The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-01-14
MANY IMPORTANT LAWS ARE
RECOMMENDED FOR PASSAGE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ELEVEN.

= nIlNlNNELNNAN NMA WIS DENnIN
the legislature 81 that time which had
for IL purpose the defining OF prfxt-
fsGes Of corporations desiring TO develop
,n,s eow.,, and sisinx TO them ssrtais
tho sans b the state The bilL. a. orig
inally drawn. was sweeping In it, lati-
.uds ths widest rights and powers be-
Ing conferred upon this class OF promo
terr-so much power. In fact. that after
reading the proposed Law a. would al
most force Us 20 conclude that should a
Law b enacted. IL would arm those Tn
terestsd In this development with power
almost plenary Friends Of the STATE
and the people took up the battle In as
rirting a friendly Legislature. rouse
the members A. 20 their duty. aud std
what they could 10 assist In the prsssr.
walton ~ this right which was In TIRE
amended that A. piaoed the granting OF
permits for such projects IN the hands
Of the Board of public Works. and. Ia
the case OF the creation OF a Public Ser
vice Commission. the administration OF
this law should automatically transfer
10 the Commission
West Virginia IL one OF the few states
thai can point. with pride 20 having pro-
tected her interests fully and completely
an the preservation of her water lights
up 20 the present time. The Public Ser
VICE Commission informs me that % has
not had funds available with which to
Investigate and determine the merits OF
any OF The proposed applications before
mem Tor consideration FOR the ~construc-
.f'N " NafuNs men range In height
from twenty nine feet TO two hundrsd
and forty feet. This H. a question WIN
sifects all OF our people. and I invite
subiec-.
The failure OF a small dam I'm stony
river last year. had not Providence In
terfered. would have wrought appalling
nestruc.ion and possibly great loss ~
~ me police power of our state
should b. invoked In control Of the con-
suuction OF dams. 40 A. 10 render pub
&c s"tety generally complete. and all
dame ON prtvat. property should com.
under the police reKula atoms OF our stat-
~ ~ essential that the ownerShIp OF
water power b. 50 regulated that a. shall
~ ~ ths naine OF the state. 50 that
oams whenever they desire so to do. A
general law upon I's subject il .ssen-
"a lo' ths purpose OF controlling. rcgu-
aatng and protecting public Interests.
me courts have held that the owner OF
tne bank 81 a river H. entitled TO IN. rs.
OF IN energy Of the stream between hts
epPet hhd lower boundary 80 long nS IL
do.s not interiors with the rights Of he
pubic. hut that he has not the right 10
sphstIuet a lam which may endanger
without permission from the statc NM
nloIe tnhn tho state can take hts prom
erty without comp nsaton to hin, fpr
sna,"sal SO We heys the right Of the
me protection OF the public 10 IN. end
served. ~
u dams arc 20 be constructed. 1 favor
= unit, irou-ciad In it, purpose and
made plain Of understanding that NO
permits De authorized to any company 10
sohstfuet a dam that will exceed in
ISM forty tcet. and hat complete. and
pienary control BE- left To- IN. Sia.s VIII
tne proviso that the people at their will
snAl nave the right To acquire aud aper-
IN the construction or these asms ana
tne IN s~estigation Of the application me
spplicnnt shall bear the expenS. a.. thr
III an every regard and that before a
pe'nlt - granted. that substantial bond
Or the deposit Of money shall he -
oulred 10 indicate the good fsitb 81 ~.
promoter. IL II likewise Important that
sne dam constructed shall b. supsrvissd
py the Public Service CommIsSi,a a,d
me Governor be given discretion. ,rben
us opinion public policy demands
sno that the state through its PIbltc
service Commission be given The ,.sDar
70 secure the services OF enxfncers 81
~soMn apllty " supervise the erection
osnv i3r which the applicant COM
tsny shaIi De compelled to pay. In cau.
nh Desired by a corporation 10 en-
s.reSt 2 dam higher than forty Zee, a.
~ hsV n DE that such permission
n y yo,ained through n special act 81 ms
hskiSlature. authorizing the Public Hcr-
w commission to grant a pertnft 10
ouilc such dam. "
Trbonution Of Rivers and Streams
pollution Of the rIverg 81
streams Of the state IL A most v.~a
ilous problem. \ solution bas 10.
Ioohsd Tor. but without avail. con,
one % our Governors FOR the nur1os. ~,
MASKING INVESTIGATION Of this mater -.
suited IN efforts most Jealous and mains.
thsins, ana much good was derived from
pollution Of ouf streams and ,bs
,~naeeluate statute now open this sub
-, mates u imperative tina a new
chapter take its place. When ne -
Iemlhded OF the many water-borne a.,
$3.50 nat visit the homes Of our PEG.
lie yearly, We can do nothing other tbsr
conclude that "a is most appaiiiny 49,
ehould he sufficient to awaken n A.
our sense Of duty. ~
We should hav. a law on the ,,,ht...
kiving ample authority to the Wesitf
board 20 employ necessary assfsta,ts =,
Lut an end 70 this evil which IL crowns
hIehter az time goes by The Frea,
economic value &c our cltizenshfp an
our beautiful mi scenery and ~.
snNisonment surrounding IL 80 Inviting
Of a modern statute Which viii insSrl
ne eradication Of the un~anItary cor.
s sna that EXISTS az the present time
shd place our state. from a sanitar,
point OF view. IN "A class with MarvIapd
Conservation.
Ihe annual supplicatfour which com.
70 US and which have been fyr,tspn
hlennially 10 the Legislature Nv IN,
S,a'- ,teol9gist relative TO the waste oi
~ hSIural resources. and which In ths
past nave been u~uheeded. n seems T.
me, should have our earnest considera.
.lon ~ this time. when we think 81 49,
tact that az least Eve hundred mf1fvr
upic feet. Of our natural gas has Ieef
tscapinE daily into the clements Tor III.
la-i seventeen years, and when We ar,
temlided or this great financial loss hi
araNeiinE over the gas territories. h
ought to he obvious to aIi int in th,
near future We shall look bafE vftb rc.
eret az Co our folly ln PERMITTING All.
grent waste 60 90 ON unchecked FOR ~
lonE q period Of time.
The forest maps ~ West Vfrgfpf,
show that niuo-tenths Of the gfate
area has been practically striped 81 Ia.
t1nner ana that practically All the sup.
ry VIII soon be gone unless more con.
tlderAtton D. given To- our forest conser.
WALTON and. refOrertntion BIZ encourage
~ required or tho iumhrrmen who's.
futhlesF ave has wrought 30 murf
years The forests ~ our STATE wbfet
were the greatest pride Of the father,
VIII qoon be completely exhauefed 49,
ne hills VIII he barren and shorn N III.
once LOFTY oak which adorned Thorn uffi
grandeur and apicndor
The time o. ~ hand when the STAT
SHOULD initiate r. movement looking fo
ward The acquisition ~ land for ne MIR
pose ~ establishing o. forest rraervs
appreciate tho fact that cannot b..
done unless We amend our gnnHfffufru
but ~ this u ever n be- Accomplished n
rhogld Dc begun By Initial action ~ thi,
Attention should be- given % the va,
in which developer exploit orr wtre-s'
TERRITORY 90 the end that the waste AZ.
neHtructinn that has been caursd in al.
past should b. made urnhfbffIvs Tor H..
future. We have tho rsuorf Fr.a~ go,