Evening star. [volume], October 26, 1913, Page 3, Image 51

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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SANDY L\>DIM;, WHERE THE PROPOSED MXK-MILK LIKE WILL HE LOCATED.
New Board of Dis
trict Commissioners to
Ask Congress for Ap
propriation at Next Ses
sion?Ultimate Advan
tages of Proposed In
creased Water Supply
and Municipally
Owned Lighting Plant
tor the Taxpayer and
Consumer ? How the
Great Dam Will Be
Constru cted ? Men
Who Have Planned the
I NK'II'AU owner
ship and opera
tion of Washing
ton ' s electric
lighting and Street
railway transpor
tation facilities
this is the ulti
mate goal toward
which the new
board of District
Commissioners is
working In con
nection with its decision, recently an
nounced. to ask Congress at the next
session for an appropriation with which
to begin work on the proposed harness
ing of the water power at Great Falls
on the Potomac river..
Calling for a total expenditure of ap
proximately $15,000,000. this big en
gineering project, according to its de
signers. will accomplish two immediate
results. First, it will provide an in
creased water supply, and, second, it will
enable the city to light its streets, parks
and public buildings at reduced cost.
But there are ultimate advantages?
those affecting directly the taxpayer and
consumer-which the Commissioners be
lieve may be derived and which they
took into account when they decided to
recommend an initial appropriation with
which to get the scheme under wa>.
These are:
? ?
? *
First the possibility of sufficient power
being developed to enable the municipal
ity to distribute current to private con
sumers at cheaper rates than those now
n effect; second, the utilization of this
power, provided it can be generated in
sufficient quantity, in the operation by
the municipality of the local street rail
w avs on a three-cent fare basis.
The Great Falls development which
Uie Commissioners favor is the one that
was recently prepared under the direc
lion of Col. W. C. Langtitt of the Corps
of Engineers. I'nlted States Army. \\ hile
u contemplates only providing the im
11:. diat. benefits which have been refcr
;<:u 10. ine District heads have made a
uiorough study or the data presented.
;"u ae convinced that enough power
i a.i be developed at Great ^ * alls to
jjstifv serious cons.deration of the ad
visability of the city taking over and
operat ng the electric lighting and rall
V' '14<.?a?sS w hat Commissioner Newman
i.as to sav of the municipal ownership
possibilities of the project as they have
i>een considered by the board:
?The whole theory upon which the ae
velopment and use of clcctrical power
from Great Falls is based is that it will
enable the rank and file of the people ot
me citv of Washington to live more
. heaplv and to derive more happiness
from sheir lives. it has been clcarlj
demonstrated by a series of investiga
tions. of which that made by Col. I^ang
tltt is the most complete, that the Great
Kails project is a practical project?that
is, that the investment required to put
the project upon an operating basis is
sufficiently small to enable the plant to
be h financial success.
*
? *
'We have before us, therefore, the
established fact of the practicability oi
the project. We know that at Great Fails
there is power which can be used to light
the city of Washington and run its street
railway lines and provide all the power
which It now requires. We know that it
can be produced much cheaper than the
electricity now consumed for power, light
ing and transportation purposes. Obvious
ly. It Is no more than common sense to
take the Great Falls power and use it.
"1 say that the theory of the project
is the betterment of the people of the
city, because the establishment of It
means cheaper electricity for consumers,
ihe opportunity and ability to use more
??'ectric lights in the homes of consum
ers and reduction in the cost of trans
portation to those who ride, which must
inevitably follow a reduction in the cost
of power to provide transportation fa
cilities.
"It is equally obvious that if the United.
States government or the District of Co
lumbia effects the economy in the cost
of producing power by the development
of the Great Falls project, it ought to
continue the economy by distributing that
power In just the Raine manner that it
now provides the people of Washington
with water.
"Another element in tne Gr??a^ Falls
project whii'h emphasizes its desirability
and practicability is the ease and sim
plicity with which the cost of the project
can be taken care of. From a study of
Col. Langfltt's report and from information
furnished me by the superintendent of
the water department. I And that the en
tire ultimate cost of the project can be
wiped out from its net earnings as a
going concern. Col. Lang.ttt estimates
that the portion of the entire flfteen
mllllon-dollar expenditure which is prop
erly chargeable to the District water
supply will be about $2,M0.OliO. .
