Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-02-19
WANTS GRANTING OF FRANCHISES,
PLACED IN SOME STATE
AUTHORITY.
REDUCE PRESENT PRIVILEGES.
Let Them Expire at Certain Date So
General System Can Be
Inaugurated.
SENDS IN COMMISSION REPORT

MADISON, Wis, Feb. 1S.-[Special.l
Coy. Davidson today transmitted til
he Legislature report OF the Statei
conservation commission with an im-l
)ortant accommodation regarding the
granting of franchises to water power
companies in the state. Of the several
documents accompanying the letter Oh
ransmittal the most important is the
recommendation of the state c0nserVa-
ion commission on water power. ms
BOARD recommends:
First-That franchises for water power
be granted under general statute
Second-That the issuing OF such Ira Tall
chseS be placed in the hands Oh the rate
commission or a similar board under CON
ltlons to be provided by general statutes.
Thrd-That such franchises ne IN the
nature of leases for long term Oh g sonif
able terms. Rental should De low anu
should be applied to the extension OF the
state forest reserve. ..
Fourth-That q reasonable conservation
charge be levied on all developed water
power on rivers, the head waters OF when
ire protected by forest reserve lands, the
| income from such charge to be applied 10
| fhp extension of the state forest reserve.
| Fifth-That the survey of the water pow
ers of the state be completed in co-opera-
| lion with the United States geological sur
| vey.
Recommendations of Governor.
| The governor makes the following rec
concentrations:
| First-That Il general act be passed pro
yiding that the granting of such franchises
| be placed in the hands of some state au-
| thorjty.
Second-That the powers Of corporations
! receiving such franchise be carefully de-
| fined.
| Third-That the conditions upon which
| such franchises may be granted by the
state for such purposes be provided.
| Fourth-That small privilege or fran
! cbise tax be imposed on each horsepower
utilized, payable annually, so long as the
power generated Is used
| Fifth-That all acts granting franchises
| to build or maintain dams on nav1gabe
streams heretofore granted be amended SO
| as to provide for their expiration at fixed
| date in the future with a provision that
all persons and corporations exercising OIL
| holding such rights may comply with the
general law in respect thereto, and thus
bring all such franchise privileges under
the general system, taking care In such
legislation not to affect injuriously vested
rights.
A large number of copies of the mes
sage and reports will be printed.
Soil Survey Needed.
The report of the commission calls
particular attention to the separate work
| on water power made by Dr. A. e
| Birge of the university. From DR.
| Birge's report it appears that the I'M
developed water powers of the state are
capable of furnishing about 1874 900
horsepower. This estimate is based OF
the capacity of installed turbines. The
undeveloped powers, estimated on the
basis of the minimum flow for the entire
year. represents about 350,000-hOrse
power, and estimated on the basis of the
minimum flow for the highest six months
they are about 653, 000-hOrsepower. II
most large power installations, provision
4, is made for the use of steam power
| helping out i'll time of low water; sc
that if all of these powers We're utilized
the amount of horsepower installed
would be far in excess of $4,000. L
appears therefore, that the undevelopeC
water power of the state far exceeds the
! amounts of those that are developed
| 1t also appear that no natural resource
still in the immediate control of the
state at all approaches the value of the
| water power
The letter of the governor is also ac
companied by Il report on ''WiscOnsir
soil resources" and the need of a sol
survey by A. r. Whitson and A Weld
man, both of the university faculty.
The report of State Forester E. NJ
Griffith on forest. asking for an addi
tional forest reserve. is also fncorporat
ed with Mr.. Griffith's previous recon
mendations to the governor.
The conservation commission recon
mends that ii soil survey of the state b,
undertaken.
The commission suggests that fund.-
for the extension of the forest reserve
may be secured by issuing certificates
lands owned by the state to the extern
| Of 50 amount NOT TO exceed 81 600 ODD