Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-01
COMPLICATED AFFAIR
The Water Power at Great Falls
and Its Owners.
STATE OF MARYLANYS INTEREST
Mr.. German Prophesies Long.
DrawnrOut Law Suits.
SENATOR PROCTOR'S PLAN

When the Senate adjourned yesterday
afternoon 1t left a very interesting local
matter hanging fire in a peculiar way. The
sundry civil bill was still under discussion.
and Senator Henderson had offered an
amendment appropriating 100000 for ac-
curing title to the water power Of the
Great Falls and such contiguous land as
may be needed. for the purpose Of giving
additional water supply and electric light
ing to the District In supporting this
proposition Mr. Henderson quoted from the
report of the District committee on the sub
ject of the extension of the water supply.
and alluded to his resolution. which result
ed In the presentation OF an elaborate re-
port from the Secretary of War upon the
water supply Of the Potomac, and the cost
of So using 1t as to supply the city with
light He quoted from the report Of the
board OF officers making the inquiry under
the orders Of the Secretary Of War, Col.
Elliot. Capt. Knight and Col Reber, who
showed that in Chicago the average cost
per electric lamp per annum Is $56.6A. In
st. Louis. $1ll.l2; in Wheeling. $62 per lamp
for 400 lamps; in Baltimore. $127.7o, and in
the District, Sls2.50 They give $52 33 as the
cost of arc light by the use OF the falls.
When Mr. Henderson had made this
gratifying showing from the report Of the
engineers. Mr.. German threw a wet blanket
had come from any committee. and by
making a point of order against It on the
! ground that it was an original proposition.
He reserved the point, however, In order to
| discuss the question. arguing that should
| the United States try to acquire these rights
| 1t would be involved in long litigation
with the state Of Maryland. He said that
| In 11S4 or 81, Gen. Washington obtained
| for his navigation company the exclusive
right on the river. from here to Cumberland
! and from thence to the Ohio river from the
800
from low water mark on the Virginia side.
He also obtained from the government and
the state of Virginia the right to the use
OF all the water in the river. except suf,l-
cient for the purposes OF the few manu-
featuring establishments that had rights
prior to this grant. The grant was trans
ferred to the c. and o. Canal Company.
the canal being constructed by the state OF
Maryland. the government and the cities
OF Washington. Alexandria and GEORGETOWN
At the Great Falls. on the Virginia side
by the company that now holds 1t to use
the water that flowed over the dam Of the
canal company.
Mnryland's Rights.
When the government began the con-
struction Of the water works." said Mr..
German, so perfectly clear was the right
Of the state and the navigation company
that Congress- not having up to that time
| ed the right to go into a state and
an appeal to the state of Maryland and the
canal company. and the state granted to
the government the right to put it's dam
across the river on such conditions as the
navigation company would impose The
conditions We're that the dam was to he
only So many feet i'm height and that the
government should take from il only SO
much water as IL wanted for the use of this
city That was formally accepted. When.
ten years ago. IL became necessary to in
crease the water supply here Congress
made an appropriation to raise the dam
but 1t was only done on condition that the
chlef engineer OF the army and the en-
gineer of the state of Maryland should de-
termine how high the dam should be raised
and the government paid whatever amount
was necessary for the purposes OF raising
the embankment. Therefore, with all these
complications, l say that a measure of
this sort ought not to be proposed until It
IS carefully guarded and the rights of the
state o. Maryland and OF the company, as
well as of the private company which owns
the Virginia shore. are looked into Gen
Butler. representing the company on the
other side of the river. came here with
great claim against the government on ac-
count OF the construction Of the present
dam. and II was a long time before that
matter was adjusted An appropriation
it,"
MIR. ProctOr's Examination.
Senator Proctor went into the subject
quite thoroughly, and argued that the ad-
ditional land should be acquired to provide
for water supply for the future 1T is
economy and wisdom that this power
should be acquired entirely he said, by
the government. Divided ownership will
always be a source of embarrassment
trouble and cost. 1t can be acquired now
We believe. very much cheaper than in the
future. Two companies were chartered one
by Maryland and the other by Virginia at
the last sessions of their legislatures. with
view to go on and improve this water
power for private purposes. OF course, IL
they make their improvements 1t will add
greatly TO the cost to the government
BILLS have been and are now before Con-
greSs looking to the chartering of compa-
MES for bringing electric power here from
the Great Falls. So upon very careful
consideration of the whole matter, and a
report from the engineers. a very full and
exhaustive one, we believe il to be a mat
ter of economy for the government to &C
Quire the fun interest and IL seems to me
a matter of fairness to all interests and of
prudence for the government that We should
at this time make some declaration of our
purposes. il nothing further
Il made an examination of this situation
while in the War Department Under the
provisions Of the old law L visited the falls
with the Attorney General and Gen. Butler
and L have gone very carefully over the re-
ports of the engineers. i do not believe
that at the ordinary low stage-I will not
say tho extreme low stage-there is any
great surplus of water and power more
ply for the city for aqueduct PURPOSES and
not the power to generate electric light for
public buildings and grounds and street
lighting aside from the question OF light
ing private houses, as We only propose To
take it for public purposes.
Il know that the parties in interest the
owners of the power, think that there is
greater quantity, but l cannot agree with
them, guided by my own observation and
by the reports of the engineers. They re-
port at a low stage of water some six thous-
and and odd horse power, and with an ordi-
nary stage something over eight thousand
1t certainly would not be any more than
enough to generate electricity for lighting
the town and furnish the water for aaue-
duct purposes. / think myself that II would
be well to have some measure incorporated
which would look to a careful survey and
preparation of plans and indicate some
what the purpose OF Congress in the mat
ter"
Mr.. Hoar asked whether, In connection
with the future water supply, the District
committee has any Durpose in view rom