The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-03
Engineers
Okeh Vast
Utilities!
Development Of Super Pow
er System in East Favor
ed After official Survey
ny HARRY HUNT


WASHINGTON. Feb. J. - An an
nuaI net saving OF $4,000. 900 In
the cost Of power for railroads, pub
he utilities and Industrial plants In
the Atlantic coast Industrial xone can
be accomplished by the efficient CO
ordination OF power sources In that
district into a River OF Power.
Such Is the finding Of q board Of
expert power engineers which. work
ing under the direction OF the Unit
ed States geological survey. has
made n detailed study Of the ad-
vantages and savings that might
result from the development of a
super.powcr system to serve this
section.
These savings would be divided
as follows:
Masufa~surtsg tsdaststes fpo. ooo 800
RaIir~ads ............ st.ooo.oo
Such a system. W. $. Murray.
consulting engineer In charge OF
the Investigation. points out. also
would take from the over-congested
railroads In this district great val
ume OF bulky coal traffic and
would conserve the rapidly disap
pearlng cheap fuel OF the Appa'
iachlan coal fields
The annual coal saving under the
super-po~er system Is estimated al
zs.sss 600 tons. as follows:
Electric ussissses -. IoIss.ees teas
.-~s. fo.sfo. 600 ten.
Msssfaesuriax indus
evs~a ........ co.ecs.ooo tess
The systcm calls simply for the
conversion Of coal into electric pow
or af plants located close to the
source. Of cheap coal supply and
the development OF hydro-electric
power plants at points where de-
pendahie wzterpover Ii available
The power thus produced would
be fed into the principal load cen
ters and distributed from there 10
the individual plants requiring
power.
A main transmission i.ne. Or pow
or belt. extending from Washington
10 New Haven. Conn. would receive
power from producing stations and
pass ~ along 10 the main cnnsun-
tnx center-.
In the region which would Be
served by this system there are
now SIS electric utility plants Their
average capacity is 1900 kilovnfts.
Under the super power system
the number OF stations needed 20
supply the entire zone by 1880
would be only eI1
The capacity of baseioad steam
plants. located at sources Of coal
supply. would range from $4,000 10
zoo. 900 kiIowatts. No generator
would be installed with q capacity
OF less than 5000.
The total Investment In general.
Ing and TRANSMISSION facilities for
the system Is put at Si.ios5s4.ooo.
or this sum 4fs.s4s.ooo represents
value OF existing facilities that
would BE- incorporated In the new
system. leaving ssss.zfsoeo AZ the
additional amount 10 be spent
within the proposed power zone
are 5000 manufacturing establish
nents-
IL would cost these plants Sfssr
~ 500 TO provide motor equipment
sufficient 20 carry on all their proc
ezs<s By electric power. But at the
estimated power rate. these con.
Germs would save In power costs
yearly $3.50. 900 900 above the fixed
charges on this motor Investment
The combined capital investment
for the electric utilities and the In
dustries using the power. by 1880.
would amount TO 3i,zs4.5sfooo. The
annual yield or saving resulting
from this expenditure would be
$4,000. 900 above fixed charges, or
- per cent on the investment
Also, within this zone are $1,000
miles Of railroad track. OF this
about 10000 can be profitably cleo
trtfied. so as 10 yield an annual
saving of ssi 900 900 as compared
with cost Of operation by steam.
The capital necessary for this cleo
trffication OF railways would be
$50. 00o. 600. on which the saving
would return 1f.2 per cent
Potential hydro-electric power
that could easily be made available
IN such a system Is 70 be found on
the Potomac river. at Great Falls.
near Washington; on the Sus1ue-
hanna river. on tho Hudson. Della
ware, Raauctte. Black and Con-
nscticut rivers. Later. additional
power, IL desired. could be brought
in from the 81 LAwrence. the Mag
ara river and the rivers Of Maine.
Tho possibilities Of expansion. OF
cour-e. are infinite.