Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-22
SUPER-POWER DEVELOPMENT
BY Frederic j., HaSkin

LOANB y
resource and a new problem are ex-
pected to develop from a conference
which Secretary of Commerce Hoo
yer recently called together at New
York City to discuss the develop
ment of super-power. The new re-
source Is production of water power
on a greatly enlarged scale. The
new problem is the question of jur-
isdiction and regulation which in
evitably will arise from the working
out of the plans discussed. Each
is important and promises to occupy
much public attention from now on.
Secretary Hoover told the repre-
sentatives of the eastern states who
attended the conference that the time
Is ripe for water power develop
ment on a scale which will revolu-
tionize industry. He showed how me-
chanical genius has advanced cleo
trical science to a point where
things now are feasible which were
undreamed of but a few years ago.
ITO secure the rapid adoption of
these demonstrably possible results
the greater utilization of water
power" said Mr.. Hoover to the con-
ference, SIS of profound public i'm
p~ortance. Every time we cheaper
power and centralize its production,
we create new uses and we add se-
curity to productions; we also in
crease productions; we eliminate
waste; we decrease the physical bur-
den upon men. In sum, we increase
the standards of living and comfort
of all of our people,
atH
Celebrating the plans, Mr.. Hoo
yer showed how the greater utiliza-
ton OF water power would go far to-
ward emancipating the nation from
the grip of strikes. The recent coal
strikes have not only threatened the
comfort of the public but have STOP
ped the wheels of industry, thereby
destroying both extant and potential
wealth. Not only does a coal strike
stop manufacturing, but it stops or
at least curtails transportation. To
be sure, strikes can occur in the
power industry as we'll as in the coal
industry, but they are less likely and
would be more easily handled and
overcome because a smaller number
of men would be involved.
The general scheme of power pro-
duction is to utilize intensively the
vast water power of the
country for the generation of electric
current. This would be transmitted
along cables-highways of power
to manufacturing establishm ents. to
railroads and to all other types of
consumers.
Running streams do not strike
they go on forever. The late Presi-
dent Harding was much interested in
overcoming the recurrent threat of
coal strikes by devising a system of
turning coal into electric power at
the mouths of the mines. Less coal
would be necessary n transporta-
ton of it would be obviated by such
q plan. Steady production and stor-
age of coal would be more practic-
able than at present. Still, a strike
might interrupt even the power
plants source of fuel. No such in
terruption could occur in the steady
supply of water power.
The two schemes, it is thought,
can be advantageously worked to-
gether, coal power being generated
where water power Is unavailable.
Widely scattered and so advantage
ously placed r the natural o
ces of the United States that where
no Goa mines exist, water power is
not far distant and vice versa.
Mr.. Hoover laid before the con-
ference the results of a power sur
vey of the United States. 1t show
ed that in eleven eastern states a
fully developed and co-ordinated
super-power system would result in
an annual saving OF SO, 0 900 tons
of coal. A capital outlay of $780,
000,00 would result in an annual
saving of $500. 100000. Thus, in two
years and six months this huge ex-
%penditure would be repaid and leave
a power system which would go on
every year effecting such an econo-
mic saving. =
The survey shows that forty per
cent of the railroad mileage in the
east could be electrified at substan-
tial economies. In addition to the
actual cash saving in electrical oper-
alton, the railroads would be eman-
cipated from their present depend
ence on coal. One of the early re-
suits of a coal miners strike is the
taking off of trains. the slowing up of
freight movement and the general
disorganization OF transportation SER
vice. A further advantage would be
elimination of the smoke nuisance
and the forest fire danger, two I'M
desirable by-products OF the coal
fired locomotive.
49,
Development of this new super
power is believed possible because of
the advance of science. 1t Is only
recently that high voltage currents
have been transmitted over consid-
cradle distances with success. Such
transmission now is practicable and
improvements in the method are con-
stantly occurring. There no longer
is any good reason why the great
power of the st. Lawrence Rapids,
now going to waste, can not BIT
brought over cables down into the
manufacturing sections of the Unit
ed States.
Another reason the plan Is now
practicable is that today there are
many more customers for electric
power than previously. There now
is enough business to pay for the
extension of the transmission lines.
Twenty years ago, according to
hgureS presented at the recent con-
ference. the annual utility produce
ton of electric power in the United
States was only four billion kilo-
watt hours. This has been increas-
ed to fifty billion. Consumption of
electric power has increased from
sixty kilowatt hours per capita to
500 per capita. One great mark
of the progress of the industry is
that, despite the greatly increased
cost of labor and materials, there
Is little IL any increase in the cost
OF light and power to the consumer
over what it was in pre-war days.