Imperial Valley press., 1925-10-12
MAINE SHOWS Us THE WAY

While here in Southern California we are scrap
ping the issue of the best program for the deve
opment of the Colorado river and while congress is
marking time on the Swing-Johnson bill for the Bould-
er dam and Al-American canal, the voters of Maine
have authorized a bond issue for S100,000000 (S40
o000Q0 than the Boulder dam appropriation for
the development of electric power through the utiz
alton of the high tides in the Bay of Fundy.
The plans for this development the work Of
Dexter P. Cooper brother Of Colonel Hugh l. Cooper,
supervisor Of the construction Of the largest hydro-eec-
trio plant in the world at Muscle Shoals.
In the inets about the Bay Of Fundy the
tides rush in and endessy, with difference of p
feet between flood and ebb.
The Cooper plan calls for the construction Of
mammoth sea walls with water gates to shut in two
bays that Joined by a channel between Eastport Is
land and the mainland, The upper bay, Passamaqu-
oddly, has OF 100 square miles; the lower bay
Cobscook has of so.
Across the channel between them will be built an
enormous dam and powerhouse When the tide rises
the gates of the upper and larger bay will be opened
to admit the but the gates OF the lower bay will
be kept closed
At flood tide the upper bay will be closed, The
fall Of water from the upper bay over the power dam
into the lower bay will be maintained continuously for
the gates from the lower bay to the will be opened
only when the level Of that bay above the level of
the the tide is ebbing
1t is all very simple, very marvellous, very prac-
ticable Engineer Cooper estimates that between
100000 and 100000 horsepower will be developed an
nuay.
The Los Angeles Examiner makes the action of
Maine the text OF the following vigorous editorial
the Swing-JohnsOn bill:
That inezhaustible supply of power, lasting
as long as the ocean tides rise and fall will add
billions of dollars to the industrial wealth of the
state of Maine and Maine has only to pledge her
credit to secure this result.
Maine has Colorado river in her domain,
but she has ocean at her doors, imagination in
her head, and stamina in her character.
If Maine had the Colorado river to draw upon
she would be using its water for power plus do
meStic and irrigation purposes. But not being so
fortunate, she proposes to develop power from the
eternal tides
Ever since the dawn Of civilization men of
imagination have pointed to the tides as a perpet-
ual source of power. At last they are to be har-
messed and put to work.
Note that the power 10 be secured is practic-
ally equal to the power that 600-foot dam at
Boulder Caynon will generate.
Fortunately for Maine she has not Mexican
land spectators TO lobby for the delay of her
'Swing-Johns bill
There are less than 100000 people in the
whole state of Maine-about two-thrds as many
as live in the city of Los Angeles. They are short
Of coal and oil, but they propose to emancpate
themselves by putting the endless force of gravity
to work for them through the tides-and forever
Some day our oil fields will be drained Some
day the east will not have any more coal TO send
US. Meanwhile we have been wasting the equiya-
lent Of $4,000 barrels of fuel oil every day
Los Angeles and Southern California YOU
pride yourselves your knowledge and achieve
ments in irrigation and hydro-electrc develop
ment. But Maine shows you what TO do. how to
dc 1t, and how to get it done.-Riverside Press.