"I am assured by the superintendent of
the District wafer department that the
water revenues could easily take care
of interest and sinking f ind on $'.^500,000.
which could be raised b\ a bond Issue or
advanced by - ti?-; ? united Stctes v'o-. em
inent, and - liquidated :n tlie eoufrse of a
m
OUTLET GATEHOUSE AT GEOHGETOW3I RESERVOIR. THIS BUILDING WILL BE DUPLICATED, ACCORDING |
TO PRESENT PLANS. j
few years wholly from the receipts of
the water department, without any in
crease in rates to consumer*, and with
out either the payment of any general
special tax or any draft on the District's
general revenues^
"It is further^^parent from Col. I^anc
fitt'8 report timt whether the I'nited
States or the District establishes the
Great Fails project, that portion of cost
chargeable to power development can be
met on the same principle?wholly out of
the revenues of the project itself."
The Commissioners* plans for munici
pal distribution of current, though not
yet worked out in any detail, have their
inception In the estimates contained in
the Langtitt report as to the amount of
electrical energy that may he gfnerat^d
at Great Falls. Briefly, the report shows
that the maximum amount is approxi
mately 100,000 horsepower, with 06,OX
horsepower estimated as the average. It
is stated that the present amount of en
ergy required for lighting .the city's,
streets, parks and buildings is ?
horsepower, maximum.
*
& *
From these figures it is seen thai there
is a difference of 51,000 horsepower be
tween the present maximum requirement
of the city ami the average amount of
energy that may be generated by the
proposed Great Falls development. It is
this surplus supply which the municipal
officials contemplate using In the pro
posed distribution of current to con
sumers in the same manner lhat the cit>
now provides them with water.
How much of a saving will be effected
in the lighting bills of Washinstonians. if
the District government enters this new
lield of public service, is problematical,
but the Commissioners are hopeful that
the rates now charged for cur+ent may
be cut in two. Some light on this phase
of the question is furnished by the re
port of the Potomac Electric Power
Company for the fiscal year 101S. The
gross revenue from the sale of electricity
is reported as S1.71W.000. or an average of
SO.Otv! per kilowatt hour. The surplus
remaining after paying all operating ex
penses and fixed charges. including
taxes, insurance, salaries of officers and
employes, generation, distribution, etc..
but before paying dividends, is reported
at 1501,000. This represents a profit of
I0.O190? say $0.02?per kilowatt hour.
Should the cost of generating and dis
tributing power from Great Falls be no
greater than that from the plant of the
Potomac Klectric Power Company, the
immense profit of S561.000. or, approxi
mately. Siuj2 per kilowatt hour, could be
XVAt/nCR c. ALLEK,
Head of the District electrical depart -
aeat, wha aided la worklag ylaai
far power derelopmeat.
saved to the private consumer?a reduc
tion to him of about 30 per cent-in the
cost of current.
* ....
2k Sk
{further reductions undoubtedly could
be made due to the cheaper method of
generating the electricity by- water pow
sr. and greater economie&_in methods of
iistrlbution.
-While- TOninbipal distribution^oX currant
is a subject not touched upon in the
Langfitt report, the desirability of the
government selling, under some equitable
basis, all power not needed for its own
purposes is strongly advocated.
"There seems no possible objection to
such a procedure."' states the author of
this report. "Two courses are open, so
far as the water rower alone is con
cerned. Kither the government can
complete the installation to the maxi
mum suggested and deliver the surplus
CO I.. W. c. l.ANGFlTT.
I ?<lfr whose direction the Great l-'all*
plan wan made.
current, to the purchaser, either at the
main power house or some other agreed
point, or- the lessee of the surplus power
may be called upon to complete the
installation and entire delivery of tin
salable power. Again, the government
could readily install the steam auxiliaries
necessary fo~ this larger development
and deliver the. power up to approxi
mately 100,000 horsepower, less that
needed for its own t'se. to the purchaser.
