The Washington times., 1911-01-17
VIEWS OF EXPERTS
ON GREAT FALLS
District Commissioners Want
$4,000 to Secure Plans
and Estimates.
BILL IS PREPARED
TO SECURE RIGHTS
Authorizes Secretary of War to
Obtain Land and Water
Grants.
Continued from First Page.)

,
can he materially reduced by the use
of the power at Great Falls ii is gen.
orally recognized as eminently desirable.
Prominent business and professional
men Of the city today expressed them
selves as follows on the subject:
Capt James +. oyster, president Of
the Chamber of Commerce. under
stand that about O,e0O-horsepower can
be developed at Great Falls. and that
this IS about the amount required for
lighting the streets, parks, and public
buildings of The District. / heartily IA
Nor the harnesSinG of the falls and the
conversion of the power 10 this pur-
rose. I do not believe the District
should so into the commercial lighting
business. but most certainly believe it
should furnish its own lights if II can.
We can afford to go TO a great deal of
trouble and TO eEpcnd great deal of
effort to utilize the Great Falls power.
see no reason why We should hest
tate"
William F GUIDE, former president of
the Chamber Of CommcTce-'It seems
to me absolute folly to permit the
water power at Great Falls to go to
waste, and I am delighted to learn,
from the Geological Survey report, that
it seems practicable to convert 1t
into electric current for lighting
District | am not at all surprised to
discover there are technicalities and
difficulties to be overcome, but the
case seems 10 me to be about like
TINS:
"Thcre is the power
'lIrrt is the District.
1--WE need the power, which is now
going 10 waste.
"Lct's go and take it.
"Thc engineers and attorneys can
= 1grbr r4t4st Iy,s.
Major William V. JudSon. Engineer
Commissioner OF the DistriCt-'I have
not vet had time to digest the report
OF tie Geological Survey thoroughly,
ami do not care to make any state
mcnt on It until ! do"
julius !. PcySer. attOrney-'There
never was any argument on the gem
eral principle involved in the utiliZa-
ton of the power at Great Falls for
public lighting. The only objection
has been the legal and engineering
difficulties IT. as the chief hydrOg-
rapher of the Geological Survey says
lo,""" horsepower can be developed
for less than q million dollars, this
on" objection, 1t seems to me, has
been removed.
Mature offers us. in the Potomac
river. a thing OF great value. Here is
d natural resourCe-an institution al
ready created-whiCh we may have,
practically, for the taking. Our basic
right, as people. to utilize this value
for our common good cannot be dis |
pUted. This power should have been
put to work long ago. 1t hasn't been, |
but that's no reason for another in |
stantS DELAY"
Ignored Too Long.
The Rev. John Van Schaick ir.. mas
tor of the First Universalfst Church
The people of Washington have tCo
long ignored the benefits, which have
-.
by failure to use the Great Falls power.
Ii would be a sad commentary, indeed,
If the National Capital, which is sup
posed to set the pace for the rest of
the country, failed to take advantage
of the natural resources provided for
the benefit Of all The Harvesting of
Great Falls would mark an epoch in
the advancement of the welfare of the
citizens of Washington. l most sin
cerely hope the work will be speedily
accomplished"
Frederick L. Siddons, attorney-'In
my opinion the development Of the |
water power at Great Falls and its
conversion into electricity for use in !
the District of Columbia will be the |
biggest step forward that 1t would be |
possible for the people of Washington
TO take at this time. For years |
have been anxious to see this wasted |
power put to work for the benefit of |
the community, and l am much graft |
fed to learn, by reading the hydro |
graphic report on the case, that it is |
deemed practical. II We can develop |
10 600 horsepower at Great Falls at an |
initial expense of less than a million /
dollars, l believe the investment is the |
best that could be made. It strikes
me it would mean more to the District |
than any other project possible of |
achievement"
Charles F. Neshit, insurance manager
II cannot find strong enough language
to express my sentiments on the Great |
Falls scheme 1t is surely desirable |
that this power be used. In fact, fail |
ure to use it in the past is a severe !
PeproaCh to this community and to Con-
gress. Any further delay, in the face
OF the Geological Surveys report, would ,
30 inCXcusable. 1t is bad business, bad |
economy, and the height of stupidity to !
permit the great volume of power in |
the Potomac river to continue to serve .
no useful purpose.