The Washington times., 1911-01-22

1t is contended, however, that there is
enough other water also TO serve the
purposes OF the District, both for water
supply and for hydro-electric power.
Next Concern Interested.
The next concern interested in 20
tomac river power was the Great Falls
Manufacturing Company. This corpor-
alton was chartered by Virginia, Febru-
airy 4, 1889, and was authorized to man.
ufacture almost everything except au-
tomobiles, which hadn't been thought of
at that time. 1t acquired about $50
acres of land on the Virginia side Of the
river just below Great Falls; also
"Conn's Island Of about sixty-one
acres in the river, being the island
across whose southern point the pres
ent Government dam extends; also six
small islands, the "Cyclades," above
Conn's Island.
Concerning the manufacturing COM
pany, Mr.. Wright, in his report, makes
this Observation:
This was the extent of the real es-
tate holdings of that company in 1895.
From 1889 to that date. it had done
nothing in the way of development of
the resources of which it had owner
ship. Its activity was confined to
mulcting the United States when the
latter attempted to utilize the waters
at or above the falls
Rights Not Clear.
The exent of the riparian rights &C
hA 90 &c
pany was problematical; the agreement
between Virginia and Maryland as to
boundary provided that Virginia should
have "a right to such use of the river
beyond the line of low-water mark as
may be necessary to the full enjoy
ment of her riparian ownership" The
reason the extent of the company 5
water rights was never determined was
that the company never attempted &c
use them, except as a reason for collect,
ing damages from Uncle Sam.
This was the situation that existed
from 1889 to 1895. On April ,, 1895, the
Great Falls Manufacturing Company
sold its franchises, rights. and real es-
tate to the Great Falls Power Company
which had been chartered by Virginia
March 8, 1894 The consideration re-
Ceived by the manufacturing company
| is not known.
The new power company's charter was
very broad. 1t authorized the company
to construct canals, dams, and other
hydraulic and auxiliary steam works
TO sell and lease fater powers and use
the same for manufacturing and other
purposes; to generate, transmit, sell and
lease electricity, electric power, and
light for railroad and canal. and for
other purposes, and to exercise the right
of eminent domain.
Ben Butler President.
Gen. Benjamin F. Butler was the pres
ident and moving spirit in the Great
Falls Manufacturing Company in the
latter years of its existence, and the
interests of his estate figured in the
Great Falls Power Company.
The Great Falls Power Company, in
its sixteen years of life, has done no
more to carry out the purposes for
which it was theoretically organized
than did the Great Falls Manufacturing
Company. 1t has acquired some more
real estate and has sat tight, awaiting
the time when Uncle Sam again would
want to use the water of the Potomac
river. and could be forced to pay for
the privilege.
The Great Falls Power Company, in
1894. obtained permission from Maryland
to build a dam across the Potomac be-
low CTSdC r ais, PROVIDED not IN
terfere. with the Government dam or
with the canal company. 1t was also
authorized to engage in the electric
light and power business in Maryland.
Buys Interest In Land.
That it was thetntention of the power
company to fortify itself against the
day the Government would want to use
more Potomac water, is indicated by its
purchase of an undivided one-half in
terest in a piece of land on the Mary
land side, juse below the falls, known
as "Resurvey Hard TO Come At" and
containing about 10 acres. This was
soon after the company vas organized ir
1894.
The undivided half interest in this 1OC
acres on the Maryland shore, just below
the falls, gives the power company ex-
actly the same water rights in that
property as the United States, and
might prevent the United States exer-
cising its half Of the rights without
paying an extortionare price for the
privilege.
And this power company, it should be
noted, Is today controlled by the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company,
which owns a majority of its stock, this
having been acquired for the double
purpose, presumably, of utilizing the
power if possible; and, II not, preventing
the Government using II except by pay
ment of heavy damages.
1t was in 1853 that the United States
first attempted to use Potomac water by
acquiring interests at Great Falls. 1t
obtained the consent of Maryland to tap
the river for water supply that year ard
decided to use the lower end of Conn's
Island for a dam from the Maryland
shore.
At this time the Great Falls Manufac-
turing COmpanv did not own Conn's ISL
and. 1t bought the island in 1884, and
when the Government started to put Its
water supply plan into operation 1t had
to settle with the manufacturing COM
pany.
Nr. Wright's notation on what han.