The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-24
House Amendments Made the Measure An Utter
 Impossibility
POWER IMPROVEMENT CAN AFFORD TO WATT
With House Amendments No One Could Be Induced to Finance Project-First Three Sec
 tions As Passed
By WALTER HARPER.


 washin gton, August 23.-(Special.)- Senator Bankhead talked Interestingly of the Black Warrior. river improvement bill before leaving for home today. He said:
 ",rhe bill to improve navigation on the Black Warrior river in connection with the development of water power passed the Senate as recommended by the board of engineers. After reaching the House it was referred to the rivers and harbors committee and was assailed by members of that committee for varl- ous reasons so much that 1t became apparent that radical amendments would be made In their report to the House, and when it did reach the House it's provisions. put on by way Of amend ments, were such to surprise the friends interested in its passage.
 '.The three first sections refer only to navigation and provided for the com pletion of the Warrior river system to Sanders Ferry, six miles above Cordova, on the Mulberry fork, and to Palos, on the Locust fork. These three sections authorize change of the plan of Lock IT. which is now under construction,
 
 of 21. as previously contemplated. This avoids the necessity of other dams ahoye AS heretofore authorized. These three sections finally have passed both houses and have been approved by the President. When completed, this VIII provide the improvement necessary TOT everyday slack water navigation rom Sanders Shoals to tidewater
 aIt will be observed that section l directs the Secretary of War to cause the plans and specifications of LOCK ' to be so modified as to permit the fu- ture development of water power
 "The power provisions of the bill as |, nassed the House were such that no corporation or individual could be ln- duced to, finance the project, For in- stance, the life Of the promoting cohl- pany was restsicted to 25 years, and prohibited 1t from selling power to any one exceptNthe ultimate consumer, so that it could make no contract with the city of Birmingham, for instance. by which that municipality could sell power for any purpose Another pro vision provided that at the end or 70 years all the property rights and Iran chises of the promoting company should revept to the government and that without compensation. There were oth- CT provisions in the bill as 1t came from the House so unreasonable as to make it's operation impossible and with such provisions 1t could not have passed the Senate. It was therefore agreed in conference that all the House pro- visions should be stricken out so that sections l, 3 and should remain They relate solely to navigation, and pro- vide for the completion of the War rior river system within the next two or three years.
 Can Afford to Wait
 "I feel that the question of power inn provement, important as it is, could we'll afford to await some future action of Congress, but that speedy comple tion of navigation on the river is of such pressing necessity that 1t should be facilitated as rapidly as possible. The next Congress doubtless will deal with the question of waterpower develop ment from that standpoint of the ques- tion at large and will be taken up in earnest with that end In view believe we have reached that point in the improvement of our rivers that no other improvement will be authorized where 1t Is possible to develop water power without provision for the con- servation of such a valuable asset. The Tenn essee and Coosa rivers will be i'm proved for navigation in connection with the development of the enormous waterpower of which they are possible. The growing demand for the develop ment of this tremendous energizing force, far as the Warrior river Is concerned. has received a temporary set back, but I have every reason to believe it will be properly cared for in some future act of Congress and that ct no late day. But. the question is too big and important to discuss within the limits of a short review of the present situation"
 Senate bill s4s, as 1t passed Congress and approved by the President. is as follows:
 Section 1. That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized in his description to change the detailed plans and specifica- tions for the construction of lock and dam 1T on the Black Warrior river, Ala bsma. so as to increase the height of the pool level over the dam crest of lock 17 to height of 63 fleet above the pool level of lock 16, so as to render necessary the building of locks is and 19, as authorized and so as to provide for the extension of slack water up the Null berry and Locust forks of the Black War y1or river to Sanders Shoals and Nichols Shoals. respectively, and for the devel- opment of water power.
 Sec. 2. That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to have prepared such detailed plans and esti- mates as may be necessary to carry into eueCL the purpose Ol tIlS dctp ana ne c further authorized in his discretion to suspend operations during his investiga- tion and to enter Into supplemental agree ments with the present contractors for lock and dam IT. providing for the an- nullment of existing contracts or for their modification as to cover the work re- auired for the construction of the higher lock and dam, as he may deem most Advantageous for the interests of the United States.
 Sec. 8. Should the construction of higher dam at site 17 be found advisable ohe appropriations and authorizations heretofore made for the cost of lock and 6am on the Black Warrior. Warrior and Jombigbee rivers. Alabama, shall be avail able for the construction of dam 17 and such locks as may be necessary to over come the lift between the pool created hy dams 1S and IL. tr M ts l3 France to Establish Mission z Paris. August 2S.-The government has