Evening star., 1934-08-20
The Development of Porcer;
Looking Back From Year 1904
Spectacular Dreams of Electrical Engi.
neers Come True, in Prophecy, and
Gear Nation to High Speed.

utilizing less than 80 per cent Of the
energy latent in every ton of coal or
every barrel of oil We were burning.
In our campaign Of recovery we
today have overcome much OF this.
The millions of trees we planted in
the 30s today are our new forests.
our timber resources of the future
for we'll never make the same mistake
Of deforeStation again. We have con-
served our other resources.
Coal Efficiency Raised.
We have learned, above all, how to
utilize at least so per cent OF the
energy in coal and oil and further
progress is being made daily.
Yes, we have made progress in these
last 80 years, progress In the source
of development-power. Let us take.
for instance, the reports Of the United
States Geological Survey and the
United States Census Bureau and see
just what we have accomplished as
expressed in figures:
In 1884, for instance. we had l0,647
plants for the generation Of electricity
Today, in 1864, that total has risen to
12.113-only a small increase numeri-
cally but what difference in power
output!
For in horsepower our 1884 totals
were only 50,357,45l; today we have
the immense aggregate of 100 500 900.
This, of course. was brought about
through the establishment Of huge
central hydroelectric and steam tur-
bine plants. the first at the source of
water power, the second at the source
Of fuel power.
In the number of generators We
operate, too, there is but a small diff
ference-but oh, what a change in
productive ability! In 1884 we had
1l,150; today, 80 years later, l3,26l.
But in output in kilowattS, per hour
1884. 35,46O, 900; 1864, 91,540,000.
But it is in the use of electricity,
not possible capacity to produce, that
the real story is told. In the fiscal
year l933-34 we used an approximate
79, TIC, 100000 kilowatt hours. Com
pare this with the approximate
l49 ,373 900 900 of the present similar
period. And this came about not only
through development of one field. but
of equal interest in the realms Of
domestic usage in urban homes, de-
mands of farm homes and in indus
trial electrification.
Figures Tell Story.
Breaking down these figures into
their component parts, in relation to
the source of power used, we find these
unusual totals:
No. OF plants Internal COM
Year Water power. Steam. bustion.
1894 3221 4.l30 1920
1924 I5,aI345l 3a.554.OO0 $40. 900
1864 36,660O00 sl,l2O000 1883. 600
iS;;4 iS84 a.4a4 a4a4 44:d4s 4:a4s s:2s9 s2s9
1894 1870 900 $500. 900 500 600
1864 ?5.l00,0O0 64.15l 900 1.639.0OO
Coincident with this growth In
plants and capacity came corre-
spending increase in consumption.
We find our adding machines record
ing that in 1884 hydroelectric plants
actually produced 33,600, 100000 kilo-
watt hours, but that in 1864 we used
from this source an estimated $780,
600 900 XVIII. The same figures as to
steam plants we're, respectively. AS 400
OO0, 900 and 95 ,2OO, 900 900; and as to
internal combustion plants were, re-
spectively, 7l6,0OO,OOO and l,543,-
600, 600.
Likewise there was an increase in
consumers. The total approximate
figure in 1884, 80 years ago, was
% 100000. Today we find that figure
estimated at 36,296,000, with untold
thousands of homes and farms and
industries still to be wired for use
OF our magic fluid.
$1,000 900 600 Income.
With the increase in customers and
output came naturally increased in
vestments and increased revenue.
Thus, in 1884, while we had an
approximate S12, 2,670 900, 600 invested,
vast Government and private develop
ments iR the past three decades have
run that figure up to an estimated
$32 ,869 1877 528. In 1884 our revenue
from the sale of electricity was ap-
proximately $l,975 100000: this year
it is estimated at s3,0l1 ,000, 900
almost double.
Labor, too, has been affected. In
the past 80 years the number of men