Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-03-30
The Great Falls,

The application of the Great Falls Power
Company to the Legislature Of Maryland tor
q charter has directed attention to the may
nificent water power almost In the suburbs
Of Washington. The present company Is the
successor OF the Great Falls Manufacturing
Company which was chartered In Virginia
In 1889. The members OF the company were
New England capitalists, and they hoped 10
build on the banks Of the Potomac large
manufacturing town. The country on the
Virginia side about the Falls is high and
suitable for the location Of mile, while the
river at that point has fall Of 70 feet 10
about half mile. From some cause the com.
pany had not commenced operations when,
In 1858, Congress, wishing to secure per-
manent water supply for Washington, or
dered survey made. General Totem, the
surveyor, recommended that dam be con-
structed at Great Falls, aud Congress ap-
propriated 100000 for that purpose Situ-
ated 10 the Potomac about one third the
way across, near the Maryland shore 10 an
island called CoDp's Island. This divided
the river 80 that inety.eight per cent OF the
water flowed in the Virginia channels. Con.
gress obtained the consent Of the Maryland
Legislature 10 dam the Maryland channel
and obtain sufficient land about the Falls 10
build conduts The manufacturing COM
pany then made arrangements TO allow the
government the use oil the lower part Of
Conns Island. In 1852 the Secretary Of the
Interior and the company hac commission
appointed to settle the dispute. The com
mission was composed OF Jesse L Williams,
Of Indiana B. X Curtis, OF Massachusetts,;
G. Suan, OF Ohio; Lineus Child. Of Massa.
chusetts, and AlonzO G. Paige, the best legal
talent OF the day. Gale b. Smith was Sec
rotary of the Interior and Caleb Gushing
was counsel for the company. The govern
ment submitted four plans OF damming the
river The commission awarded damages
to the company on sliding scale. II the
first plan were adopted CSC, 900, ii the second
$63000, for the third $77,200, and for tue
fourth $l5,692 The last was the one adopt
ed, the dam beginning on the Maryland
shore Just below the feeder for the aqueduct
and extending across the channel To Conns
Island. The length was l,l76 feet and the
height about "a feet above the river bed.
The dam was completed 10 1857. This plan
was Judged to be the same as plan 4, al
though It differed slightly from u. The
company sued Tor $500, 900 in the Court OF
Claims, alleging the difference In the plan
had damaged them to this extent. Seeing
they were about to lose their suit they
dropped from 100000 to $l6,692, their
original award. About this time Benjsmln
Butler became the principal stScknOlder IN
the company and represented IL as counsei.
He won the suit in the Court or Claims aud
also in the Supreme Court
Ia 1882 Congress decided TO strengthen
the water supply Of Washington and APP
propriated $145,l5l to extend the dam.
900 to pay damages and 100000 To suii
tishways Under the act the dam was CON
peied ron COnn's Island 10 the Virginia
shore Butler then entered a suit Tor dam
ages in the Court OF Claims AID suit in
the Circuit Court at Baltimore to compei the
Attorney General and Secretary OF War TO
remove the dam. Butler claimed the act
was unconstitutional anu that tue Secretary
Of War had taken part OF tue company Q
land which was not included IN the survey.
The suit was lost IN the Circuit Oourt, the
Supreme Court affirming the decision. Tue
suit IN the Court of Gains is still pending.