The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-05
WATER POWER
IN THE SOUTH
Black Warrior River In Alabama Can
Furnish 10000 ELECTRICAL Horse
Power II the Dam
ls Built.
OFFER BY COMPANY
Birmingham Light and Power Coz.
Promised $4,000 and A,rslal
Rental of $4,000
for Power.
[Gate City Special service.]

lSdtS SiCy pp6Cldl SSTNlC6.l
WASHINGTON, Sept 5---The MOST
important measure before congress
at the extra session relating In any
way to navigation and which was REL
ported to the house by the rivers and
harbors committee was the bill to
improve the navigation of the Black
Warrior river, in Alabama and Incl,
dentally to provide for the utilization
of the water power of the river by
the construction of dams. The bill
elected very general interest, MEM
oers from almost every state partio-
ipating In the debate because the
question involved vital principles Of
the conservation of the natural re-
sources of the country where the
government had ownership in the
property proposed to be developed.
In it's original form the bill author
lied the army engineers to change the
pending project by building a single
! high dam-62 feet-instead of five low
dams. 1t was ascertained that one
such dam would provide channel
depth the same as that contemplated
through the operation of five lower
dams and that it you'd cost several
hundred thousand dollars less.
4 The Birmingham, Ala, Light and
Power Company offered to pay $780,
4 600 toward the construction of the
i higher dam If the government would
permit them to have the use of the
| water power which would thus be
H.,
pay an annual rental of $4,000 and
furnishing all the electrical power
: needed to operate the locks and light
the government property adjacent TO
the plant 1t was estimated that 10000
electrical horse power could be de-
veloped. The bill provides that the
} annual rental should be not less than
81 per horse power or, in no event
i less than total of $4,000 annual
!, rental 1t also provided that at the
end of each ten year period the sec
retary of war should read just these
rates and that the contract should
7 run for fifty years. In that time the
engineers estimated that the rental
of the power would have paid ihe
cost OIL Improvement.
The bill was by far the most favor
able proposition ever before made IN
the history of the government; but,
for some unaccountable reason the
c opposition developed proved serious
! and SO impatient in the closing days
90 of the session, when members We're III
j haste to complete their work in WASH
h. ington and get away to their homes
If that 1t was rather lily consloered
:, After three days of debate, during
10 which every phase of Navigation
r. conservation and water power ue
If yelopment was discussed. II "as
sc passed but so amended as to am UNI
y. TO practical emasculation of the orig
70 inal measure One of the most cur
le ious amendments ever attached 10
m bill Of that kind was that the govern
Il ment should not sell water power t
m any but ultimate consumers, so tina
re under that provision the water powe
sd company would be prohibited fror
n selling its cheap power to any CON
De many which had contract to furnis
lg electric lights to any city or tow
"a however vitally its people might D
interested in obtaining cheaper iigr
and power
There were other amendments ten'
ing to decrease the merits Of the bi
IL that were put through in the rush
consideration: but those having tn
hit bin in charge being really anxious
conserve the power for the use of IL
neople and at the same time to sal
= guard the interests of the govefnmen
hit Apallv got together in conference ar
Ike struck out every provision which a
pa thorized any contract at all with az
en- development company simply authc
izing the engineers to construct u
higher dam. II was decided tn
hereafter congress could provide +
he the sale of the power at such tern
Ic- as would be advantageous to the go
his ernment. and when there would
9w- annie time to pass the bill
at congressman generally who have
ks, nrettv clear conception of what t
mi reonle want are convinced that
utilization of the water power in t
nev;gable and other streams OF 7
country. constitutes one of the me
ms vital nrobIerns connected with the
do dnstrial development of the Unit