464 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



ing cannot be economically practicable, how- 

 ever, unless the traffic reaches a considerable 

 volume. With animal power the additional 

 capital investment is small and is proportional 

 to the amount of business handled. VV.th 

 electric towing the first cost is large and 

 manifestly sufficient traffic must be secured 

 to meet the capital charges before profits can 

 be realized. 



VVliat has been said upon the subject of 

 irrigation canals applies to the development 

 of the water supplies for our cities. This 

 work, like irrigation, should be carried out 

 so as to develop the maximum water power 

 possible without injury to the water supply. 



The preservation of the purity of water for 

 domestic use is of great importance to the 

 welfare of the nation. A consideration of 

 this subject, as well as of navigable water- 

 ways, canals, irrigation and water powers, 

 emphasizes the absolute necessity of compe- 

 tent supervision of the natural water re- 

 sources of the country. 



The flow of water in many streams annual- 

 ly fluctuates between wide limits. The low 

 water periods limit the profitable water 

 power development and the high water pe- 

 riods often cause disastrous floods. On most 

 streams the average rate of flow for the 

 year is many times the minimum flow. It is 

 possible in some cases to utilize a fldw ap- 

 pro.ximating the average by constructing con- 

 trolling reservoirs on the headwaters of the 

 stream. Our Great Lakes form a natural 

 reservoir of this character for the Niagara 

 River. The Upper Mississippi has great 

 natural reservoirs, which assist in regulating 

 its flow and which easily can be made very 

 effective in its control. The notable floods of 

 the Ohio River can be greatly reduced by the 

 construction of controlling reservoirs on its 

 headwaters, which w 11 result in the saving of 

 millions of dollars now annually destroyed. 

 On a stream which I recently investigated the 

 minimum flow furnishes but two hundred 

 iiorscpower. The construction of a storage 

 reservoir increases the continuous twenty- 

 four hour power that can be utilized to eight 

 thousand horsepower. If storage reservoirs 

 could be constructed on the Susquehanna 

 River, upon 'which a great water power de- 

 velopment is now in course of construction, 

 so as to obtain a uniform flow throughout the 

 year, the available power at this site would 

 be increased from a minimum of 30,000 

 horsepower to 200.000 horsepower. While 

 it is impracticable to construct reservoirs 

 capable of holding back all flood waters it is 

 nevertheless certain that material gain would 

 result from well-directed efforts along the 

 lines suggested. 



On account of the great annual fluctua- 

 tions now existing in stream flow it has been 

 found profitable to install steam plants sup- 

 plementing the water power during seasons 

 of low water. This method, on account of its 

 expense, greatly handicaps the full develop- 

 ment of our water powers and increases the 



amount that must be charged for the power.. 

 Under given conditions the most profitable- 

 amount of water power to develop and the 

 best size of steam plant to install can be de- 

 termined with great accuracy. The reserve 

 steam station need not be located at the water 

 power ; in fact, it preferably should be located 

 at or near the market for the power when 

 that is distant, as greater reliability and con- 

 tinuity of power supply is thus secured. Head- 

 water regulation would greatly reduce the- 

 necessity for such auxiliary steam plants. 



Similarly the water power which can be 

 purchased economically by a prospective cus- 

 tomer who already has a steam plant in oper- 

 ation can be accurately determined. This- 

 amount depends upon the relative cost of gen- 

 erating different portions of the load by 

 steam as compared with the amount charged 

 for the water power supplied. In its econo- 

 mical application this method of operation 

 works out so that the water power plant car- 

 ries the steady portion of the load where tne 

 coal consumption per horsepower capacity is 

 greatest, and the steam plant is called upon to 

 carry the peaks only where the coal consump- 

 tion per horsepower is least. 



In addition to their reserve function in 

 time of low water or flood auxiliary steam 

 plants and inter-connected plants are val- 

 uable as insuring the continuity of power 

 supply. If the lines are run overhead, as 

 they must be for long distance transmiss'on 

 in the present development of the art, all' 

 electric transmission plants are subject tO' 

 occasional short interruptions due to storm,, 

 lightning or malicious mischief. It is eco- 

 nomical and desirable to tie together two or 

 more plants, thus greatly increasing the re- 

 liability of service. If one plant or transmis- 

 sion line fails the others can be pushed to 

 take the load. From an engineerins stand- 

 point, and from the standpoint of the engi- 

 neer as well as the power producer, this 

 method of opcrat'on has great advantages. 



In 1905 the value of the product of our 

 manufactures amounted to $16.866,706,985 ; 

 the total receipts of the steam railroads w-ere 

 $2,325,765,167. 



In manufacturing the value of the product 

 was $1,152 for each horsepower installed and 

 the yearly wages amounted to $248 per horse- 

 power. 



In the railroad industry the gross receipts 

 amounted to $555. and the yearly wages to- 

 $224 per horsepower, rated on a basis com- 

 parable to that used in the census report cov- 

 ering manufactures. 



I have selected these two classes of ind-is- 

 t-y for the rca'^'-n that they use the bulk of 

 the power and illustrate its tremendous pro- 

 ductiveness h^ increasing our wealth. 



These figures emphasize the vast financial 

 importance of our power resources and the 

 necessity of their conservation and their in- 

 telligent development. iMuch can be accom- 

 plished by the National Government in con- 

 nection with irrigation of nation?.! lands and 



