Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-03

rights to build such reservoirs to cor
4 porations organized for that purpose
and financed in such a way as to be
able to carry out these great projects.
He explained that while 20 years ago
Maine had great advantage over
most Of the other states in the coun-
try on account of her many natural
lakes which serve the purpose Of
storage reservoirs, that during the
past is years the building of great
reservoirs in the southern and west
ern states has so changed and im-.
proved the character of the rivers
IN those sections that they now ex-
Gel the most Of the rivers in Maine
Tor water power uses.
Mr.. Wyman illustrated the sort Of
development that is going on by tell
| ing of what has been done on the
Messalonskee stream. He said that
whereas 20 years ago all develop
ment on the stream, which falls 200
feet from it's origin in Oakland to the
kennebec river. did not develop more
than 100000 kilowatt hours of USE
ful power. When the improvements
now going on are finished this stream
will develop very nearly $4,000, 900
kilowatt hours per year.
He stated that the south and west
are taking particularly great inter-
est at the presen time in establishing
new industries. They are going
ahead by leaps and bounds. He cited
the case of the three power COM
panies in North and South Carolina,
Georgia and Alabama, which togeth-
or are spending $2S.000,00O this year
constructing reservoirs and making
water power development.
He told the Rotarians of the large
developments that are now going on
in New York and Canada for the
purpose primarily of supplying cheap
power in Massachusetts and New
York state and that in a short time
hydroelectric power would be de-
! livered in the manufacturing cities
| of Massachusetts at price not much
exceeding that at which it can be
furnished in our own cities and
| towns.
Mr.. Wyman spoke of the Kennebec
Reservoir project which was brought
before the Legislature last winter
| and said that so far as he could un-
derstand the question, there is no
difference between the Kennebec
Rsevoir bill and the Dead River
Reservoir bill. Under one of them the
State was to sell these lands for a
cash price to be agreed upon between
the parties or fixed by the court, with
! the right to retake the property at
cost at the end of so years. Under
the second plan the State was to
lease to the Storage company its
Dead River lots for 40 years and this
lease was to continue in 20 year
periods unless the State bought the
improvements and paid for them at
| cost less depreciation. In the Ken
| ebec Reservoir bill the title to Long
Falls. where there is a possibility of
developing something like 5000 horse
power remained in the State. Under
| the lease proposed in the Dead River
| bill the entire falls and the right to
| utilize the power available thereon
went to the Storage company and
formed the basis for the principal
part OF the rental.
In closing Mr.. Wyman spoke of
the great possibilities in the way of
producing revenue from taxation by
the development of our idle water
powers. He said that the Central
Maine Bower Co. Of which he is
treasurer, had never attempted to
transmit power out Of the State nor
advocated such a course but that he
believed it of extreme import. ce 10
every voter to consider whether it
would not be to his advantage to
have these powers developed and the
State receive q revenue therefrom
in the form of taxation. He said that
it would cost in the neighborhood of
500, 10000 to completely develop
these powers and this would probably
yield the State from one to two mill
lion dollars a year in taxation.
He also spoke of the way our boys
who graduate from Maine institu-
tons are going out Of the State, cit
ing the case of the boys graduating
from the Electrical Engineering
course at the University of Maine
this year who have practically all
entered the employment of corpora
tions operating outside the State.