The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-01-15
Water Power Trust Is Pushing Grab.
Raid On Legislature Is Maturing.

Maurice r. SchartI, assistant civil
visitor in Tionests, Friday evening,
leaving here on the six o'clock train
north for Tidioute, he hsYing come from
Clarion that day His visit to this Sec
ton was, as he said, to represent Mr..
Knowles, who is carrying on system of
education" for the Pittsburg Flood
Commission in the matter OF showing TO
the public the great ad vantsges to be de-
rived in allowing the water po ower sites of
the state to be taken over by the Water
Power Trust, so that this gigantic mon
opoy may build great dams on such
streams as the Allegheny river, Tionesta
creek, French creek, Clarion river, and
in fact on every available stream in the
state 10 be used in developing electric
power for the benefit of the Trust. This,
in a few words, is the real object of the
water grabbers, and their bluff of erect
ing retaining dams to control the floods
that hamper Pittsburg is no longer SER
iously considered by sensible people. In
fact that scheme has been repeatedly
turned down by their own experts as in
feasible.
Mr.. Scharff met number of our cili-
zens and endeavored to persuade them
that the big dams would be- good thing
Tor them, but he made miserable failure
in presenting any convincing argument
and admitted that the water power people
were also interested in the schemes.
A raid is to be made upon the present
Legislature of Pennsylvania for legisla-
tion that will allow the grab to proceed,
and among the important things sought
for is the repeal of the law which Gov
ernor Pennypacker succeeded in having
passed in 1905 taking away from the state
the power to grant the right of eminent
domain to water companies. Charters
granted without this power, the grabbers
-eslize, are of no use to them. II the
schemers can educate the public up to the
point of acquiescence in this feature, they
figure that the trick is done and the raid
will go on. 1t u for this purpose that Mr..
Morris KnowHs, civil engineer in the
employ of the flood commission" is
travelling over the state with a stereoptcon
show lecturlng on the conservation of
the States water resources" He is to be
in Oil City tomorrow, Thursday evening,
to deliver his lecture, and the public gen.
erallV Is invited to 90 and hear him and
we hope the people will turn out strong,
and while listening to his tale, we hope
they will fire the questions at him. Let
the discussion take broad range, and let
all the facts connected with these schemes
be brought to light.
In this connection the following item
taken from Mondays editorial columns
of the Oil City Derrick is enlightening: &,
The recent flood has given those who
are seeking to gain control of the water
ways of the State pretext for greater
publicity of their scheme. In a paper
read before recent meeting in Indian
apolis, one OF the speakers gave notice
that it was intended to see that proper
legislation was passed at the present ses-
sion of the Pennsylvania Legislature
which would provide for the fullest reg
ulation of ofstreams, mot only for the well
are OF the general public, but also for
'e capital" The latter purpose
he the object most anticipated
'ity boomers.