The Detroit times., 1912-02-01
HEARING ON PLAN TO
IMPORT POWER BEGINS
Federal Light & Power Co.
Wants Permission To Bring
Electricity From Canada

Whether Detroit is TO have the
privilege OF buying electric power
from a competitor OF the Edison com
pany. will be decided by the federal
authorities after passing OF testimony
10 be adduced in a hearing which be-
gan before Col. Lieut.-Col {. >,
Richie in charge OF the United States
Lake Survey at this point. AT o'clock
Thursday afternoon, in the old post
Office building. The hearing was ar
ranged in consequence or the applica-
tion OF he Federal Ligh, Power
Co. ct Detroit. for permission from
the United States government 10 I'M,
port electric power, generated al
Niagara Falls. from Canada.
Geo-ge r. Monaghan counsel Tor
The Federal company, and one OF its
members, Went 10 Washington. some
time ago and appeared before the
committee on foreign AFFAIRS in an ef-
fort 10 induce the government 10
sinction the proposed importation.
He will be one OF the Witnesses IN
the hearing. Asked IL the Federal
company expected any opposition
from the Edison concern in regard TO
the application. Mr. Monaghan said
10 The Times, Thursday morning:
we don't know just what the Edi-
son company plans 10 do. They fought
us every inch OF the way when We
were negotiating with the Canadian
government for permission 10 export
the electric power we plan 10 sell 10
the citizens OF Detroit. Mr.. Dow. OF
the Edison company, was even over
In Canada himself in the matter. We
also saw their footprints around
Washington when we were asking for
permission TO import the power into
the United States. However, We don't
see how anybody can prevent us from
getting permission 10 bring electric
power from Canada, when II is going
to be much cheaper than the power
now being sold by the Edison plants.
We plan TO use $4,000 horse power in
Detroit and IL will be approximately
Is per cent lower in cost than the
present prices
Mr.. Monaghan said that there could
be no objection offered 10 the impor-
tation on the ground of destroying the
scenic beauty of the Falls. as the
supply.
Anyway" said Mr.. Monaghan. 1T
has been definitely settled that the
diversion of the water from the Falls
for power purposes is not spelling the
cataract In any shape or form. No
less an authority than Gen. Bigsby,
chief of the engineer corps OF the war
department OF the United States, test
flied before the conNlittee on foreign
affairs, in Washington. that there
wasn't the slightest danger OF the
beauty OF the falls being injured by
the use of the water for power devel-
cnment purposes, and that an exam.
nation OF the most minute microscope
cal character had revealed that the
diversion thus far had caused only
three-eighths of an inch OF water to
disappear, while an east wind has les
sened II In depth to the extent OF six
or seven feet.
But, as | said before, the question
OF depreciation OF beauty or lessening
OF water doesn't concern the United
States in our application at all. We
are to get our power from the Cana
dian side, and IL anybody has any
complaint to OFFER IL would be the Ca
madam government.
"For the purpose OF dealing with
the Dominion and Ontario govern
ments In connection with our pro
posed importation OF power we or
ganized the Electrical Distributing
Co. OF Windsor, which is identical
with that OF the Federal Light & Pow
err Co., OF Detroit Therefore, no Can
- L. a. or
the power we purchase. We are tc
buy II from the Hydro-Electric com
mission, which was organized by the
Ontario government for the purpose
OF developing the power at Niagara
and building lines TO transmit II &c
different parts OF Ontario. The west
ern lines In Ontario are now built as
far as London. and II Is expected that
they will be extended to Windsor be
fore very long. The Ontario govern
ment is spending several millions oil
dollars in extending these lines
Gould Detroit be supplied with
power by the development companies
on the American side OF Niagara"
Mr.. Monaghan was asked.
Yes, suppose they could" Mr.
Monaghan replied. but II would be
impossible for any private company
TO undertake the big expense OF build
ing transmission lines this far.
The Federal company, II given per
mission to import the electric power
will bring IL over from Windsor on
cables through the Michigan Central
tunnel
Among the stockholders In the Fed
eral company are f. ID. Stair, George
n. Russell and p II. Mcmillan, or De-
troit, and o. r. Fleming, OF Windsor.