The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-22
ASKS DAMS ON
BIG STREAM
improvement Of Tennes-
see River Urged.
RICHARDSON GIVES HANS
Has Scheme to Develop Immense
Water Power.
Alabana LegisIster Thinks Govern
meat Foolish to Spend Immense
Sums for Maintenance of
Lscks and Canal ut
Muscle shoals.
RICHARDSON GIVES PLANS
ny ALrREp J. sToFER.

BY ALFRED J. STOFER-
washington, July 21.-(Special.)- -
Congressman Richardson In reply to
question asked him as to the present
status of the plan to improve the nav
igation and develop water power at
Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee Riv-
or. said:
ION the a4th day of May Introduced
in the House q hill that embodies the
suggestions and recommendations
made by the two select Boards OF En-
gineers- of the War Department for the
Improvement Of navigation In con-
junction with the development of wa
terpower at Muscle Shoals on the Ten
nessee River. The reports made by
these two special Boards of Engineers
was submitted to the Board Of Re-
view" OF the River and Harbor Com
mittee OF the House Of Representa-
tives and full report madeNcn the
same.
II think I can safely say that we
have all the engineering information
attainable on the subject. for every
phase OF tthis great and important pro-
ject has heen exhaustively considered
in three different reports submitted to
the War Department. The feasibility
Of what contend for IL not contro-
verted, but the real question presented
for solution is simply this: u 1t wise.
economical, and for the public good for
the Federal Government to maintain
the canal of nine locks around Big
Muscle Shoals and the canal with two
locks around Elk River Shoals?
Canals Wholly Insufficient.
IT think we have clearly demonstrat-
ed that the canal and locks are wholly
insufficient to meet the present traftic
Of the river not to. mention the increas-
ing and growing commerce Of the riv-
er In the near future. 1t Is admitted
that the canal at present ought to be
broadened and deepened and that 1t
willScost large amount Of money to
perform that work. Major William w.
Harris. Chief Engineer In charge OF the
Tennessee River. says, in estimates
that are now being prepared, that the
work necessary to be done by the Gov
ernment, outside of the existing Ca
mails and locks at Big Muscle Shoals
ana Elk River but within the stretch
Of river from Elk River Shoals and
Florence, will cost not less than ss,-
100000. The engineers admit that II
the canal now at Big Muscle Shoals is
maintained. water power can never be
developed:
Information from the War Depart
ment shows that the operation and
care OF the canal from 1891 to the close
of the fiscal year 1909. has cost the
Government the sum of S1,s07,77T. 26.
The economic and plain business prop
csition presented to the Government is
this: The amount of money necessary
for the Government to spend to put
the river In good navigabie condition
by the Increase Of the width and depth
of the canal and making the additional
improvements suggested by Major
Harris, would equal or exceed the
amount that the Government would ex-
pend in its share Under the plans pro-
posed by the Muscle Shoals Hydro-elec-
trio Power Company for the ccnstruc-
tion of dams in connection with the
development of water power. I expect
to be able to demonstrate this propo-
sition by indisputable figures.
Canal to be Submerged.
Under the plans contend for, the
canal will be submerged by the con-
struction ct a certain number of dams
creating slack water navigation for
some thirty miles. covering the entire
stretch of the river from Elk River
Shoals to the Florence Railroad bridge
and saving for the public good the de-
velopment Of a waterpower next to that
of Niagara in the United States.
81 cannot here enter into all the
minutia of this great enterprise. Mus
Gle Shoals is the vital key to the sue
cessful through navigation Of the Ten
cab, KY. The proposition submitted is:
Let the Government build the locks
and dams by which the thirty-mile
stretch of the river will be covered by
slack water Of deep pools, and rent the
power so developeda under the provis-
ions of a safely guarded contract to
company or individuals; or let the gov
eminent enter into an agreement with
a company or corporation to bear q
certain proportion Of the expense Of
constructing the dams and locks and
the company the balance, ana in that
case let the Government charge the
company or individual that uses the
electric power a fair rental Tor the
! same-all to be negotiated and con-