The Washington times., 1911-02-08
WILL INVESTIGATE
GREAT FALLS IDEA
Senator Gallinger Promises
Careful, Honest Work
/. by Committee.
Continued from First Page.)

serious question in the possible use OF
Great Falls power"
Another question by Senator Gallinger
that indicated he doubts the practica-
bility OF the power scheme was the
following:
''The question whether the Govern
ment and the District should go into
the manufacturing business in competi-
tion with private corporation should
be seriously considered by the commit
tee, should it not?''
Competition No Obstacle.
1T should be considered, but We do
not feel that it should be an obstacle"
said Mr.. Peyser. "Our desire is not for
the Government and District to COM
pete with the Potomac Electric Power
Company for commercial business, but
only that we should produce our OWE
current for our public lighting. Surely
there can be no objection to that IL.
after a thorough investigation, it is
found financially practicable to develop
and use Great Falls power"
While Mr.. Cromwell was addressing
the committee Senator Gallinger gave
still another evidence of unfriendliness
10 the power project. Mr.. Cromwell
declared a saving could be made If the
District did its own public lighting
Senator Gallinger interrupted with this
observation:
Il do not think that necessarily fol-
lows, Mr.. Cromwell. My information is
that in cases where municipalities oper
ate their own public utilities the cost
is greater to the community than where
such service is rendered by private par
ties
To this Mr.. Cromwell replied:
u do not agree with you in that.
Senator, and 1t certainly cannot be true
in this instance. If the development OF
The big saving here will be in the diff
ference between cost of operation of
a hydro-electric plant and a steam
plant. / think there is no question but
that water power is cheaper than steam
power. In addition. there would be a
saving of that portion of our light bills
that now goes to stockholders as divi-
dendS."
Promises to Investigate.
In spite of his criticisms of the Great
Fails project, Senator Gallinger gave
the joint committee his assurance that
his subcommittee would investigate the
Leighton plan thoroughly and would
consider the opinion by C. Edward
Wright, attorney for the Interior De-
partment on the legal phases of the |
water-right issue between the Govern |
ment and the local electric company. |
He promised the subject would be ap- |
preached with open mind.
Mr.. Peyser opened his statement be- |
fore the subcommittee by urging that
an appropriation of $4,000 be made at |
this session for determining definitely |
whether Great Falls power could be |
economically developed and used for |
public lighting. He declared the Leigh |
ton plan, which is new, to be so reason |
able on its face to Justify Congress |
in making an appropriation to put it |
to an ultimate test.
To Reduce Lighting Cost.
Mr. Peyser declared the District is now
paying nearly half a million dollars a |
year for public lighting, and urged the |
establishment of municipal hydro |
electric plant for cutting down this |
expense. He submitted copies of the |
Leighton report and of the Wright |
opinion, which he asked the committee |
TO consider.
Attention was called to the fact that |
the Senate, in 1898, passed a bill for the |
requirement Of all water rights at Great !;
Falls by the Government and for the |
establishment of a municipal lighting |
plant, and that the bill failed of passage !
In the House only because no concerted |
said the justification for that legislation
was not nearly as apparent as for the
legislation now proposed.
Copies of Senate and House docu-
InentS relating to Great Falls, contain
ing previous reports of army engineer
officers declaring the use of the power
practicable and desirable, were left with
the committee.
i
nlittee on behalf of the Federation of
Citizens Associations, said In part:
District and Nation Interested.
This Great Falls project is one in
which the people of Washington are
deeply interested, but it is also one in
which the Government is interested.
There is 4 striking mutually of inter
est between Washington and the Nation
in this scheme, for the District can utll-
ize the power for lighting the streets
and pubiR buildings, while the Gov
ernment can use it for Government
buildings. The result will be a better
and more cheaply lighted city, for the
benefit of both residents and visitors,
with a saving both to the District and
the Government
''I wish to call your attention es-
pecially to the character of the man
who has made this latest power report.
He Is NJ. o. Leighton, chief hydrog-
rapher of the Geological Survey. He
has evolved plan by which he be-
lieves the power can be profitably util-
ized. 1t seems to us that you cannot
ignore Mr.. LeightonS conclusions. They
are worth your most serious attention,
for he is in such position, In the Gov
ernment service and in his profession,
that he would not make such report
without knowing what he was doing,
and without foundation Of fact that
I believe would be difficult to contro-
vert
III OlspulS 1Ol Cl1ly AcdlS'
This question of the use of Great
Falls water by the Government and
District has been in dispute for fifty
years. We citizens of Washington
feel very strongly that you, here and
now. have an opportunity to settle it
definitely. If that water power can be
put to practical, money-saving use, let
us put it to such use. If it cannot, let 7
us find out once and for all.
The Federation of Citizens Associa-
ton, representing nineteen organizations
of residents of the District, want this
question determined. They believe the
Leighton project is practicable, but they
are willing that it be put to the extreme
test That is all they ask you gentle
men to do. In this they are Joined by
the 500 members of the Chamber of Com
merce, representing the business and L
professional interests of Washington
Senator Gallinger, at the conclusion of
the hearing, announced that the sub
committee would give careful considera-
ton to the Great Falls project. AS he
expects the District bill to be completed -,
and reported within two or three days,
the final decision of the subcommittee
and of the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee will be known very soon. Z