Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-12-29
Great Falls Power,


used in this city for lighting purpose, for
the motive power in street railroads, and for
power uses generally. 1t is expected that
the machinery will be in place and that
electricity produced at the Great Falls will
be in use in this city in the course of the
next eighteen months or two years. 1t is
further expected by those who control this
company to expend between 100000 and
100000 in reaching this result. 1t will
be recalled that last spring the rights con-
trolled by the Great Falls Power Company
were purchased by the interests that were
then engaged in buying the electric light
ing and the various street railroad proper
ties In this District now known as the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany, and which now control large mum.
Der of such properties.
Since the purchase surveyors and en-.
gineers have been engaged in examining
the property with the view of determining
the best method OF developing the power in
the river at that point for commercial pur-
poses. The plans deter mined upon are now
being carried out, or at least a beginning
has been made. The foundations for the
proposed dam, which is to cross the river
south OF the government dam at that point,
are being constructed. The foundations are
rip rap and the upper structure will be OF
concrete.
The government dam stretches across the
river at right angles to the Virginia shore,
while the new dam will have rather diago.
nal direction from the Virginia shore and
will touch the Maryland shore at point
near to and south OF the present dam At
the end ol the dam on tue Virginia shore
viii Ue what 10 known rs "the intake"
where the water IRON the river will enter
caua, aud Will be conveyed through the
Canal Uut a mile south aoug the Virginia
oauk Vi the river u pont where II Is pro
posed To build the power house. Here the
water with the lorce that it gathered IN It's
descent Will turn turbine wheels and In this
way the power ol the river viii be utlllzed
10 the production OF electricity.
II is estimated that the power produced
will be equal to between 10000 and 1900
horse power, and II Is proposed to carry the
current on overhead wires that will be
erected along the Virginia shore to some
point near the city, where it Will be brought
across the river and transmitted into the
city for the various uses To which this power
is now put to in the life OF modern city.
II is GAINED that the quantity OF current
furnished will be sufficient 70 operate all the
street railroad lines controlled by the Wash
ington Traction and Electric Company,
which will then include line running out
of the city to Rockville, Md, and lines now
in use going TO Lakewood, Md, to Dean
wood, to Forest Glen, Md, and to Glen
Echo, Md. The power needed for the cleo
trio lighting of the District will come, it is
said, from the same source, and also, it is
thought, there may be some left which can
be sold tor manufacturing uses and for every
purpose which needs power.
The plant which produces this power,
with its furnaces and boilers and huge
| chimneys pouring out smoke, will DO 10
Gated some fourteen miles from the city i,
and the power houses in and about the city
now in use will no longer be needed.
One result will be, II is thought, the elm.
ination of what is known as the smoke
nuisance ia this city.
As is well known, the rights and prvi-
leges of the Great Falls water power were
purchased a number OF years ago by the
late General Benjamin +. Butler, and the
property has remained in the possession of
his family until the recent purchase. While
1t was organized as a stock company, the
entire issue of stock, amounting to 5000 900,
was controlled by the Butler estate, repre-
scented 10 the sale ny Paul Butler and Gen.
Ames.
Ii is not known exactly what was paid :,
but 1t is supposed IL was not less than 1850,
900. Gen. Butler became Interested In this
property as early 1859. At that time Ger
tain riparian rights at the Great Falls were
owned by what was known as the Great
Falls Manufacturing Company. 1t Was then
the purpose to establish manufacturing
village there, as it was prior TO the days OF
electricity and the present proposed use Of
the property was not then deemed possible.
The scheme Of a manufacturing village
was never carried out Gen. Butler con.
tinued to add 10 his holdings in that local
ity and organized company with cap
talization OF $2.50000O Stock amounting
to only $500,0O0 Was issued A few years
ago charter was oDtaiuel from the States
OF Virginia and Maryland, giving the com
pany the right TO make Use OF the bel OF
the river.
This, together with the riparian rights al
ready owned, was believed 10 complete aDI
perfect the holdings OF the company.
As Is we'll known, the Great Falls are
located about fourteen miles north Of this
city. At this point the Potomac river 10
nearly half a mile in width, with an eleva-
ton Of 100 feet above tide at Georgetown.
The river is divided by chain OF Islands
into what are known As the Virginia 40
Maryland channels, respectively, The largest
of these islands Is Conns Island. rne CON
pany owns and controls SIX email islands
near the upper end Of COINS Island, and all
of the latter with the exception Of strip
400 feet wide, which is held by the Unite
States government for the use OF its aqueduct
dam.
On the Virginia shore lie two adjoining
tracts of land belonging to the company,
containing between 800 and 900 acres. The
property on the Virginia side Of the river
begins at point near the middle of Conn's
Island and extends down the river two and
one-half miles. The company also has
claim 10 the land on the Maryland shore
extending down the river 10 point some
distance below the lower end Of the com
pany's Virginia lands Washington Star.