"With proper authority of Congress
and the adoption of the plans now con
sidered this whole question could well
be investigated and the best course de
termined upon before the construction
has advanced too far to include the com
plete development, if that course seemed
most desirable. In any event, some reve
nue, under any equitable basis, would
seem to be assured, whatever method of
disposal l?e adopted, and thus reduce the
cost to the government of its own in
stallation."
it
i. *
Concerning the proposed operation of
local street railways by the municipality
this is a question which has been con
sidered in detail even less than the con
templated distribution by the city ot
electric current, but it is a reform the
Commissioners have in mind provided it
is found to be practical>'?<
Aside from the possible ultimate ad
vantages to be derived from the har
nessing of the water power at Great
Falls, the direct results contemplated,
namely, the increasing of the city's
water supply and the development of
power for the municipality's own needs,
are, in the opinion of the District
heads, vitally important and should be
immediately provided for bv Congress.
Of the total cost of $15,021,600 esti
mated as required for carrying out the
project, the amount of $5,172,600 is to
be expended for, the , increase in the
water supply, while the sum of $9,849.
TOO will be utilized in constructing the
power development plant.
An interesting feature of the pro
posed development is the lake that will
be formed by the construction of a dam
across the river in accordance with the
plans adopted. This body of water,
nine miles long and lying immediatelv
adjacent to the city, should prove a
scenic attraction. It may be utilized
for the "holding of regaftas and other
wise made attractive for purposes of
public recreation.
*
* *
In considering the recommendations
contained in the l^angfitt report, it is in*
teresting to note briefly how they came
to be prepared and submitted for official
consideration. The I>angfitt plan was de
veloped' in response to a provision con
tained in the District of Columbia appro
priation act for the fiscal year ending
June 30 last, directing the Secretary of
War. through the Corps of Engineers of
the United States Army, to investigate
and report to Congress on the water
supply of the District, and the avail
ability of the water power at Great Fails
for supplying light and power for uses
of the I'nited States and the local gov
ernment. In making the investigation
Col. I.angfitt was assisted by Clemens
Herscliel. an expert hydraulic engineer of
?New York, who prepared the report and
plans for the proposed power develop
ment; Walter C. Allen, head of the elec
trical department of the District, who
submitted estimates of present and future
consumption of power and light by the
municipality, and Capt. Jarvis J. Bain of
the Engineer Corps, who made a study of
the needs of the general government and.
in conjunction with Mr. Allen, prepared
the final estimates of present and future
needs.
others who had a hand in the develop
ment of the plan were E. D. Hardy,
superintendent of the filtration plant, who
worked up the estimates for the water
supply part of the program, and
Waddv B. Wood, a Washington archi
tect. who prepared drawings for the sub
stations to be constructed in connection
with the proposed power development.
As an abundant and never-failing
source of water supply is the prime need
of every municipality, it will be in order
to take up first this phase of the Langfitt
scheme, which is designed to protect
Washington against the severest drought.
To consider the improvements con
templated it is important that one un
derstand the city's present water supply
systerh.
*
* *
Briefly, this system, which was de
signed in 1S53 by Lieut. M. C. Meigs
of the Corps of Engineers, and con
structed in the years 1S53-67. consists
of a conduit which carries water by
gravity from above the Great Falls of
the Potomac 1o a reservoir known as
the Dalecarlia, about nine miles below.
From this point the water is carried
by conduit two miles farther to the
Georgetown reservoir, which recently
has been remodeled to form a more
effective settling basin. Thence it is
taken by tunnel to McMillan Park res
ervoir, and. by means of pumps, placed
on the filter beds, located in the vicin
ity of the reservoir. The filters extend
over twrenty-nine acres.
It is estimated that the present works
are capable of furnishing 69,000,000
Kallons daily continually, or 90.000.000
gallons daily for short periods during
maximum consumption.
As the average consumption for the
calendar year ended December SI, 1912.
was ?r "40.000 gallons daily, ii is not
difficult i- understand why the War
Department and the District Commis
sioners favor immediate provision be
ing made for the enlargement of the
plant. In fact, it is estimated that the
safe limit of capacity will be reached
1n 1917, which leaves only a reasonable
length of time for constructing new
works.
