Evening star., 1897-06-08
GREAT FALLS POWER
Hearing BY Commissioners on the Proposed
Purchase.
MT. NeedhaM Figures Out an Ina
mense ProAt-CoI. Elliot Eaters
Some Objections.

An important hearing was conducted by
the Commissioners this morning upon Sem
ate bill 1754. which has for its object the
acquisition by purchase or condemnation
the land and water rights at the Great
Falls of the Potomac
The passage of such a bill, 4. is claimed,
would give the United States valuable
rights In power and means at any time to
increase the water supply.
The bill carries with 1t an appropriation
OF $JOO,000 for the payment of land taken,
which specifically is mentioned as all land
upon each side of the Great Falls not now
owned by the United States, extending
from point at or near the government
dam to a point at OF near where Difficult
run enters the Potomac river. and extend
ing back not more than half a mile, to-
gether with the title to Conns Island ard
the other points named.
Col George H. Elliot, the engineer officer
OF the army In charge of the Washington
aqueduct, was present at the hearing in
the interest Of the United States.
Mr.. Needham's Figures.
Mr.. Charles Needham of the firm of
Needham & Cotton, representing the advo-
Gates OF the bill, was also present. He
traced the history of the ownership of the
land involved. The Great Falls Power
Company. he contended, owns practically
the water rights at Great Falls 1t is a
corporation, he explained, which originated
oy special charter from Virginia, March
1884. Its predecessor was the Great
originated early in 1860. 1t acquired all the
lands at Great Falls not owned by the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal and the United
States. All title in this land was subse-
guently decided to the present Great Falls
Power Company. He called attention TO
the ownership of the property as proven by
the records, and then compared ;he price,
as provided in the bill to the immense
amount of advantage obtained.
The power from Niagara Falls is de-
livered in Buffalo for $35 per annum per
horse power, under contracts for twenty
years. The minimum flow at Great Falls
he said. was 10000 horse power per day
Deducting 2.OOO horse power for public
uses, 5000 horse power was left, which
would give an income of about $40 900 per
annum. This, deducting $4,000 per ..nnum
for sinking fund and repairs, leaving an
income OF per cent upon a capital Of
$5,OOO.OO0. To get this power to Washing
ton would require plant costing not more
than $20OO,000, which, with the value of
the land at Great Falls, at $JO0,OO0, would
represent an investment of s.. $4,000, yield
ing an annual income of $300,VO. or u per
cent, which the United States could obtain
for 100000.
Other Claimants.
Col Elliot stated he did not care to re-
ply at length. He would say, however.
that he did not agree with the arguments of
Mr.. Needham in several particulars. His
chief objection was that the bill made no
provision for paying the other claimants.
There were two owners of the land in
volved, both antagonistic. and he thought the
bill very deficient in not providing for the
purchase of land from the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal Company. If the United
States paid the $JO0.OOO 1t could not use
the property, as the canal company would
Immediately object and a long legal bat
tie would result. He thought provision
should be made in the bill for paying both
parties.