Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
MANY PROTESTS FILED
Objections to Discontinuance of
photographic Work.
GREAT PRACTICAL VALUE
Important Enterprises Utilized the
Data Obtained.
FUNDS DENIED BY CONGRESS
Operations Will Be Suspended in
Those Sections Whose Representa-
tives Cut Appropriation.
FUNDS DENIED BY CONGRESS


cut down and almost cut off the appro-
priation for photographic work in the geo.
logical survey, the survey has been
obliged to cut down the field work, and
notices of this action have been sent to
the authorities interested in several of the
eastern states. showing what the survey
was able to do with the means at it's dis
posai and explaining why the work in GER
tain sections had been dropped. This has
stirred up a shoal of protests from the
sections interested but as the matter stands
it Is impossible for much of the work to
be continued.
The work of he photographic division
has had to do with the amount of water
available for manufa curing and city supply
for engineering works, and methods of pre-
venting stream pollution. Heretofore this
work has extended over most of the coun-
try and, although there was little heard
or 1t in popular way, the results were of
immense interest to technical workers and
municipal authorities in the regions az
fected.
Where Work Will Be Dropped.
In recasting the work of the division the
regions dropped from the general plan have
been those where the representatives in
Congress were opposed to its continuance
1t was taken for granted that the repre-
sentatves voiced the sentiment of their
respective communities and that where
they were either Indifferent or actively op-
posed to the work of the division it was
assumed that the results obtained were not
appreciated and that the investigations
ought to be discontinued. Following this
plan the work has been dropped in most of
the region east of the Missouri except In
the south Atlantic and gulf states. 1t also
will be kept up in Michigan and Wiscon-
sin. But notices Of its discontinuance have
terested In New York. Massachusetts,,
Maine. Maryland, Rhode Island and Hill
nois. large number of vigorous protests
have been received from these regions
the limited funds at the disposal of the
division it has been impossible to do any
thing about 1t.
Practical Value of the Work.
That the work of the division has been
of practical value is indicated by the uses
to which 1t has been put The Engineer
Corps of the army uses the results of the
stream flow measurements and reprints
many of them because they are essential
to the development of navigat ton on the
rivers of the United States The whole of
the general policy Of the reclama tons serv-
ice in the west Is based on the data ac-
cumulated by the photographic division.
The government is spending about 10000
900 on the various irrigation projects in
tWenty-One different states. and the lOCa-
ton of all of the work Is dependent on
the stream flow records that have been
kept by the photographers.
A specific instance where the records of
the division were utilized was in the case
of the New York barge canal. which will
cost >S101 .000,0 All the information as
to the available water supply was from
the records made by the division in CO.
operation with the state authorities in
New York. The same was true of the
plans for the new water supply for the
city of New York, to cost $3.50, 00O, 900.
This was worked up from data of stream
flow in the Catskills. The Passaic river
flood commission also used the records
for its locality in constructing the
81. 000. 600 reservoir to prevent floods. The
stream measurements In the Ownes river
valley in California were also used as
the basis for the estimates and plans of
the new $4,000. 900 water service for the
city of Los Angeles.
The records of the division have been
used extensively in suits involving
riparian rights. including the Chicago
drainage canal case, being accepted in all
courts as prima facie evidence
There over thirty cases on record
of water powers, either established or in
course of construction, that We're based
on the records of the geological survey.
The sums invested in the various water
power works range from $4,000, 900 down.
ward.
Preventing Stream Pollution.
Some of the most interesting work of
the division has been in the stream-p ollu-
ton problem This has been taken up only