Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-02
lads BRIDGE PR0JECTHAS A WIDE SCOPE
Report on Possibilities of Po-
tomac Water Supply. .
COL. LANGFITT'S BIG JOB
Engineer Will Soon Tell Congress
of Magnitude of Proposition to
Furnish Light and Power.

Renewed interest is being manifested IN
the possibilities OF the water supply %
the Potomac river IN the vicinity OF Tho
Great Falls for increasing tho water serv-
ice OF the District and providing. in adj
dition. power sufficient To supply all tho
light and power required for tho uses OF
the United States and the government o,
the Distric, OF Columbia.
Col. Langtitt the engineer officer in
charge of the District water supply s,s-
TEN. who has been making an inves;ea-
ton and study Of these questions for Sc,
era! months past is now engaged In the
preparation OF his final report and ey-
poets To have il ready for submission 20
Congress within the next few days
The investigation was called for by
provision OF the District OF Columbia ap-
preparation bill. approved June ~ 1872.
Col Langiitt. who was charged with the
investigation. was especially directed 4"
prepare complete plans. maps. speciica-
tons and estimates Cor the production.
distribution and utilization OF the maxi
mum electrical power that can he eco
nomically created. and employed for the
present and future needs of the United
States and of the District of Columbia
for water. including street lighting In tne
District Of Columbia Clemens Herschel
/
enga ged specially to assist In determin-
ing the water power OF the Potomac.
Report a Confidential Document.
Under the law the result Of this investi-
CATION is to be reported promptly To Con-
gress. Consequently the report about To
he submitted will be treated as a con
fidential document until after its official
submission.
Early in December last Col. I,angi,t
submitted a preliminary report TO IN"
chief of engineers. in which he said that
owing TO the magnitude OF the problem.
and also to the fact that the solution
of some of its parts could not he had
until conclusions on some OF the other
parts had been reached. il would not he
possible to submit the results To Congress
before the first of February. 1913 His re-
port has not yet been completed. but j.
expected To lac ready within the next
few days.
IL is an elaborate document and con
siders questions which involve a deter
mination of the amount of light ami
power required for the Uses OF the
United States and District governments
at the present time and the probable fu-
ture requirements; personal examina-
ton and surveys OF the land and water
affected: an analysis of the flow OF the
Potomac river for the past fifteen years.
an investigation Of ownership and value
of lands which may be involved in the
development: an examination and deter
mtnation of a site for dam and power
house: preliminary designs OF dam and
power house. the latter including hN-
draulic. lubricating and electrical ma
chinery: tentative selection OF dis
tribution system. including the location
Of substations: the study and accumula
ton of data for the formation OF specif
cations for transmission and distribution
cables, conduits, etc: a study OF eicctri-
cal apparatus. and layout required for
substations. and study as to additional
water supply from the Potomac In con-
junction with power development.
Speculation as to Plans.
These statements were made 10y Co.
Langfitt in his preliminary report of
December last. and were published in
The Star a the time. They form the
basis of speculation as to the general
plans adopted by the engineers for the
utilization of the water power of the
Potomac river i'm the vicinity.
Following the general lines OF the
plans made by NJ. o. Leighton of the
survey. as result of his study of the
Great Falls water power. in 1911 IL is
assumed that the plans prepared by Col.
I.angfitt and his associates involve the
building of a huge masonry dam. near
the foot of Little Fails to create
a large reservoir i'm the river between
that point and the Great Falls. and the
utilization of the Daiecarla or receiy
ing reservoir, at the. District line, for
the storage OF additional water for
power and drinking purposes.