The Wolf Point herald., 1924-06-05
HYDRO-ELECTRIC
POWER IN STATE
POTENTIALLY MONTANA HAS
7,749,OOO HORSE POWER;
NATION 27,943,0OO
Fourteen Power Companies Have
Developed 3O8,OOO Horse Power;
Is Big Factor in Industrial Ex-
pansion of the State.

27,943,OOO horse power. or this
amount 2,749,000 horse power is
| in the state of Montana-an
amount exceeded only by the states
of Washington, California, and
| Oregon. In other words, practical
| ly one-tenth of the nations water
| power resources is located within
the borders of the Treasure state.
Here rise the two greatest rivers
in the United States-the Missouri,
which originates on the eastern, and
the Columbia, which flows from the
western slope of the Rocky noun
tains. During their flow through the
state, the Missouri falls approximate
ly 1000 feet before it crosses the
eastern boundary and the Clark S
fork of the Columbia, from the head
waters of its tributary streams, falls
1000 feet before crossing the state
line on the west.
These great rivers, fed by innu-
merable tributaries, offer practically
limitless opportunities for the eco
nomical development of hydro-elec-
trio power. Adm history shows that
such development has more than kept
pace with the growth of population
and the demands of a state that is as
yet industrially young. From 1912
to 1924, the population of Montana
increased approximately SO per cent.
During the same period water power
development in the state increased
from $4,000 to 3O8,0OO horsepower,
an increase of over 200 per cent.
Fourteen Companies
This total of 3O8,00O horsepower
has been developed and is now being
distributed by IA private companies,
operating in the central and western
parts of the state. Although the Mon
tana Power company is the largest of
these operators, having in fact de-
veloped all but 10000 horsepower of
the above total, it by no means con-
stitutes a monopoly of the potential
water powers OF the state. It's total
holdings, including 298,O00 deyel-
oped, and 135, 700 undeveloped, make
q grand total of 433, 1000 horsepower.
Deducting this from the states total
water power capacity of 2,749,OOO
horse power, there still remains g.
3 $1,000 horse power available to
other takers. In other words, there
is "a per cent of the states potential
water power, over which this COM
pany exercises no control whatever |
mand for power in appreciable guam
Montana was and is still largely
1 stock raising, numbering and agri-
cultural community, with little de-
mand for power in appreciable guam
,1tles. There was, however, one peg
lpon which the early hydro-electric |
pioneers hung their hope of success. !
The great mining camp of Butte and !
he smelters of Anaconda and Great |
Falls were using large quantities of
,ower generated by steam. Here
vas potential market worth cap
uring. And when the Montana
'ower company originally offered to
eplace $4,000 horse power per year,
Generated from steam at a cost of
125 per horse power, with $4,000
orse power of hydro-electric energy
upplied at a cost of $35 to $50, the
esult was a foregone conclusion.
contracts were executed, installa-
ions were made and from that day
o this the mining companies of Mon
ana have used electricity exclusive
7.
Industrial Montana
Later on came the application of
ydro-electric power to transporta-
ION. The Butte, Anaconda e Pacific
as the first road in America to sub
titute electricity for steam 1ocomo-
YES in handling heavy railway traf- :
C. So pronounced was it's success
lat the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. 7
aul followed its example with the
9sult that today Montana, with it's !
80 miles of trunk line installation, +
ads the nation in electrified steam
lilroads. +
Gradually other infant industries
ere born and grew to robust stature q
cry largely because of the availa- y
lity of cheap hydro-electric power v
5reet railways, cement and flour n
ills, creameries and ice-making
ants and hundreds of smaller es- a
blishments requiring electrical en- T
'gy and located in 70 cities and q
WINS of the state are now served by L
is company. Hydro-electric power
is made industrial Montana a little Il
orld of its own which employs more n
an 10000 factory hands and an n
tally takes over $120, 100000 of z
aterials and turns them into pro-
lets worth more than $3.50, 100000. T
Conserving Resources n
Hydro-electric power is also help n
6 to conserve two of the other great Il
sources of the state-coal and OIL
le Montana Power company's year, m
output of current is the equivalent ir
more than 100000 tons of coal f.
year, or $500 tons every "a hours Il
lis is more than 60 per cent Of all 9,
e coal mined in Montana each
ar. Il
AS for the economy and cheapness a.
hydro-electric service in compari- r
n with coal or oil, no more start te
lg proof can be afforded than the ~
ectacle of every coal mine in Mon
IA conducting its operations solely y.
electric energy purchased from &.
2 Montana Power company at reg o
ar published rates because this is is
tually cheaper than to use steam n,
nerated by coal from its own mine. of
Aids Irrigation
What of the relation of water SO
wer development to irrigation? al
M uaarc ono tho ruofarc of fha hc