210 Kansas Academy of Science. 



Before leaving the question of water power it will be well to con- 

 sider briefly one phase of the matter that may become of impor- 

 tance. Water-power privileges are not numerous in Kansas, but 

 there are a few points where power in large amounts could be pro- 

 duced, and from it electric power be generated directly and trans- 

 mitted at high voltage to convenient points for the establishment 

 of mills, where it can be used through the medium of electric 

 motors. This method of power utilization is now being exten- 

 sively employed throughout the country, and a plant is now in 

 process of construction in the southeastern part of Kansas to sup- 

 ply power to three different towns in that section. With this form 

 of service, assuming that the central plant furnishes power to the 

 equivalent of three mills like our type, and that power is transmitted 

 twenty-five miles, the increase in the first cost of the mill would be 

 about $70,000, this being approximately one- third of the cost of the 

 electrical machinery and building at the central station, the trans- 

 mission line, and motors to run the mill. The increase in the ac- 

 tual cost of the power will be made up of two items : First, the 

 additional water power to make up for the losses in changing to 

 electrical and back to mechanical power, and the direct loss in 

 transmission ; second, depreciation and repairs on the electrical 

 equipment, which will be a larger amount than in the case of the 

 steam machinery. Taking the power loss as twenty per cent., we 

 have 360 horse-power at $12.50, or $4500, in the first item. De- 

 preciation and repairs may be taken at six per cent, on $56,000, 

 which is the cost of the electrical machinery alone, giving $3360 in 

 the second item. The total increase of power cost over that for 

 water power applied directly is thus $7860, or about one-half that 

 for steam jpoiuer. Dividends must in this case be paid on an invest- 

 ment nearly ten per cent, greater, however, so that the actual de- 

 crease in the rate will be nearly 1.5 per cent. Undoubtedly this 

 figure can be bettered by the use of electricity for other purposes 

 than running the machinery, or by sale to other parties. This is 

 true particularly in those establishments where portions of the 

 machinery are run during only a part of the time, since individual 

 motors may be used on the machines or groups of machines, and 

 so save the power to drive long lines of idle shafting. In fact, it 

 is often found desirable to use this electric- motor system when the 

 power plant is located directly at the operating plant, in order to 

 save driving so much idle machinery, and when there are several 

 buildings this system is by far the best possible in the great ma- 

 jority of cases, whether water or steam is the prime power. 



