Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-01-06
Electrical Trust May Balk Plan To
Harness The Potomac.

Judson c. Welliver in Washington Times.
The great General Electric Company
accounted the largest single constituent Of
the Electrical trust, against which the De-
partment of Justice is preparing a prose
cution, is one of the powers which will
have to be fought before the Great Falls OF
the Potomac can be harnessed to provide
light and power for Washington.
This statement was recently made by an
official who is concerned with the engin-
eering and legal plans for the big project.
He expressed the opinion, after some in
vestigation of the interests concerned with
the engineering and legal plans for the big
project. He expressed the opinion, after
some investigation of the interests con-
cerned, that one of the biggest water
power fights ever known in this country
would be precipitated.
Engineering aspects of the work present
difficulties which, if surmounted, will make
the project one of national and even of
world note. But before these can be seri-
ously attacked, the questions of legal in
terest and ownership must be decided.
1t is reported that the present owners
OF interest in the power are determined
to make the Government pay fancy price
for it, while a rough estimate of the cost
of development indicates that more than
$2,000,000 will be needed to harness the
falls and transmit its product of electrical
energy to the city.
Whether, therefore, the plan will be
found commercially feasible and profitable,
is considered question.
Since early in November force of twen-
ty engineers has been at work, under as
signment by the Geological Survey. trying
to determine what engineering plan
should be adopted. The cold weather and
snow have made the work very difficult,
but it is expected that pretty satisfactory
preliminary report will be placed in the
hands of the District Commissioners by
January Is.
LITIGATION Is EXPECTED.
AS soon as the engineering estimates
have been prepared with sufficient finality
to warrant further steps. the question of
getting authority to develop the falls will
be taken up. This will likely require long
negotiation and litigation.
The Washington Railway and Electric
Company owns the Virginia side of the
river, and an undivided one-half interest
on the Maryland side; but there are COM
plicatons which add to the difficulty of
direct negotiations. Years ago the COM
pany wanted million dollars for its rights,
and now it is expected considerably to
raise the price.
The General Electric interest is indirect,
and the extent to which its influence will
be exerted is problematical The Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company is
one of the concerns of its class which are
commonly set down, among engineers and
electrical promoters, as General Electric
institution :" that is, it is considered to be
under General Electric influence. buys its
electrical machinery from the General Elec-
trio, and is credited with at least a NOR
eanatic financial relationship.
INFLUENCE Or The PAST.
Stories are told of how General Electric
influence has been employed in the past to
discourage efforts at development of the
Great Falls project by the National Gov
eminent.
A most romantic history could be woven
about the various efforts, in two or three
centuries, to monopolize Great Falls and
develop its possibilities.
In the first place. under the royal grants
to the founders of Maryland, the State Of
Maryland owns the waters of the Potomac
river. The ordinary rule in this country is
that in case of boundary river. the mid
die of the channel is the boundary line.
Not so in this case. Maryland owns to low
water line on the Virginia side, and this
fact will prove highly important in the
proceedings which sooner or later will be
required to determine how the property
may be developed.
George Washington was president of the
first company that got rights looking to
the development of this power. The COM
pany did some canal building, but in time
its rights and property passed to successors,
and many years ago Gen. Benjamin F.
Butler became the chief figure in a project
to get control of the power possibilities
A remarkable chain of corporations.
some chartered by Maryland and some by
Virginia, have had interests in the falls,
the power and the adjacent lands which
would be needed for power purposes.
The most significant thing about these
various grants and charters is the lack of
limitation of powers, and the apparent
willingness of the Legislatures to grant
perpetual franchises without thought of a
future necessity for regulation.
The GOVERNMENTS RIGHTS.
The Federal Government holds some
modest rights on the Maryland side Of the
river an undivided one-half interest in
certain property, which. however, gives it
no riparian rights which it could enforce if
the owner of the other undivided one-half
interest should object.
1t happens that the other one-half in
terest is now in the hands of the very in
terest most certain to place obstacles in
the way Of development namely, the
Washington Railway and Electric Company.
In the past. when the water supply, aque-
duct rights. etc. have been needed for
Washington. these various companies hold
ing perpetual charters and unlimited pow
ers have regularly held up Uncle Sam for
excessive prices; and in the future. unless
anticipations are going to be greatly dis