New-York tribune., 1912-03-13
FIGHT ON STATE CONTROL
Gas and Electric Companies OPP
pose Water Storage Plan.
tBy Telegraph TO The Tribune J


| Albany, March 2-Representstives of
gas. electric light and power companies
from all over the state appeared before
| the Senate and Assembly judiciary com
mittees to-day to protest against the bill
Of the Conservation Commission for state
| ownership OF water storage reservoirs and
state generation. transmission and sale of
electric power for the benefit Of the
ultimate consumer" Joining them were
representatives, OF water power interests
| and manufacturers using water power or
electricity derived. from II. who wish "a
have the state dsveiop tie water resources
through the present riparian owners and
for their benefit:
For the bill sppesred Clark Hammond
Corporation Counsel of Buffalo. who has
been conducting 4 fight for many months
! on the electric companies which infes'
| Buffalo. He was directed by unanimous
vote OF the Buffalo aldermen to ask the
Legislature TO enact the proposed law
which would establish in this state sys-
TEN OF state and municipal partnership in
the electricity business based on that in
| operation under the Hydro-eiectric COM
mission Of Ontario. Dir. Hammond laughed
! at the arguments presented hy the oppo-
nents OF the bill. and said:
People let things like this go by default
or through ignorance, but these corpora
tons have their pay representatives, on the
job every minute. trying to defeat legis-
the public or encroaching upon laws al
ready passed whenever they get chance.
7 had 10 laugh ~ all this talk ] heard
about the prChlbitsve cost OF this plan and
the impossibility OF carrying II out. I'm the
course Of my fight against the electric
companies In Buffalo ! went over to on
taTiO and made q careful study Of tho
working OF the Hydro Electric Commits
sion there. The proposed law Is almost
Identical with the act under which that
commission was esta lished and Is acting
An these corporation lawyers here to-day
tell YOU this plan Of tho Conservation Com,
mission can't be carried out They say II
would cost a billion dollars and that the
transmission lines would break down. The
only answer I care TO make is that the
plan is now working In ontario, ana mas
been for nearly TWO years.
The hearing will he continued tomorrow
afternoon. at which time the Conservation
Commission will present IT'S arguments for
the bill
Ex-senator Elon r. Brown was the chief
speaker IN opposition 10 the measure. He
termed II soclalstic. and said 1t would take
from the property owner his property and
from the individual all incentive TO effort
for progress in electrical development.
Frank Bell. who represents Hudson River
manufacturers, said that on the basis OF
cost 10 private power companies, which
were operated with the utmost economy,
this scheme would cost the state about
81 900 600. .Oco with yearly expense OF SS0,-
OOO.eoo. and the state could only hope to
receive about $i6.COooO0 year from 1t.
1T will bankrupt the state" he said
solemny.
James F. Tracey, representing the Asso-
cIation for the Preservation OF the Adlron-
dacks. said the passage OF any such bill
al this time would be premature.