Evening star., 1934-02-12

demonstrated the true nature OF elec-
tricity and opened for the human
race the way to a new civilization.
A few years later North Carolina
pioneers. setting up a new govern
ment in the great wilderness be-
yond the Blue Ridge. named their
commonwealth the State of Frank
lin and sought vsinly for its admis-
sion into the newly-establiShed Fed
eral Union. Their territorial claims
were indefinite, but included approx
mately the present valley OF the Ten
neSSee River.
For a century Franklin's electricity
remained plaything for the curious
before it was realized that 1t gave
man the power of the gods to ami
hilate distance, turn night into day,
| hear and see around the world. the
strength of Niagara and the heat OF
Vesuvius. And in a few years the
State of Franklin had become
curious, halt-forgotten episode In
American history.
Ideal Power Empire.
It is a curious coincidence that this
very region which took for its patron
saint the discoverer of electricity
should today be the scene of the
greatest electrical development in the
worlds history. Unwittingly the rude
pioneers with their hunting shirts
and squirrel rifles had picked out for
their new country the almost ideal
electrical empire. Standing ready to
serve the bold hunters who erected
rude cabins under their shadows were
the mountain titanS with the strength
of 900, 600 horses.
Swift mountain streams and water
falls rising from rhododendron-
hidden springs in the high valleys OF
Western Virginia and North Carolina
rush downward, ever gathering
strength from the steepness OF their
descent. to form the mighty Tennes-
see. the third largest river system IN
the United States, which flows south
ward. westward and northWard Tor
$50 miles until it empties into the
Ohio The whole drainage basin in
the States of Tennessee, North Caro-
lima, Alabama. Mississippi. Kentucky,
Virginia and Georgia constitute the
physical basis Of the operations OF the
Tennessee Valley Authority. The
river itself and its hundreds of trlbu-
taries, great and small. constitute.
unified power system with a poten-
tial capacity which Is estimated va
riously at between three and four
million horse power. The potential
tiles long hate been recognized, Inc
problem has been to make them
availabl The whole system has been
extensively surveyed by War Depart
ment engineers and appropriate dam
sites designated, following the con-
struction of the great Wilson Dam at
Muscle Shoals Ala, to furnish power
for the manufacture of explosives
during the closing days Of the World
; War
Flow Varies Greatly.
The first difficulty has been that
the flow of the Tennessee itself and
of its tributaries varies enormously
from season to season. During VIM
tiers and Springs of normally heavy
rainfall on the mountain slopes they
become raging torrents, but the VOL
ume of water decreases rapidly
through the dry Summers and Au-
tumns. The problem was to equalize
the flow by impounding the flood
waters of the great river itself and
its larger continents in vast artificial
lakes from which they could be re-
leased to furnish power during the
dry seasons. This obviously would be
very expensive proceeding-far too
expensive for any corporation to un-
dertake as whole
The second difficulty was that
there was no present need for the
power which would justify such a vast
engineering program. The valley area
was developing slowly as an INDUS
trial region. 1t could be expected, of
dourse, to develop much faster II
cheap and unlimited power was avail
able-but this could not be expected
to happen merely on the vague prom
ise of such power. On the other hand
it could not be expected that the
power would be developed merely on
the vague promise of an industrial
expansion.
The Tennessee Valley Authority
, will break this stalemate by supply
ing the power first-not, of course, to
the full capacity of the drainage
system until there is need for ir-and
then build up the market. Almost
simultaneously 1t will make electricity
cheap and then try to justify cheap
electricity by teaching people the ad-
vantages of using it in great quanti-
! ties. This involves close study OF
the possibilities of the four or five
natural subdivisions into which falls
the drainage area of approximately
OSLO square miles and about 2.0o0,-
! 000 people.
Supports Small Population.
First there are the mountains Of the
headwaters, especially of the eastern
tributaries in Virginia and North
Carolina. The mist-washed peaks
arise; to heights of 5000 feet The
region supports small population,
mostly in wretched poverty. The ma
iority are small farmers dwelling in
isolated cabins in the deep coves.
Their cornfields often extend at As
degree angles.-often even sleeper
up the mountain sides. There are few
villages. The land has been waste
fully foreSted. Much of it already has
been gathered up into national forest
preserves where it is slowly recuperat-
ing from the extravaganza of the lum-
Der companies. Much of the most
pictureque territory Is included in the
new Great Smokes National Park.
In this region the possibilities OF
electricity still are speculative. The
farms. for the most part. are not suit
able for extensive electrihcation-be-
yond substituting the electric light for
the kerosene lamp and tallow candle
which still are in use and tightening
the drudgery of the housewife with
electric washing machines and pumps.
The Summer resort possibilities of the
area also may be expected to undergo
great expansion. But the primary
prospect is that of supplying small
| industries in the coves and villages
which will enable the present popu-
lation to live In the land 1t loves-in-
du.tries based on the native handi-
crafts and the native agriculture.
There Is another possibility stu un-