adorned with architectural beauty and are placed in the midst of residential districts and there are no longer reasons against doing so. The greater cleanliness resulting from the use of electric power has permitted the use of handsomer furnishings and handsomer interiors as well as exteriors. The development of lighting fixtures has also contributed to this movement. Electric lighting is being used not only for utilitarian purposes, but also for aesthetic effects and display. This has probably been one of the greatest moving factors in the growing consciousness of beauty in people's minds. There has been much talk in the last few months with regard to the so-called "Super-Power" and "Giant-Power" projects, and a few words of explanation as to what these terms mean in the industry might not be amiss. The underlying thought back of the super-power idea was the interconnection of central stations for the purpose of improving load factor on the generating stations and reducing investment in stand-by equipment. If a large number of plants could be connected with a net work of transmission lines there would be a greater possibility of equalization of load between the different plants, that is to say, the heaviest load in the territory of plant No. 1 might not come at the same moment as the heaviest load on plant No. 2, thus allowing the former to assist the latter in carrying its peak load. The larger the number of plants, the greater diversity there would be between the loads on the various plants, and consequently the greater advantage in equalization. This is called improvement in load factor. Furthermore, plants interconnected with a net work could use their spare equipment to assist each other in case of breakdown in any single plant. The probability of breakdown in all plants at once or in even a larger number of them at one time would be very remote, consequently the total amount of reserve equipment could be smaller than if each plant was isolated, in which latter case, each plant would require reserve capacity for itself without the ability to lend such reserve capacity to any neighboring plant. Another advantage which was sought was that with such a network plants could be located more advantageously with respect to water and fuel. In order to carry on a program of super-power as outlined above, it would become necessary to raise sufficient funds to install the interconnecting system. It would also be of advan tage for companies to merge into large syndicates which could control groups of sufficient size to make the creation of the system possible. It can readily be imagined that small, isolated plants could not afford to join the system. Furthermore, small groups of properties would have widely variant ideas with respect to the routing and characteristics of the transmission lines, with the result that there could be but little agreement and little co-operation. However, with the properties in the hands of large holding companies with sufficient capital backing to enable them to accomplish the necessary construction work and the ability to plan a comprehensive network covering large sections of territory, there becomes possible a co-operative plan resulting in what is termed "Super-Power." The advantages of super-power have long been recognized. Its consummation is being carried forward as rapidly as economic conditions permit. Enormous plants are being constructed in locations where fuel and water are easily available. Transmission lines are being constructed in such manner that they will in the future become a part of the comprehensive system. Hydroelectric plants are connected to the network in such manner that every available horse power can be turned into the system. Plant design is carefully taking into account the availability of reserve capacity connected to the system. These various advantages justify a certain amount of investment and such investment is made as rapidly as it is justified, but no faster. In the commercial world, funds can be raised only at a rate which is warranted by profit to be obtained. Seeing the development program as outlined above there has been a number of persons to whom it appeared the development could be speeded up or strengthened by governmental action. These are the advocates of the so-called "Giant-Power." Giantpower in underlying principles is no different than super-power. Its advocates believe that the economic difficulties can be overcome by force, that it to say, in case the financiers of the country do not wish to invest their funds in a certain power undertaking, such funds can be raised by taxation and state bond issues, thus enabling the institution of the project. Once having the installation made it is hoped that the profit will be suffi cient to warrant the investment. Such forcing of economic conditions by legislative action can never prove beneficial as the experiences of the past show. All funds come primarily from the public. When these funds can be employed profitably the public must receive a greater benefit as a whole than when the investment of such funds results in economic losses which must be made up by the public. In order to make the giant-power scheme appear feasible its advocates have, intentionally or unintentionally, used figures which are entirely out of line with present engineering experience. The unit costs for constructing power plants and transmission lines which they have used in their calculations are from one-half to three-quarters as great as the unit cost which the best engineering practice of the past has found to be necessary. The advocates of giant-power have also made doubtful assumptions with respect to the operating costs. They have brought out in particular the possibility of what is called the "Low Temperature Carbonization of Coal." This process is essentially similar to production of coke and gas in gas plants. It may be regarded as the treatment of coal as crude ore and obtaining the refined productions of smokeless solid fuel, gaseous fuel, ammonia, tar products and a liquid motor fuel. All of these products are being made in gas plants today and their values and selling prices are very well known. Low temperature carbonization has been experimented with by gas engineers for many years. The proportion of each product and its constituency under various degrees of heat application and various modifications of process are well known. Such a process is now being installed in one of the largest and most efficient central stations in the country, with a view towards finding out what economic advantages may be obtained in actual practical operation in the hands of the highest engineering and operating talent. Until such results are obtained it does not appear safe or wise to assume that the cost of fuel for central station can be reduced to a tenth as was assumed by the advocates of giantpower. Super-power is at the present moment the greatest promise of the future. Its institution has been advanced sufficiently far so that we can see its results. One hundred forty thousand volt lines seem to be the practical type for the trunk interconnections. Sixty-six thousand volt and 33,000 volt networks are used for the distribution. Their construction has gone forward wherever economic conditions permit. At present this is mainly in districts thickly populated and where water power plants can be connected. The larger operating companies are planning for future extensions so that their main lines may become part of the 140,000 volt trunk system, and they are locating their plants so as to obtain the greatest advantage from interconnection and efficient operation. In the districts where super-power is already in, as great intensity of development has been made as it is feasible. This includes the obtaining of rural business. It seems highly desirable that ultimately our rural population should obtain the benefits of electric energy. At present the greatest barrier to the entire development is the cost of distributing power. This applies not only to the rural customer, but to the entire field. The cost of production has been brought within very gratifying limits. It is to be hoped that as much can be done for the cost of distributing the energy so produced by the advancement of the art in the near future. The research facilities of the large manufacturers are constantly working to the end of improvement in efficiency and reduction in cost. The world may see as great scientific advancement in the next twenty years as it has in the last twenty. Burning coal in powdered form is a recent development which has reduced production cost in some instances; the investigation of low temperature carbonization opens another field of possibilities in the combustion of fuel. In England experiments are being made with steam pressures up to 3,200 pounds, the critical point where steam and water are of equal density. In this country a notable study is being carried out at the Hartford, Connecticut, plant with a combined vapor cycle using mercury and water, where the steam and the vapor of mercury are used to obtain a greater working range than is possible with either substance alone. Recent developments in the field of science have opened to our minds the contemplation of transmission of power with circuits using less copper, and the production of energy by means other than the chemical combustion of fuels, possibilities which are deemed worth the serious study of manufacturers' research staffs and no longer dreams of theorists, bordering on the absurd. PAUL K. FLEMING, President. Ornamental Concrete Lighting Systems General Offices and Plant LAWRENCE, LAMON and LELAND AVES., CHICAGO, ILL. Represented by the Western Electric Co., Inc., in all Principal Cities The Grand Height 14 ft. 500 recently purchased by the South Park System, Chicago. The Garfield Height 15 ft. 700 recently purchased by the South Park System. City of Chicago The Octagonal Height 10 ft. Over 5,000 installed in smaller cities throughout the United States. All Chicago Concrete posts are manufactured by the jogging or vibrating process, which thoroughly insures a concrete mixture of great density and strength. This process was thoroughly investigated by engineers of note before being specified on the largest street lighting job in the world. The service of the Street Lighting Department of this Company and the Western Electric Company are at your disposal at all times to assist you in planning your system. You should get our figures on low maintenance costs for street lighting systems before attempting to plan a system of any size. |