TJie plan recommended for power de
velopment end increasing the water sup
ply calls for the construction of a dam
across the Potomac almost on the north
west boundary line of the District of
Columbia. Tli's dam. it is stated by Mr.
Herscliel and the army engineers, will
form a large lake from which it is pro
posed to pump, by means of hydraulic
machinery, an increased water supply
into the Dalecarlia reservoir. In addi
tion, the scheme involves enlarging the
capacity of the delivery between the
Dalecarlia and Georgetown reservoirs,
and similarly from Georgetown reservoir
to McMillan Park reservoir.
v
* *
in his report. Col. Langfitt states that
it is thought better to construct , an en
tirely new conduit from the Dalecarlia
reservoir to the Georgetown reservoir, in
order to care for larger deliveries than
is possible through th.e old one. From the
Georgetown to the McMillan?Park-reMr
ANOTHER 1TNXEL, THE EXACT SIZE OF THIS ONE. IS PLANNED TO PROTECT WASHINGTON AGAINST A
WATER FAMINE.
voir, a new tunnel, larger In diameter
than the present one. also is proposea
Studies made as to the discharge of tne
Potom&c river conclusively indicate, it is
stated, that the flow will be more than
sufficient to meet the enlarged facilities
of the proposed distributing #s>stem.
From fifteen years' observation by tne
United States geological survey, it has
been found, according to the report, that
the discharge amounts to between wy.
OCiO.OOO gallons and 84,000.000.000 gallons
daily. *
"As the predicted maximum dail> con
sumption in 1950 is only 120,000,000 gal
lons." observes Col. I-angfitt. "it "may be
stated that the Potomac river .at Great
Falls can furnish for all time a sufficient
water supply to tlie city, and that until
long after the usual limits of predictions
have been passed a surplus will be avail
able. eveh in' times of excessive drought.
Referring to the capacity of the present
supply, he states: "The delivery of 90,
OOO.OUO gallons daily can be allowed only
for a very short time on-days of maxi
mum consumption?this mainly on ac
count of reduction of storage necessary
to attain it. and because the pumps sup
plying the filters were designed to handle
safely only about 75,000,000 gallons daily.
While the pumps can be pushed to
90,000,000 gallons delivery, if necessary,
such a course involves ri9k, not lightly
to be undertaken under present condi
tions.
*
* ?*
"As previously stated, the filter beds
aggregate twenty-nine acres in extent,
and. while designed for an average rat-;
of 75,000,000 gallops daily, it has been
found that with the addition of the co
agulating plant, now in use, and on ac
count of their inherent capacity they
can safely be run at a rate double this
quantity. The present filtered-water
reservoir, with a capacity of 15,000.000
gallons, will soon prove too small wit"
increased consumption, as will also the
present piping, designed for an average
consumption of 75,000,000 gallons daily.'
With the need of an enlarged system
yearly becoming more apparent, the Com
missioners have not been unheedful of
the importance of bringing about econ
omies in the city's consumption of water.
Before 1905, as pointed out by Mr. Hardy,
the use of water practically was unre
stricted. Aft^r ? that date, however,
meters were installed on mains supplying
filters. The next effort of the authori
ties in the direction of economy was
when the water department began the
work of locating leaks.
"This resulted in a considerable reduc
tion in the per capita consumption of
water," states Mr. Hardy, "so that,
while the population increased steadily,
the amount of water supplied gradually
decreased between the years *1005 and
1010. when it besan to increase again.
In 1012 the District of Columbia water
department Increased the water rates and
also decreased the amount of water to
be furnished for the minimum fixed rate
in order to enable that department to
meter the services more rapidly."
Coming to the power part of the plan,
it will be In order to consider the fea
tures of the Langfttt report as they re
late to the objects for which power is
desired as set forth in the act of Con
gress directing the investigation.
