2i8 EDWARD H. SANBORN 



mitted and is accounted for in the motors that are reported. 

 It is obvious, therefore, that the use of water power in 1900 

 was considerably larger than indicated by the amount reported. 



While the number of water wheels in use has decreased 

 from 55,404 in 1880 to 39,182 in 1900, a loss of 16,222 wheels, 

 or 29.3 per cent of the number in use in 1880, the aggregate 

 power of the wheels in use increased during the same interval 

 from 1,225,379 horsepower to 1,727,258 horsepower, a gain 

 of 501,879 horsepower, or 41 per cent. This very large de- 

 crease in the number of wheels and great increase in the 

 aggregate power points to the large increase in the size of the 

 units, which in 1880 averaged only 22.1 horsepower each, but 

 which in 1900 was 44.1 horsepower, or twice as large. This 

 is due to the abandonment of many small wheels of antiquated 

 type and the substitution therefor of fewer units of larger size 

 and greater efficiency. In many instances, too, it has been 

 necessary to abandon entirely the use of water power, either 

 because of failing supply or the larger requirements of ex- 

 panding industry, and this has removed a considerable num- 

 ber of wheels, mostly of small size. 



The use of water as a primary source of power has under- 

 gone a complete transformation recently, both in the meth- 

 ods of its utilization and in the manner of transmitting and 

 applying the power. Prior to 1890 the largest use of water 

 power was in its direct application to machinery in manu- 

 facturing establishments at the immediate point of develop- 

 ment. During the past fifteen years, however, the use of 

 electricity as an agency for the transformation and trans- 

 mission of the energy developed by falling water has entirely 

 changed the conditions under which such primary power can 

 be utilized to advantage. The practical possibility of trans- 

 mitting power thus developed over long distances has re- 

 moved the necessity for building mills immediately adjacent 

 to water powers, often so located as to present serious physical 

 obstacles to the economical arrangement and construction 

 of manufacturing plants. This has rendered available many 

 water powers which otherwise could not have been utilized 

 to advantage, and thus has largely increased the industrial 

 possibilities of many localities where a limited or expensive 



