The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-21

survey OF the river and the route OF
the proposed pipe line, In the more
recent soundings OF the river bottom
and in various other detail work and
II Is not considered likely that they
VIII give up the proposition without
further investigation.
There are many ideal points on the
river for building smaller dams than
the one nj first projected, and Il is
very probable that these will now be
taken into consideration. Il is est.
mated that from $1,000 to 10000 horse
power could be developed by series
OF smaller dams, and by so doing Il
would not be necessary to buy out
the large firms above mentioned who
already have water power develop
ments in connection with their factor.
ies nor would II be necessary to in
terfere TO any extent with the pres
ent right Of way of the II. T. & w. r..
X. II Is stated that some of the mill
owners placed fabulous price on
their holdings as did also the owners
Of the II T. e. W. X. r., when APP
preached by the agents Of the power
company, and 1t is considered that the
expense thus to be saved Is great
| argument in favor Of development on
the smaller plan.
There Is excellent opportunity at
the Chase ponds in Somerset, VT, of
creating immense storage reservoirs
at small expense from which to draw
during periods of low water, and this
Is considered especially favorable to
development on the smaller basis In
the "A miles from Wilmington, W., to
Hoosac Tunnel the Deerfeld has a
fall OF 700 feet, which is practically
80 times greater than the fall of the
Connecticut in the "a miles from
Brattleboro to Bellows Falls.
A charter was secured by the Pow
er company from the Vermont legis-
lature two years ago which, II is said.
gives them the most sweeping power
Of any charter ever granted for a sim
liar purpose, including the rights of
eminent domain and the customary
corporation privilege to sue and be
sued dam and be damned; and the
natives of the upper Deerfield valley
express the hope that something def
mite may result therefrom, as this is
the third charter which has been
granted in the past ten years for car
rying out power developments on the
Deerheld The first was obtained by
one Kelley of Providence r. l., and
his associates and contemplated the
famous Howe pond project in connec-
ton with dam on the Deerleld just
below Readsboro. Considerable time
and money was spent by these parties
but nothing tangible resulted.
The second charter was secured in
1904 by Faxon Bowen and George w.
/ Plumb of Readsboro and William r.
G. Carson of Hartford, electric con-
| sulting engineer, and Walter Scott
Morton, an expert hydraulic engineer
OF New York. A survey of the river
was made from Bardwells Ferry TO
Somerset, Vt. Many options were
taken and considerable land was
bought at favorable points. This pro
position was backed by the j. G.
White Co., of New York. who built
the Vernon dam, and contemplated
the purchase of the plant charter and
franchise OF the North Adams Gas
Electric Light ana Power Co., as a
means of providing the remunerative
market for the power developed. But
a Massachusetts lighting company had
an eye on the North Adams property
and in the bidding that followed they
took the prize. The proposition then
remained in a passive state until 1905
when the present agitators took hold
of it.-Letter in Greenfield Gazette