The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-07
JOHNSTON TALKS OF HIS POWER BILL Amendment Said to Meet
 All Objections BIG DAM ON WARRIOR Birmingham Water, Light and Power Company Is Headed By T. H. rsie' If x ssH 9il .oa,-
 ham-Plan Explained
BIG DAM ON WARRIOR
ham--Plan Explained
By WALTER HARPER

Washington, July s.--( (Special.)--
 Senator Johnston has introduced an
 amendment to his bill providing for
 the further Improvement of the Black
 Warrior river that probably meets all
 the objections made to the original
 bill. MT. Johnston's amendment has
 been printed and laid on the desk of the members. Mr Johnston will call it up for discussion and adoption In a
 few days.
 A number of senator objected to the provision In the original bill that the power development company, which Is headed by T. H. Friel of North Bir-
 mingham, should pay royalty of so
 much per horse power upon the ground
 that the United States government has no right to the use of water except for naviga ton and that the states have all title except for purposes of navi-
 gation.
 The amendment requires the company to build storage dam and to ac- uuire all overflowed land at a cost of about one and half million dol lars, and for this aid to navigation to use the surplus water not needed for
 navigation. Senator Johnston said: "The amendment eliminates from the
 bill every feature which met objection when the bill was under consideration
 few days ago. Instead of the pay
 ment of a royalty for the use of the surplus water, this amendment pro vides that the power company shall
 erect a storage dam, under plans ap- Uror nd acquire title to and convey the same | to the United States to all lands that
 will be submerged by the higher dam provided for at lock IT.
 .The cost of the storage dam and
 acquiring title to the submerged lands
 is estimated a over $1500,000, and am
 satisfied that the proposed amendment
 will save the government money over | the present project. ] do not propose to ask present consideration, as 1 de- I sire the Senate to have an opportu- nitv to fully understand it before the | bill is taken up.
 Aid Warrior Navigation "The Birmingham Water, Light and Power company was formed for the purpose of developing water power and aiding navigation on the Warrior river 1t has a charter from the state of Ala bama and is a riparian power company on the Warrior river under the law of Alabama and no other power company can condemn or interfere with its rights upon the stretch of river set out in It's charter to be improved-that is, from lock and dam 16, 30 or 40 miles up the yriver. above Mulberry and Sip sey fork, making in all stretch oi river being improved and controlled for
 water power purposes of at least 75 to so miles.
 ITO show that they intend to meet the government halfway the company has
 that would be flooded by buildings dam
 No. r. 63 feet high, and donate the same to the United States government, which if it had to be provided by the govern. ment. would cost considerable sun of money.
 This company has also in this bill l agreed to build a dam at the head oi navigation. or, in other words, at the 1 head of the stretch of river to be i'm ] proved by this higher dam, at cost ot 1 Si, ,5oo, ,0oO for the purpose of storing water | to operate successfully through the dry 1 seasons of the year and thereby con | trolling the flood stages of the river dur l ing high water seasons, thus aiding ths navigation of the river by controlling
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