The Washington times., 1923-07-19
GEYSER ENERGY
MAY HEAT j. s,
HE AYERS
Or. Washington, PetroIogist,
5 Sees End of Nations De-
pendence on Coal.
BY LILLIAN BARKER,
COsmOpolitan News Service.

COSAlOpOAltAD NEWS SOINACO'
If Americans want to stay in the
clutch of the coal barons; if they
choose to SILVER and shudder
through other winters with but a
few niggardly Jumps of coal in their
furnaces, it is their own fault, Dr.
Henry S. Washington, petrologiaf
of the .GeophysicaI Laboratory in
Washington. said today.
why don't they turn their I'M
mediate attention to the geysers
lively small COST If they got busy
and stopped submitting to the ex'
tortions that are perpetrated upon
them, they'd soon find out that the
heating problems of the nation
would be qickly solved. The geysers
would be the solution
Some. geologist at the University
of Chicago was recently quoted as
saying that there are not enough
geyser. fields in the United States
to put in your eye." ventured a
timid reminder of this declaration
issued in the very face of the re-
cent showing made by the har-
messed geyser power in Sonoma
county, Cal.
Into the brown eyes of DIR. Wash
ipgton darted a look of unalterable
conviction "Fiddlesticksi" he said
in amused tolerance. There are a
lot of people in the world whose
minds are as full of negations as
a chestnut is full of worms. If
everybody were doubling Thomas
we'd have no telephone, no motor
cars, no aeroplanes today. Some
one has to look ahead. AS the coal
supply in this country gradually ap-
breaches exhaustion prices are
bound to soar. In time there will
be no anthracite, or bituminous coal
either, for that matter, left to be
mined. Anybody with half an eye
can see that What will happen
then? The geysers are the answer.
The longer / live the more convinced
L am of this fact"
DR.. Washington is in hearty ac-
cord with w. F. GLADDEN., superin-
tendent of the operations now 60
ing on in Sonoma county, CAL, ope"-
atoms which have already resulted
in successful lighting system with
geysers as the source of supply.
why, beyond question, GLADDEN.
is right" confirmed the noted petrol
ogist and geologist. Some day
Yellowstone, for all it's picturesque
beauty. will be converted into d
power source of heat and electricity.
1t will be one of the central sources
of energy in this county.
In Italy. where there is no coal,
the geysers have been turned TO val
liable account. About fifteen years
ago Prince Ginori Cont began 20
hn as
theirs depths. The results have been
eminently satisfactory ever since"
. Italy is a volcanic country, and as
everybody knows, America is noted
for her paucity of eruptive disturb
ances. L wondered if this fact with
in itself would not raise a serious
problem even if people did eventually
decide to turn away from the coal
dealers to the geysers. How could
the power of these few remote heat
sources be made to extend all over
our many States which are geyser-
less, / asked him.
Easily Transmitted.
why. that is only question Of
transmission, he explained. You
simply multiply the voltage. This
has been accomplished very satisfac-
been carried to distant cities via
aerial cable. 1t can be done here
Just as well. But will it?"
The petrologist looked about his
office where he was thanked on all
sides bv technical books in several
different languages. Then he COLI
tinued:
You see, we have the waterfalls;
we have the tides and we have the
sun to draw upon. Niagara's power
has been much exploited because of
its immense drop. The, tides have
also been utilized, but the drop Is
not sufficient to generate very much
power. The decomposition of atoms
is another possible alternative. In
radioactive substances there is in
calculable power, if we can only
break down the atoms and utilize
this power. To the resourceful, you
see, there are remedies a-plenty
There are, however. none so blind
as those who will not see"
Then you think we may soon be
safe in issuing a defy to the coal
monopolists on the recent showings
out in Sonoma county, California;?
l asked.
'In time, of course, do, provided
people stop pooh-poohing and get
busy with their developing ap
paratuses. There are Hot Springs.
Yellowstone and the geysers in
Sonoma. Get them going, and we
can all keep warm after consigning
the coal barons to the, region where
they belong. But people will tell
you they are from Missouri, even If
their lips are blue with cold while
they make the boast. That's the
trouble"
A look of abstraction stole over
the doctors face as he looked out of
his window at the double row of
trees leading to the far-away side
walk.
That is the way l. left him