considered.
To effect this saving an invest
'ment by 1880 of 81, 109. SD, 900 will
be required. Only 93,218,000 of
this need be new money, however,
as $400,000,G00 worth of steam
ad hydro electrc plants already
existing will be retained in SER
vice, In addition to this amount
an investment OF S185, 100000 for
motor equipment will have to be
made by the industries served,
thus bringing the total amount up
to $1,294,56 900. The annual
yield of S429,000,000, representing
the amount saved, is 8 per cent on
this investment. Of the total
amount required 100000 rep
resents the cost of the transmits
sion network and its distributing
stations.
Consideration of the railroads in
the report shows that the cost of
.electrifying the 10000 miles Of
track that can efficiently be oper
ated by electricity will be $570,- |
100000 ard that this outlay will
return an annual saving of $751;
100000 or 14.2 per cent. In add |
ton to the money saving there will
be reduction of congestion, re-
sulting from the elimination of the
necessity of hauling 49,984,000
short tons of coal now used in in
deepndently operated steam
plants.
Among the railroads to be cleo
trified are the main line of the |
Boston and Albany between
Springfield and Boston, the New |
Haven between Springfield and |
the section already operated cleo
trically, beginning at New Haven,
the Fitchburg division of the Bos-
ton and Maine from Boston to
Junction, the Win
chendon, Webster and Milford
branches of the Boston and AL
,bany and the Shore line of the
New Haven between New Haven
and Boston.
The development of the Con-
necticut river calls for five plants
whose location and disable fall are
as follows: Fifteen-Mile Falls, N.
H., $50 feet; Piermont, 80 feet;
Quechee Falls, 45 feet Bellows
Falls, so feet; Windsor Locks, IS
feet. All these projects call for |
new construction upon now unused
sites except " eBllows Falls unit,
which is TO be a redevelopment.
Water storage would greatly ;dl |
to the efficiency not only OF the
proposed plants. but of others al
ready in operation along the river.
Shortage has not, however, been