The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-06-05
HYDRO-ELECTRIC
POWER IN STATE
POTENTIALLY MONTANA HAS
7,749,OOO HORSE POWER;
NATION 27,943, 900
Fourteen Power Companies Have
Developed 3O8,OOO Horse Power;
Is Big Factor in Industrial Ex-
pansiOn of the State.

The total potential water power
of the 48 states of the Union is
27,943,OOO horse power. OF this
amount 2,749,OOO 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 u is located within
the borders of the Treasure state.
Here rise the two greatest river
in the United States-the Missouri
which originates on the eastern, an
the Columbia, which flows from tn
western slope of the Rocky noun
tains. During their flow through tn
state, the Missouri falls approximate
ly 1000 feet before it crosses thu
eastern boundary and the Clark
fork of the Columbia, from the head
waters of it's tributary streams, fall!
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-eIec-
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 308,000 horsepower,
an increase of over 200 per cent.
Fourteen Companies
This total of 3O8,OO0 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 298,000 devel-
oped, and $4,000 undeveloped, make
a grand total of $4,000 horsepower.
Deducting this from the states total
water power capacity of 2,749,0OO
horse power, there still remains g.
316,000 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 appreciate guam
Montana was and is still largely
a stock raising, numbering and agri-
cultural community, with little de-
mand for power in appreciate guam
titles. There was, however, one peg
upon which the early hy~dro-electric
pioneers hung their hope of success.
The great mining camp of Butte and
the smelters. of Anaconda and Great
were using large quantities Of
power generated by steam. Here
was a potential market worth cap
And when the Montana
Power company originally offered to
replace $4,000 horse power per year,
generated from steam at a cost of
S125 per horse power, with rs, 0
horse power of hydro-electric energy
supplied at a cost of $35 to $50, the
'esult raj a %foregone conclusion.
Contracts were executed, installa-
ions were made and from that day
~ lilo bhO HIlllh6 SOhlpohlCo VI MULTI
ana have used electricity exclusive
y.
Industrial Montana
Later on came the application of
lydro-electric power to transported
ion. The Butte, Anaconda & Pacific
vas the first road in America to sub
titute electricity for steam locomo-
ives in handling heavy railway traf-
ic. So pronounced was its success
hat the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
'aul followed it's example with the
esult that today Montana, with its
80 miles of trunk line installation, /
7ads the nation in electrified steam
ailroads. {
Gradually other infant industries
Tere born and grew to robust stature :
cry largely because of the availa- !
ility of cheap h~ydro-electric power. /,
treet railways, cement and flour r
Hills, creameries and ice-making
lants and hundreds of smaller es- .
requiring electrical en- I
rgy and located in 70 cities and .
of the state are now served by /
lis company. Hyd~ro-electric power
as made industrial Montana a little 4
'orld of its own which employs more :
10000 factory hands and an =
ually takes over $120,000,O 600 Of I
laterials and turns them into pro-
ucts worth than $4,000 900. T
Conserving Resources q
Hydro-electric power is also help n
g to conserve two of the other great =
of the state-coal and oil.
be Montana Power company's year,
output of current is the equivalent !,
more than 100000 tons of coal +,
year, or $500 tons every "a hours. +,
his is more than so per cent of all q
le coal mined in Montana each
,ar. I
AS for the economy and cheapness ..
hydro-electric service in compari- +
n with coal or oil, no more start tf
1g proof can be afforded than the r.
ectacle of every coal mine in Mon
ma conducting it's operations solely n,
electric energy purchased from q,
e Montana Power company at reg q
ar published rates because this is is
tually cheaper than to use steam n,
nerated by coal from its own mine. nj