*
* *
As already pointed out. the Commis
sioners favor utilizing the po'Arer which
may be developed in excess of the
amount required for purely- govern
ment needs for furnishing cheaper
light to consumers and for other pur-*
poses, but this phase of the problem
was not considered by the designers
of the Great Falls project, whose in
quiry was confined strictly to the ob
jects outlined by Congress in the act
referred to. in connection with the study
of pr.wcr possibilities, consideration
was given to a plan submitted in a re
port of M. O. Leigliton. chief hydrog
i-apher of the United States geological
survey, who at the request of the Dis
trict Commissioners made an investi
gation .qf the feasibility 6f attempting
to develop water power at or below
Great Falls. .
The conclusion reached .was that the
carrying out of this scheme, which
contemplated the building of a canal
from Great Falls to Dalecarlia reser
voir would not be advisable, for the
reason, it was believed, that the cost
of the power output j?er Kilowatt hour
would be greater than practicable. In
lieu of the canal plan the Langfitt rec
ommendation is for the construction of
a. hiKh dam in the river about one-third
of a mile above Chain bridge and the
generation of power by utilising the
head-thus .created.- ' *? '
"If that head - were ? conc?ntrate?
within a abort distance of Great Falls
the construction of a dam would not
be desirable, but as the fall is dis
tributed over a length of river of about
nine mile? the proposed method of de
velopment may well compete with that
of a lateral canal in dealing: with the.
large Quantities of water needed for
the economical development of power."
comments Gen. W. H. Bixby, chief of
engineers, United States Array, in a
and power house: thence, by linearis of
locks, it will be dropped to join the
present line.
For the prevention of undue back wa
ter from large floods, it is proposed to
arrange the crest of the dam with Stoney
gates, so that by raising the gate^ in
creased discharge area is given atnl back
water thereby reduced.
Specifications for the installation pio
posed for the development of power and
an increased water supply have been
worl.ed out in detail. The principal fea
tuies of this installation are, of course,
ihe dam. power house, hydraulic and elec
trical appurtenances foi power and tur
bine pumps and pipe lines for the water
supply. The dam is to be. curved in de
sign It will be equipped with eighteen
Stoney gates, and will resemble the Gatun
spillwav dam of the Panama canal. A
small footbridge will connect the piers
between the Kates, while provision is
made for a floating caisson to be used in
repair work.
The site selected for the power house
and intake dam is jusi within the District
and about five miles from the White
House. This short distance, it is stated,
permits the omission of step-up trans
formers and thus simplifies the electrical
installation. As designed, the power
house is protected by the intake dam,
which is located just alx>ve It and through
which pass the penstocks leading to the
turbines.
COMMISSIONER XEWMASi,
Mlio proposes that the taxpayer benefit
. by the power projeet.
report transmitting to Congress the
findings of the L<angfitt investigators.
* ?
* *
"The elevation of the water surface of
the lake which would be created by the
high dam proposed is 115 feet above low
water of the Potomac river jest above
Chain bridge," he continues. "The total
fall at low stages from the water surface
above Great Falls to the point at -which
the dam is to be placed is approximately
130 feet. The elevation selected for the
lake surface is a compromise between the
desire to obtain as high a fall as possibl
and the necessity of reducing to a reason
able amount the overflow damages occa
sioned by ordinary flowage or backwater
from floods. Even with that elevation, a
short stretch of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal and road of the electric railway be
tween Washington and Cabin John
Bridge will be overflowed, together with v.
small length of the Baltimore and Ohio,
railroad.
"The estimated amount of tlectrical en
ergy which can be generated varies, ac
cording to th0 flow of the river, from 15.
400 to 0i>.50f> horsepower. The stud'.es
made in connection with the investigation
indicate that the present average daily
amount of power which must "Be available
to safely meet the expected daily demand;
Is ahout 8,000 kilowatts (40,728 horsepow
er), with a maximum or peak requirement
occurring between 3 and 0 o'clock p.m. of
11,000 kilowatts <14,751 horsepower). It is
estimated that by 11W7 the correspondln"
Rgures will be 17.300 kilowatts (23.2*: ?
horsepoper) and 20,00 > kilowatts <34.KfitJ
horsepower).
"On account of the losses which may
jxpected in generation anil transmission,
it is also estimated that the delivery at
the switchboards of the consumers of
26,000 kilowatts will require 47,000 horse
oower at the turbine shafts In dry years
water power will be met by the operation
if steam auxiliaries already in place."
