The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-09

Of West Virginia. and before b..
titled to exercise any Of the powers
authorised by the bill must make sp-
prcation to and have the approval OF
the public service commission.
According to the provisions OF sec.
tion eighteen. the public service com.
mission shall require or may author.
lie such changes IN the location,
plans. drawings or specifications Of
and proposed dam, as may be nsees.
sary for the protection Of life and
property, or for other reasons; and
may refuse the application II In its
discretion the same should not be
granted. The section relates inidetail
the manner in which the company
must make application in proceedings
TO condemn property. etc.
The following sections provides
that any corporation incorporated for
any of the purposes named in section,
three, which In god faith located q
dam for its purposes, together with.
proyable contour lines Of water pro-
posed to be impounded thereby, and
which have actually expended as
much as $4,000 In the construction Of
the dam on or before May az, 1913,
shall have all the powers. as to such
dam and the land and property within
the contour lines. without fling the
application and obtaining the permit
named in the act, but the commission
may require or authorize any change
In the plans, drawings, specifications
and constructed portions OF the dam,
as shall be necessary for the protec.
ton Of life and property, or for other
reasons, as named in the act.
Construction Of Dana.
Section twenty-five relates to the
construction Of dams. 1t is as fol-
lows:
The public service commission shall
not grant or issue a permit for the
building of a dam above ten feet
In height, which Is not SO designed
as to satisfy the commission, after full
investigation, that the ratio Of resist
ance OF the proposed dam against
sliding, oyerturning, rupture. or fail.
ure from any cause whatsoever, will
be not less than the ratio given in
the following table for different
heights Of dams:
10 and less than 20 feet, a ratio Of
2 to l.
20 and less than 80 feet, a ratio of
8 to /.
80 and less than 40 feet, a ratio of
4 to 1.
40 and less than 50 feet. a ratio of
50 and less than 60 feet, a ratio of
6 to l.
60 and less than 70 feet, a ratio of
z to 1.
70 and less than 80 feet. a ratio of
s TO L.
50 and less than 80 feet, a ratio of
8 to 4.
80 and less than 100 feet. a ratio of
10 10 4.
100 and less than ITO feet, a ratio Of
II to /.
Ito feet and over, a ratio Of - to !.
Must be Safe.
Nor shall any such permit be grant.
ed or issued unless the public service
commission finds and, enters or record
that the proposed dam will be safe
and secure beyond reasonable doubt,
and that the construction OF such dam
will be economically advantageous to
the people of this state.
Before granting any permit for the
appropriation OF a power site and the
construction Of a dam the public ser.
vice commission shall make an In.
vestigation as to the economic value
and importance of all agricultural
lands, forests, coal, oil, mineral dc.
posts and other natural resources
likely or liable to be submerged, daia.
aged. destroyed, rendered inaccess.
ible or more difficult Of access within
or adjacent to the contour Of the area
to be flooded by such dam.
The findings Of the public service
commission upon such investigation
shall be made a part Of the record Of
any order of the commission granting
or refusing q permit for the appropri-
alton of a power site or the construc-
ton OF q dam. In no case shall the
nublic service commission grant such
permit where its investigation shall
show that the economic value Of the
natural resources to be damaged or
destroyed In the development OF the
proposed power site Is greater than
the economic value to the people Of
West Virginia of the power which
might be made available by such de-
yelopment. In estimateing and COM
pairing such ecoramic values the com.
mission shall consider such public In
convenience as may result from the
removal and relocation Of roads,
bridges, railroads and other public
utilities, the flooding OF suitable and
desirable routes or locations for roads.
railroads or other means OF transpor-
tation, and other changes to be made
- - .