The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-01-29
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Especial Correspondence.)
Water Power Trust Busy.-The wa.

| ter-pOWer trust Wnlcn President
Roosevelt, in a recent message to con.
| gress, declared is fast acquiring con-
| troll OF the great power rights on the
rivers of the country, is invading New
J England. Government officials have
| recently learned that engineers rep
| resenting interests allied with an cleo
| trio company are investigating all
| available water power propositions
| within 200 miles of Boston. An effort is
making TO head of this invasion OF the
east by water power enterprise which
| the president and the geological sur
vey believe aims at "A monopoly of the
| river power rights of the country. IL
| is said that large amounts have been
| spent in the efforts to secure the
| rights, and that the most careful stu
| dy OF water legislation, state and in
| ter-state, has been made by skilled
| lawyers, with the view to securing le-
| gal rights before the public awakens
| TO a realization Of the significance of
! the effort in hand. In his message
vetoing the James river, Mo-, dam and
power act, the President pointed out
| that it has been brought to his at
| tention that a group of closely related
| corporations now controls about one
! third the available undeveloped pow
er, and is fast extending it's opera
tions.
Old Work TO be Continued.-The de-
cision of the rivers and harbors com
mittee not to have a large general riv-
er and harbor bill this year does not
mean that appropriations will not be
made for many New England projects.
1t does mean that no large new pro-
jects will be initiated Representa-
tive Lawrence says that perhaps
$l0,000,000 will be provided for main
tanning existing projects, in addition
to an ample sum for surveys of
number OF New England waterways.
This takes no account Of the appropria-
tions that will be carried in the sun
dry civil bill to provide for continu-
ing contracts on waterways improve
ments. The committee on appropria-
tions Is now considering estimates for
appropriations of this character ag-
gregating nearly $2l 100000. Included
in these estimates are those for con-
tnuing the construction of channel
in Boston harbor, for Kennebec river,
Maine, for Newport harbor. The com
mittee on appropriations has an un-
written rule that it shall always pro
vide such funds for waterway inn
provements under continuing con
tracts as may be asked by the war
department engineers, and at an early
date the war department will be called
upon for full information bearing up
on these items and others of the same
general nature.
Astounding Land Frauds.-Informa-
tion of an astounding character, con-
cerning alleged wholesale frauds in
public lands, has come into the pos
session of Secretary of the Interior
Garfield through special agents in the
field. The serious allegation is made
that approximately $l10,000,000 worth
of lands in states principally west of
the Mississippi river have been fraud
ulently acquired within the past two
years by corporations and individuals
With a view of recovering these lands,
Secretary Garfield has sent letters to
Chairman Hale and Tawney of the
senate and the house appropriation
committees respectively, asking for an
additional appropriation of 100000,
which if granted will, with that al
ready asked for, give the department
81 900. 600 for that purpose. The spe
cific purpose of the appropriation re-
quested is for preventing "depreda
tions upon public timber, protecting
public lands, examining swamp lands,
etc" 1t is explained that there is re-
sonable prospect of recovering much
of this alleged fraudulently acquired
land if the appropriation is promptly
made. 1t is also pointed out that
while a million dollars may seem
, large, it is not / percent of the COM
mercial value of the land which the
government may hope to recover.
Ananias Club Meeting.-The fourth
! annual session of the Ananias club
will be held at an early date, and
preparations are being made to make
the affair one of the most successful
in the history "of the popular and
growing organization. Prominent men
from all parts of the country will be
present, Recording Prevaricator VIII
| ham T.. Chandler of New Hampshire
having sent out invitations urging all
TO attend on account of pressing busi-
| ness. Officers will be elected, a new
constitution will be drafted club pin
will be chosen and appropriate resolu-
tions will be adopted. 1t is expected
that the convention will be held on
or about March A, but the place of
| meeting has not been determined
upon, except that it will be in Wash