Provision-has been made in thtf esti
mates of cost for the changes in rai'ways
md canal that will be necessitated by the
ake flowage. While the plan of allowing
:anal boats to pass through the lake was
considered. Mr. Herschel concluded that
popular prejudice alone would require
:he separation of the canal and the larger
of ,?water. Hi* specifications provide
for .carrying.the-canal .around the lake
?
. * *
With respect to the turbines required.
iiie report states that these are to be
of 12.500-horsepower capacity each, and
are to be directly connected to an S.000
kllowatt generator. The latter, it is es
timated. will deliver the current at
13,500 volts. The plans call for three
700-liorsepower turbine pumps, deliver
ing water from the lake into a sixty-inch
force main leading to Dalecarlia reser
voir
It is proposed to build th.e foundations
for the whole power house, but to con
struct nt first, unless otherwise decided
by Congress, only one-ha If the. power house,
states Col. Langfitt. This hail', he says,
will contain three generating units, space,
for the fourth and fifth and pumps for
the water supply. The fourth and fifth
units, if installed, would at once fur
nish surplus power a larger portion of
the year available for sale.
Concerning the muncipality's immedi
ate and future needs of power. Col.
I.anjjfitt observes:
"Mr. Herschel assumes as his unit of
powder a 12 "00->orsecover turbine. Two
K. D. HARDY,
Superintendent of Washlnjptoa aque
duct and filtration plant.'
such units will be needed to meet pres
ent requirements, including peak de
mands. With a third unit as a reserve,
the installation will be complete for ex
isting needs. As consumption increases
more units will be needed for the
47,000-liorsepower maximum predicted
for 1937. four such units will be re
quired, with a fifth for reserve.
"A power house to accommodate this
number of units should, however, be
built at once, as a matter of economy,
and, as It Is. proposed, as. previously *
*
OA4-fc.tt.Vl IHHOI'UH WHI(H WASHINGTON'S WATER NOW LRAVES K1VKK AHO\K* UHK.tT PALI.*.
indicated, to provide for ill** increased
water supply by pumping' from the pow
er lake, space for these pumps must
also be provided.
?
* *
"Mr. Herschel. however, contemplates
ultimately a development of about twice
this amount. It is shown that for ?n*
half the average year rtG.OOO horsepower
of nveiage power for the twenty-four
hours Is available from the river dis
charge. This would represent a peaK
load of al>out HiO.tiOO-horse power. uslnic
one ajid one-half as the ratio between
average load an?l peak load. ! his rat?o
errs. If a", all. on the safe s de
Not only has the .scheme for generating
electrical t-nergy In'en worked out >11 de
of powei also has been carefully con
sidt-red. nriefly. this phase of t*ie big
tail, but the problem of the distribuuio't
improvement project contemplates tli*'
construction of rtve substations, sites fo"
which are designated In the report. ' N<>
1 ? is to be the main substation, as It
will receive ihe enemy Reiiemted at tl"
main power house. It will be located .ius'
fouth of the present post office buildiim
Substation No. '2 will control the district
west of Ro.'k creek tGeorgetown an-l
vicinityi; No. the district east of Hock
creek, ixicludlrifc the Soldiers' Home; No
-? the northeast section of the city, and
No. 5 the southeast section, including
Ana-ostia. The substations will receive
? ?nensv at a high voltage, transform it a*
necessary and deliver it to immediate!.*
surrounding territory. 1 nd erg round
transmission through conduit will be used
in ail transmission lines. The report pro
vides for nothing beyond the substations,
leaving to the city the work of bringing
the subsidiary distribution to completion
lor its needs.
