The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-08
ENGINEER sees
j. S. run BY
HYDRO
]. r. Freeman Cites Case OF
Great Falls AZ Unexpected
Project.

C0em0p0MeM1 News Service.
NEW YORK, Dec. S. water
power VIII light our cities, drive
our trains. operate our industrial
machinery. heat our homes, and
propel our ships il the dreams ot
leading American engineers come
true.
Large cities with over.crowded
populations will give way to smaller
units, industrial towns, each SELF.
sufficient. Superpowsr wires will
connect these cities and over the
wires viii flow tremendous units Of
ligth, heat and driving power. All
\ this energy will come from the
Eproper development az the water
power of the Nation.
Hydro-electrtc development, inter
connected power and superpower
iare the most fundamental problems
today, according to John r. Free
man, past president Of the Ameri-
can Society Of Civil Engineers and
lof the American Society of Me.
chanica1 Engineers, in an address
before the latter body.
SEES Pr1vaee Conkroa.
| Great corporations, supervised BY
the Government, can better carry
out future Developments than state
or Federal bodies. largely domi-
mated by politicians, he said, add
ing that finance, industry and row.
eminent must cooperate fl hydro
electric operation.
i Applications have been filed with
the Federal power commission
alone (which n Tar from covering
all water>poWer projectel FOR prOl.
cots involving the installation Of
more than 1900 900 horsepower.
Permits and licenses have been
issued for an aggregate Of 100000
horsepower, 80 tar The total of
that already DEVELOPED IN the United
States Il 1900, 900.
1.-THE great hydraulic turbine has
become one OF the most marvellous
machines ever fabricated by the
hand Of man." said Freeman mar.
velous in the efficiency with which
It scan extract % per cent OF the
energy OF great falling current of
water in hut three or five feet Of
travel through its runner with less
than One-tenth Of q second of time.
And it can do this twenty-four
hours q day seven days In the
week, year after year, with mar
velously small cost for care and
| oversight"
&, 3OOMtle Range.
Not every waterfall or swift
f1awing river ID al site for q hydro
electric plant, he said. The chief
value Is not In the water and it's
fall. but solely in the use to which
this power can he put. A profitable
use for the power must be found
within q range Of 800 miles Of the
station.
i Freeman cited tie case Of the
Igreat falls Of the Potomac, within
fifteen miles Of the dome OF the
National Capitol, which still re-
mains undeveloped, though often in.
Investigated. Doubtless their day Of
: use win come. he said.
"The San Francisco city govern.
Iment recently has gone on record,
ls to 2, In favor Of municipal dis
tribution Of 10000 horsepower OF
Hetch Hetchy power, with but
small understanding Of what this
: would cost, OF the influence of
connection for emergency service.
! or OF how all this could be accom-.
plisI1ed for the beet interests Of
! ALI concerned" Freeman declared.
/ He predicted California would
, again vote on tho $500, 900 900 bond
j issue for development or acquioi.
) ton and distribution Of hydro
: electric power, which was defeated
) to ! last year
Freeman criticised the citi7enry
OF New York for voting to
} against permitting q microscopic
. proportion Of its State lands to BE
flooded for water power reservoirs
with no real understanding Of the
1 - 49,, - -.
"As to bringing Sc. Lawrence
zone Of the most experienced Of
. builders and managers Of large
: electric power Developments in
America recently told me that as q
; result Of careful investigation he
: believes there IL no money to be
saved by bringing hydro-electric
power to Boston from the st. Law
renee.
Bringing Power to n. Y.
''other very eminent engineers
!. and financiers are just as strong
and clear in their opposite belief.
Two other groups have for some
months past been studying details
for developing and delivering cana
. dian power. one group proposing
to bring power to Greater New
1
Sault on the st. Lawrence, while
tho other group proposes bringing
power to Boston from the Ottawa
river, close to its confluence with
the st. lawrence"
There Is a seamy side to the
fascinating picture OF hydro-electri-
cal development Of the past TWEEN.
ty-five years, Mr.. Freeman de-
clared. Its work 50 far has mostly
been in methods opposite to those
by which in the old days q water
power site became the center of q
community under conditions that
made for wholesome life and good
citizenship.
"Hydro-electric power has built
I'D q new industry In but relatively
few places" he stated, land seldom
has It been the foundation Of new
neighborly community. Seldom has
it found employment for more men;
30 far It has commonly lessened
the total number Of men employed,
when miners and stOkers and ash
l 49, ~