Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-04-19
DAM BUILDERS
SHOULD PAY STATE
GOVERNOR SENDS MESSAGE ON
WATERPoWER CONCESSIONS.
SOMETHING DUE FOR RIGHT
Communication occasioned by Bill to
Make Valuable Grant to Power
Company on Wisconsin River, ano
Other Similar Measures-Fishways
Also Required.

Governor La Toilette yesterday sent
communication to both houses of the
legislature calling attention to the nu-
merous bills for dam privileges pend
ing in the legislature and pointing cut
that in former years these special
of allowing logging operations, but that
now they are calculated to create mo-
| nopolies of the water power.
The message is supposed TO be occa
stoned by the bill granting the rights
to r. B. Tweedy, w. 2. Edmonds anu
Frank Garrison, to establish and main
tain system of water reservoirs upon
the Wisconsin river and ali the tribu,
taries north of the south line of Adams
county, for the purpose of providing a
uniform flow of water in the river, to
improve the navigation and water
power of said stream and diminish the
injury to property.
Compensation Is Due.
The bill has been vigorously opposed.
especially by the residents of Villas
county, who claim that great damage
will be done without adequate com
pensation, and that the grantees viii
secure valuable rights which will give
them a practical monopoly of the wat
er power of the Wisconsin river.
The governor suggests that the state
should receive some compensation for
such rights granted in the future and
should have supervision and control
of the operations of the companies
He suggests that the franchises be
taxed and that a complete survey be
made by the state of the lands where
water power abounds.
In MS message the governor makes
a clear distinction between the dams
erected in former years to aid logging
and the dams that it is now proposed
TO erect in order to store away and
thus maintain a constant supply OF
the means of creating electricity, run
ming machinery and operating electric
railways.
The governor urges that the state
make use of the work of the United
States geological survey in regard to
the water power of Wisconsin and that
it take steps to complete that work
and to formulate the result of 1t so
that in every case in the future the leg
islature will have at hand reliable
data upon which it can act.
The message describes very clearly
what seems destined to be one of the
great economic resources of the state
and it urges that all necessary steps
be taken to conserve it. The test OF
the message follows in part:
Five hundred and sixteen laws
granting franchises to dam navigable
streams within this state have been
passed since the org cation of the
territory of Wisco |. Formerly
many of the these gra were for log
ging purposes, The eat reduction
in numbering within the last few years
has considerably decreased the num-
Der of grants made in aid of logging
and numbering. Notwithstanding this
fact, the demand for franchises to
build dams across the navigable
streams of the state seems to be In
creasing. 1t is therefore clearly mani
tested that capital has awakened to
the opportunities which these water
falls offer for permanent investment
1t is certainly desirable that this
should be encouraged in every proper
way.
1T has heretofore been the policy OF
the state to grant 10 any party seeking
the same the right to build dams
across navigable streams anywhere
within the limits Of the commonwealth
Providing that its action does no. COM
fiict with the action of congress upon
the same subject, the state has I'M
doubtedly authority to determine
where and under what conditions dams
may BE constructed across It's navig,
able waters. The only conditions
which it has attached to grants of this
character up to the present time are
the right to amend or repeal the same,
and the requirement that fishways
shall be maintained in all dams. 1t is
the law that all The structures must i'm,
prove the navigation of the streams,
Whenever those applying for these
franchises have sought the authority,
the legislature has freely conferred up
on them the right to condemn and take
the lands of others and overflow the
same by applying efficient statutory
proceedings to that end. Probably not
more than half a dozen states in the
union are so abundantly supplied wit
natural water power as Wisconsin,
and no state In the middle west is com
parable to it in this respect More
han 900 lakes are widely distributed
within its borders, forming natural re-
serves furnishing sources of supply to.
the streams which run through every
section of the state
I'VE have recently undertaken, at
considerable expense. the establish
ment Of 4 forestry commission with
view Of preserving whatever remains
Of the forests upon state lands not
suited to agriculture. and he reforest
ine of thesa and such other lands a.
can most probably be used for that
purpose. The state forestry legisla-
ton enacted two years ago very defec-
tive in many respects, will it is hoped.
be Sc amended as to establish this i'm
portant work upon as permanent and
effective basis. It Is referred to IN
this connection because the preserva-
ton OF our forests and the Ieforesting
of lands about the sources and along
the headwaters Of our principal