Commenting upon the cost of the pro
posed power development, which is esti
mated at *1?.MH.U00. and the economies
that will be effected ill the lighting of th?
t its", if the plan Is carried out, Col.
l-angfltt states;
*
? * ? *
"Kstlmates of cost per kilowatt hour
are based on operating and maintenance
charges expected, together with allow
ance for depreciation, sinking fund and
interest. What should be allowed lor
these various items Is largely a matter
of judgment. Mr. Herschel. to compare
results of the l^lghton project and his
own. fixes his rates for interest and for
sinklncr fund accumulations on the basis
of <1 per cent per year 011 the capital in
vested. Allowing - per cent for Interest
and U= per cent for sinking fund, we
get ."l^T per cent per year for the two
items. The allowance of Hi per cent per
year will return the capital in i't veara.
allowing compound interest at - per cent
011 the sums yearly set aside. The Inter
est and sinking fund estimate will be
then: $P.K4iM'00. at "'2 per cent, equals
$::i4.7l.Y
?"AssumiriR that the plant will not be
readv for operation for. sa>. five yean
from January 1. 1!?13, and estimating con
servatively that the average demand on
the power plant by that time will be only
10,0 ? kilowatts, the yearly consumption
will amount to 72 0?XI,<KA? CM by ?*) b>'
10.<?<k? kilowatt hours. This iiives the
cost ??? r kilowatt hour of H.ol mills. This
is a verv reasonable cost and it is be
lieved that none of the steam plants now
used for production of electrical energy
for government purposes can produce
this energy if cheaply, the same basis
of calculation beinii usf d.
"The average price to the government
and the District for all current con
sumed was 2.011 cents per kilowatt hour
for 1013. If interest and sink. 111; fund
charges are omitted, as seems to b< th
case in some of the costs plven by l.ieut.
Haiti, the cost per kilowatt hour .s fit
once reduced from N.tM to mill. '
is evident thai 110 steam plant can ap
proach this tlguie in cheapness of produc
tlon.
* ?
"It seems proper to observe here that
for a part of tin- drier yesrs the steam
reserve provided for in the ?*anito! steam
plant will have to be called upon, but
ibis in no wise detracts from the a"\'is
abHlty of the project, as on the av< rag"
additional power from tins plant wit! be
needed on less than sixty-five days in
'the year, and the amount varying from
o to ll.'IKI kilowatts, the latter only on
the driest day. The kilowatt hours n?ud
<*d from this plant will average not lo
exceed 4.UOO.OOO kilowatt hours per year.
The cost of furnishing this at the ^Capitol
power house may be taken at 15 mi!J8.'
making due allowance for losses. Ibn
average cost for the year would be 3.7
mills, depending upon whether inter-at
and sinking fund is or is not Included
*'Thp costs |>cr kilowatt liour just ki\ t?n
are sufficient in themselves to Indicate
strongly the advisability of the Umt?d
States undertaking the work under con
sideration. The report of Ideut Main
elves further light on this. He estimatea
tha: the saving in l'.?l- to the general
government and to the District would
have, been if current had been
free of co>t The above calculations
show that this current?in fact, a'much
larger amount of current?could have
been furnished from the proiKMied plant
for *?i25.0UO. indicating a saving of fP7.
41?; annually. This capitalized at 2 per
cent would represent M.Sifl.hflt). Against
this. hov.ever, must be placed the coat
of local distribution and of changing ex
isting plants so a< to enable th?n trt
take t'ie Great Fall" power. No detailed
estimates of this cost hare been made,
but it may safely be stated that such
si w ill 1 ? onlv a t. action of this sum.
again giving a result favorable to the
' Clo-'tlv associated with the coBt to the
irovernment of the development proposed
Is the expenditure necessary to acquire
the necessary land and water rights, tha
latter including th- iwwer rights all
jrivate or Corporate parties. Mr. Hers
-?hel estimates that value of the land
and rights that will be required at
U,500.000.
, *
* *
ReferrinK to the recommendation of C.
lOdward Wright, attorney for the De
partment of the Interior, that the 1'nited
States should acquire all rights at Great
Kails. Col. Dangfltt states that, in view
>f the many owners of lands and righta.
t is his opinion that no private Arm or
;orporation could obtain by ordinary
irocess of purchase sufficient rights to
nake commercially feasible the develop
nent of power at or in the vicinity of
Jreat Falls.
??Certainly no such maximum develop
nent. ae contemplated herein, he states,
could be accomplished for man\ years, i.
ver. Jf this view be correct, it folio* s
s a result that the rights to exiatiBg
(Continued on Seventh PiM