Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-08-22

| The tremendous contemplated pro-
| ject of Harvesting the tides of the
Bay of Fundy for the development
! OF hydro electric power, an engin-
eering feat never before attempted
in North America, and which in
wolves the expenditure of about
| $75.000,000, and international ap-
proval, was explained most inter-
estingly by Dexter p. Cooper of
PASSPORT, originator of the Quoddy
Bay project, before an eager group
of listeners at the regular luncheon
meeting of the Rotary Club, held
Friday evening at the Augusta
House.
There was very large attendance
Of the members of the club, and
special guests included a half dozen
officers of the u. S. Army and Maine
National Guard, now on duty at
Camp Keyes. and also many engin-
GERS, members of the Maine Associa-
ton of Engineers-all very much
interested in Mr.. Coopers exposition
of his subject, which will be pre-
scented to the voters of this state at
a special election in September for
their approval or disapproval.
Dexter p. Cooper, who has labor
ed long and enthusiastically in the
preliminary surveys of the big n.y.
dro-electric development, and who
won a charter from the SIND Legis-
lature, was the engineer in charge
of the great hydro-electric develop
ment on the Mississippi at Keokuk,
and he also was employed on the
government project at Muscle
Shoals and on the NNiagara Falls
development.
The speaker prefaced his remarks
on the Bay of Fundy tidal power
project by telling his audience that
salt water hydro-electric develop
ments were not entirely new to the
engineering world, and that at the
present time there are two govern
mental commissions in Europe con-
cerned with such projects. In Eng
land the tides at the mouth of the
Severn are being utilized. while
France has delegated O government
commission to carry through SINH
lar operations at coastal sites.
The Bay of Fundy development Is
near Eastpprt, Maine, and one boun-
diary of the necessary construction
would be in Maine. while the other
would be in New Brunswick, Cana
da. This proposed site has unusual
advantages, because of the natural
VI Liidb PoAI VI tbO Icy
of Fundy, the extraordinary height
OF the tides and other favorable
conditions.
The area in Passamaquoddy Bay
which would be utilized is practically
$50 square miles and is already part
ly closed in by islands and shoals,
which would materially aid in the
engineering and construction. The
tides which have their origin at the
equator, increase in their rise all up
the Atlantic coast, until at the head
of the Bay of Fundy there is max
imum rise of 81 feet. The rise of
the tide at the point of the proposed
development is q feet at the maxi
mum with range of from ID feet to
that height. There are two rises and
falls of the tide each "a hours, and
the government bureau has been
able to accurately prophesy the time
of the high tide year In advance.
In the matter of machinery to be
used in the 'Quoddy Bay power
plant, Mr.. Cooper declared that
there was no intention to develop
any new inventions, but that the
usual equipment of a hydro-electric
plant would be employed. This pro-
ject does not depend upon the flow
of water in a river, for its power
energy, but rather upon the certain
rise of the tides.
The largest dam which 1t Will be
necessary to construct will be 1000
feet long, and the maximum depth |
which the engineers will have to
contend with is 175 feet. To pro-
vide for shipping there will be three !,
locks, much similar to those con-
structed on the Panama Canal. me
major lock which will accommodate
any vessel entering the Bay OF run
dy. will be 500 feet long by ITO feet
in width. There will be two second
airy locks for coastal shipping, each
800 by 60 feet.
Careful analysis of the potential
power development of the project