Bisbee daily review., 1911-09-06
LETTERING
 OF SOUTHERN RIVERS
Subject Which Was Crowded Out of Busy Extra
 Session

committee was the bill to improve the /. navigation Of the Black Warrior river. ! in Alabama and Incidentally to provide , for the utilization of the water power Of the river by the construction of dams The bill elicited very. general in 1 terest. members from almost every state participating in the debate be- cause he question involved vital prin- cipies of the conservation of the nat ural resources Of the country where the government had ownership in the property proposed to be developed.
 In it's original form the bill author ized the army engineers to change the pending projects by building sin gle high dam-62 feet-instead of five low dams. It was ascertained that one such dam would provide a channel
 depth the same as that contemplated through the operation of five lower
 dams and that 1t would cost several
 hundred thousand dollars less.
 Private Proposition.
 The Birmingham, Ala. Light and
 Power company offered to pay s200,- coo toward the construction of the
 higher dam if the government would permit them to have the use of the water power which would thus be created. and in addition agreed to pay an annual rental Of S15,0OO fur nishing all the electrical power need ed to operate thesIocks and light the | government property adjacent 10 the plant. It was estimated that 16,0O0 electrical horsepower could be de yeloped. The bill provides that the annual rental should be not less than Sl per horse-poWe or, in no event l less than a total Of S15,Og0 annual rental. It also provided that al the end of each ten-year period the secre. tary of war should readjust these rates and that the contract should | run for fifty years Tn that time tho 1 engineers esimatei that the rental | of the power would have paid the cost ! of the improvement.
 The bill was by far the most favor able proposition eyer before made in | the history of the government: but, l for some unacceptable reason the op- | position developed proved serious and so impatient in the closing days | of the session. Waen members were in ! haste 10 complete their work in Wash. | ington and get away 10 their homes, i that it was rather lily considered. | After three dayse uf debate. during | which every phase of navigation, con, | servation ard wayer-poV CT develop
 ment was discussed, it was passed but | so amended as tO amount to practical
 enasculatiuR of tie original measure. ! One of the most curious snendrleuls ls | ever attached to . bin of that kind
 was that the government should noi ! sell water-pawe- to any but ultimate ! consumers, So that under that pro
 vision the water-power company would
 he prohibited from selling it's cheap ! power 10 any company which had a | contract 10 furnish electric lights to i any city CT town however vitally it's | people might be interested in obtain ing cheaper light aud power
 EmaseuIsted Bill.
 | There were other amendments tend. i ing to decrease the merits Of the bill | that were put through h the rush Of | consideration; bus those having the | bill in charge being really anxious to 1 conserve the powes for the use of the | people, and at the isame time tO safs- guard the interests-o -of the government. ! finally got together in conference and 1 struck out every provision which | authorized any contract at all with any | development company, simply author | iziug the engineers b construct the higher dam. It was decided that here i after congress could provide for the \ sale of the power at such terms as would be advantageous to the govern. | Hicnt, and when there would De ample \ time to pass the bill
 II Congressmen generally who have a \ pettry clear conception Of what the ! people want are convinced that the r utilization of the water power in the
 navigable and other streams of the II country, constitutes one of the most \ vital problems connected with the iu- II dustrial development Of the United
 States. They contend it would be Q |. very stupid kind of statesmanshlp that could not solve the problem Of
 caring for navigation and at the sane
 time allowing the use Of water power.
 especially where there IS willingness
 to so compensate the government for rhe power afforded as to bear a liberal
 share in carrying out and maintaining
 navigation improvement projects.
 investigation of possible sites for | developing water power on public
 lands are being pushed by the United
 States Geological survey, with result.
 ing withdrawals Of land from entry where it is found valuable sites exist.
 In July 31, 31,725 acres Of the public domain were withdrawn, including a Il great number of power sites. No esti- mate has beer made of the horse power involved, but. owing Co the char. acter Of the poWer sites withdrawn, 1t is believed Go be enormous. The July withdrawals make a total out. standing area vithdraWn of 1,546. .25S acres, based on tho examination and recOmHen daticn Of the geological sur
 very, and involving millions Of horse
 power and thousands of power sites.
 The withdrawals are made in aid oi proposed legislation by congress
 which provide for the fullest possible
 development of these enormously val uable properties and aJ the same
 time guard the public interest
 It is expected thar this question will be fully considered at the coming con yention of the national rivers and bar
 hors congress which win be held iA ,i Washington. Dec. o-7 and B.