Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31
PLYMOUTH POWER
STATIONS PLANNED
Reading Coal Seeking Char
tiers for Utility Firms at
Mine Sites.
BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch 20 The Star.

Special Dispatch 60 The Star.
NEW YORK, JULY 31.-Developments
Of steam-generated electric power at or
near the pit mouth, which has been a
North Pole of fuel energy exploration
for over century, has reached its goal.
The State authorities of Pennsylvania
today are considering the applications
Of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal g.
Iron Co. for charters for 80 electric
public utility companies in an equal
number Of communities throughout a
section Of the State.
Even II the charters should not be
granted, the development of electric
power at the pit mouth by the Phila-
delphia g. Reading Coal & Iron Co.
would be carried out, for all the mines
OF the concern are to be electrified.
The identification Of the Reading COL
lieries and the rebuilding of 80 breakers
in the anthracite field are now In
progress under the supervision of Stone
& Webster, engineers prominent for
years In public utility fields. They will
also have charge Of construction for
panies as and If chartered. So far as
construction Is concerned, the two
projects are entirely separate.
New Cap1tal PROVIDED.
Reading Coal g. Iron was refinanced
some months ago under the auspices Of
Drexel & Co., the Philadelphia branch
of ]. P. Morgan g. Co. New capital TO
the extent Of 10000 900 was provided.
1t is this money which will be expended
in the new building program. This was
the first real step, according to fuel en-
gineers, taken In the rehabilitation OF
the anthracite industry, which has Ian
gVshed for some years, in fact since
the last strike. Many Of the 90 break
ers Of the company were built as far
back as 1890 and are antiquated. When
the coal company was ordered segre-
gated from the Reading Railroad by the
courts, the former did not have funds
with which to keep equipment up to
the best level and costs profits to the
bone. While the concern was In this
to Pennsylvania from Chicago as presi-
dent and started the campaign OF re-
Mobilization, which Is now in full swing
The identification of the mines 1t
is claimed, will cheaper the produc-
ton Of coal. It will permit also the
utilization of the lower grades of coal
which are not commercially marketable.
The capacity of the generating plants
will be huge and the 80 public utility
CdIi DC SupJllcu Will
produced from what is now practically
a waste product, thus adding material
ly to the revenue of the coal company.
Wont Invade Cities.
While the Reading company has been
reticent as to its plans, pending action
on applications for charters, it is known
that the concern has not planned 70
invade Philadelphia and nearby cities
These communities are already we'll
covered by the Philadelphia Electric
Co., with its huge hydro-electric power
plant at Conowingo on the Susquc-
hanna River. Philadelphia Electric is
controlled by the United Gas Improve
ment Co, which in turn is believed to
be closely allied with the recently con-
solidated Niagara Power Co., formed
under the Morgan auspices
1t would be thoroughly practical, how
ever, for the transmission lines of
Reading Coal & Iron to be hooked up
with the hydro-electric lines indicated
in big chain of superpower which
would cover no small portion of the
industrial mid-Atlantic territory The
Reading Coal Power concerns are not
expected to set up competition to the
local companies already operating in
the territory it has selected. 1t will
endeavor instead to sell current whole
sale to such companies. 1t expects to
be able to sell current in large quanti-