South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-10-10

arily valuable and exclusive water
rights 10 seven-eighths of the st.
Lawrence river.
Mr.. Burd. who served in the New
York legislature at the time, has
made an analysis OF this law which
ne characterizes as the most gigan-
tic gift of potential electric power
ever made by any civilized govern
ment on earth.
The democrats in the legislature
i'm 1913 in response TO public de-
mand. repealed this extraordinary
private act. Lawyer Burd says its
approval by Mr. Hughes constitutes
practically all of the Hughes record
on conservation. He concludes by
asking: Does Mr.. Piuchot approve
it?"
Mr.. Bur~d's Statement.
The statement of Mr.. Burd is
i'm part as follows:
Mr.. Hughes has no record on
conservation save his record as gov
ernor.
The first year that he became
governor he approved of the follow
ing bill, which constitutes chapter
355 of the laws of 1907. The act Is
entitled;
IAN act 10 incorporate the Ions
Sault Development Co. and TO auth
orize said company 10 construct and
maintain dams, canals, power houses,
and locks at or near Long Sault
island. for the purpose Of improving
Of hn I
river and developing power from
the waters thereof. and to construct
and maintain bridge, and carry on
the manufacture of commodities.
by this legislation there was
created by private act a private cor
poration consisting of five unknown
persons. % TO dam the St. Law
renee river. an international bound
airy stream.
"(2) To have the exclusive rights
10 all its waters at such point
which was seven-eighths Of all the
stream.
"C3) Receive from the state out
Of the forest reserve a deed of all
the land under or near the river
covered by the water so damned.
This would mean many thousands Of
acres.
30 Build a bridge and charge
tolls
roo Issue bonds. or other evil
dences Of Indebtedness on all its as
sets. including franchises. for as
much as it desired, not the amount
permitted by any public service com
mission.
"(6) Pay for all such a gross
sum not 10 exceed $4,000. and
thereafter a fixed sum per horse
power per year. which in no case
exceeded - cents per horse power
and as the amount of power increas-
ed became as low as % cents per
horse power.
These amounts for all time never
to be increased, but might be low
cred.
90 Its existence to be perpet-
ual.
"CS) With no provision that its
power must be transmitted any
where for any other persons. or
civic bodies or promote the industries
Of the state
"Cs) With power to sell al its
franchises at any time.
Five Men Were Dummies.
Now. the kernel OF this whole
special legislation was this. the FIVE
men named in the act as incorpora-
tors were mere dummies; the real in
corporator was the Pittsburgh Re-
duction Co. of Pittsburgh Pa: later
becoming the Aluminium Trust OF
America. At that time this company
controlled all the output OF alum
mum in the United States.
The president Of the company
under oath testified that the mini
mum power that the scheme would
deliver was 500, 600 horsepower.
and the maximum 100000.
This was the most gigantic gift
Of potential Electric power ever
made by any civilized government
on earth at one time and il was
made 20 five unknown men. who i'm
mediately transferred IT,
The democrats in the legislature
in 1913 repealed the grant
The act became a law by appro,
val Of Gov. Hughes May %. 1907;
the public commission law became
law by his approval June 8. 1907
(chapter 429. laws ofal9O7)
1t has been openly stated that
the Long Sault gift was the price
OF the public service commission
law
This is practically all Of Gov.
Hughes record on conservation. as
10 which he did Does Mr.. Pinchot
approve it?'