Hydro-electric Practice - A Practical Manual Of The Development Of Water Power, Its Conversion To Electric Energy, And Its Distant Transmission

Hydro-Electric Practice: A Practical Manual Of The Development Of Water Power, Its Conversion To Electric Energy, And Its Distant Transmission - 1908 - PREFACE -THE economical transmission of electric energy to distances great and small, the rapidly increasing utilization of electro-motive power in industrial establishments, and the advent of the electric interurban railroads are responsible for the marked movement of impressing waterpowers to the service of generating electric current and now waterpower, which had been almost relegated to obscurity by the perfection of the steam-engine, is not only regaining but even exceeding its former importance as an economical prime power source. It is entirely within the facts to state that a normally conditioned hydro-electric power plant cah successfully compete with the most refined steam-power plant and the lowest priced fuel, natural gas. No wonder then that water-powers are to-day being sought after with feverish activity, and that some remarkable successes have been achieved, but also that many disastrous failures must be recorded. Hydro-electric power development is a much more complex undertaking than a large majority of the promoters of such enterprises realize when the subject is first approached, but which is most forcibly impressed upon them when the carrying out of the project is seriously attempted. Unfortunately, the most dangerous pitfalls are encountered at the beginning of the undertaking, and unless these are properly guarded against the finished work may disclose some incurable defects. Developments of the important natural resources of mines, of forests, and of manufacturing and transportation projects are rarely undertakenexcept upon the findings of recognized authorities on these respective subjects not so, however, with hydro-electric power propositions, which are most frequently begun in a hap-hazard sort of fashion, with the stream and a fall as assumed assets, while the market, constancy of output, cost of product, riparian rights, and numerous other controlling features remain undetermined until some later day. Hence promoters of hydro-electric projects have not found the investing public at all eager to take their securities, because of the general and well-grounded impression that their presentations are not entitled to the same d .. e . gree 111 of confidence as other undertakings command, nor can there be any hope for a tide in their favor until such confidence be inspired. Publicity of the realities of a subject will always carry conviction of merit, if such there be and much of the reluctance of capital to recognize the indubitable value of investments in hydro-electric pomer plants is no doubt due to the paucity of the proper sort of educating literature on this subject. This at least is the judgment of the author, born of the experience gained by some fifteen years of exclusive hydro-electric pomer practice, and this is the reason and purpose of this volume, -to place within reach of the promoter, investor, and practitioner an analytical treatment of hydro-electric practice in all its phases from inception to - realization. This subject is treated in two parts the first is entitled Analysis of a Hydro-electric Project, and is written for the layman, being devoid of technical treatment, and may therefore be characterized as the commercial essence of the subject...