The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-14
NO MORE WATER POWER GRABS
GOV. HUGHES SIGNS THE BILL or
SENATOR FULLER.

n Provides for the Progressive Develop
mcnt OF the states water Power Under
state Ownership and Control and Main
tenAnco for Public Use and Benent.
ALBANY, July Is.-Through the individual
efforts Of Gov. Hughes the attempt Of the
representatives Of Adirondack private In
terests to grab the water powers Of tho State
for the purpose Of erecting monster water
storage dams and the creation OF great
power for electric plants has been thwarted.
The last Legislature passed q proposed
constitutional amendment in the interest
Of the water power grabbers and they
tried to have this Legislature pass the
amendment again 80 that II could be SUBJ
mitted to a vote Of the people next fall.
] But Gov. Hughes in his annual message to
the Legislature had this to say:
AN propositions which may involve
any diversion Of the States Adirondack
lands for the purpose Of their acquisition
should be most carefully s~crutinized. II ID
well to consider the great value Of the un-
developed water powers thus placed under
State control.
They should be preserved and held
for the benefit of all the people and should
not be surrendered TO private interests.
IL would DO difficult to exaggerate the
advantages which may ultimately aocrue
from these great u Of power IL the
common right is duly s~afeguarded.'
Senator Fuller (Dem.. Brooklyn) intro
duced a bill to carry out the Governors
ideas on this question. but the water
power grabbers defeated 1t and passed
Senator Agnew's bill, which aimed TO ac-
complish the same purpose. but which was
% drafted as to be useless. Then the
Governor sent q special message to the
Legislature practically urging the passage
Of the Fuller bill, n both the Agnew and
Fuller bills were sent to the Governor.
Gov. Hughes signed the Fuller bill to-
day. Il gives the State Water Supply
Commission a special appropriation Of
SIS. 600 and directs 10 to devise plans at
once for the progressive development Of
the water powers OF the State under State
ownership. control INC maintenance for
the public use and benefit and for the in
crease Of the public revenue.
The commission shall proceed at onoe
TO collect information relating to the water
powers OF the State and shall devise plans
for the development OF such water powers
as it deems available and may devise plans
vi ~ uONOiORIuOl VI buCn OtncT wafer
powers as shall be brought to it's attention
by the Mayor Of any city, the president of
any village. a supervisor OF any town or
the chairman Of the board of supervisors
Of any county.
The commission shall present a report 10
the Governor and the Legislature on or be-
fore February 1 next showing the progress
made In it's investigation. and shall IL prao-
ticable complete it's investigations to such
extent az win enable it to devise a oompre-
hADs,x,A and ~-aDAsoaI -I.- H--Ak- -
development OF the water powers OF the
State, and shall il practicable make the
final report OF such plan to the Governor
on February l. 1909.
II any plan devised by the commission
shall include the construction OF a dam or
dams upon a river or w~atercourse the
commission shall report the water storage
capacity in cubic feet Of the reservoir Gre
ated by each such proposed dam. the re-
corded rainfall on the watershed above
such proposed dam n the maximum.
minimum and average flow Of water per
second In cubic feet during each month in
the year at the point where IL is proposed
to locate such dam. They shall as nearly
as practicable estimate the water horse
power which would be developed at such
proposed dam, the probability Of selling
such water power. and the probable gross
and net revenues from both direct and
indirect sources that would be derived from
the sale of such power.
~ ihdAt dIEo NV NiAS III u HuC0
gross and net revenues to the total cost
OF the construction. annual maintenance
and depreciation, including the cost Of
necessary and and riparian rights and
cost Of acquiring them, and after deduct
ing the annual cost Of maintenance and de-
probation the net revenues which will be
annually derived therefrom and the length
Of time in which such net revenues would
pay on the whole cost of construction,
lands and riparian rights. with the interest
thereon.
The State is 20 issue bonds to devotion
those water power and they are to be paid
for by State revenues secured from the sale
of electrical energy.
This is one of the most important statutes
that has gone upon the statute books in
years from a financial and business point Of
view.
oTHER BILLS SIGNED TO-DAY.
Gov. Hughes to-day also approved the
following bills:
Senator Foelker-Appropriating 500 900
for improvements at the Hoffman Island
quarantine station.
Senator neutrality-suspicious. s24. $50
for additional buildings and improvements
at the Geneva agricultural experiment
station.
Senator Observation-Disclosures $780,
600 at once to purchase land for the State
Park in the Adirondaoks and $500 600 for
the same purpose. the latter not TO be avail
able until after October I.
Senator Observation-Disclosures $685.
500 for canal claim awards by the State
Court OF Claims.
Senator ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS $751;
600 for State Court of Claims awards other
than for canal damages.
n.,u 49,.