Editorial
From: The Evening News-Chronicle, Port Arthur, Ontario
April 24, 1942 Page
4
Intimation has been given recently that an important war
industry is to be located in Manitoba.
Since this war began (the) attitude of The News-Chronicle
generally has been that there should be
no interference with or pressure of any kind used on government
authorities to the end that particular
areas benefit by necessary war industry but, in this case, it does look as if
the government might find it more profitable to consider the Nipigon area for
its new enterprise than the proposed site in Manitoba.
The Winnipeg Free press, discussing the plans for what it
describes as a $100,000,000 war plant, admits that there are difficulties with
regard to power supply to be overcome in the Province. It says “ To get the plant Winnipeg has to
show that it can supply a minimum of 80,000 horse power of electrical
energy. This Winnipeg cannot do at the
present .”
The Winnipeg paper then goes on to discuss the alternatives,
describing the Seven Sisters development as one of the most practicable. But even there, according to the same
authority, it would be necessary to spend $5,000,000 blasting out rock. The Free Press says “If many thousands of tons of rock were removed the generating
capacity of the Seven Sisters plant could be increased by 50,000 horse power
without the installation of additional equipment. Neither the City Hydro nor the Winnipeg
Electric Company now has funds available to finance these undertakings. It is assumed that if, as and when the government decides to build in Winnipeg
it will arrange to help finance the power plant extensions.”
The Nipigon power area, which includes Port Arthur, could
present a much more attractive picture than that. An additional 100,000 horse power could be
developed on the Nipigon River with much less expenditure than apparently
necessary in Manitoba. It would not be necessary
to blast out $5,000,000 of rock for a dam at available and now unused
falls. Only a fraction of that blasting
would be necessary for the building of a dam and the remainder could be used
for installation of equipment, so that
the power seems much more available on the Nipigon.
Furthermore, much of the raw material for the plant proposed
in Manitoba is apparently to be brought into the country. Nipigon or the Port
Arthur area because of their harbors could offer shipping attractions which are
not available in Manitoba.
Furthermore, if the plan is to scatter the essential industries
Nipigon still has it attractions.
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