Evening star., 1921-02-10
FALLS WATER PLAN
.F0UNDPARAM0UNT
TOPOWERPROJECT
Report of Interdepartment
Committee of Engineers An
nounced by Moyle.

Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury James H. Moyle. in an exclusive
statement today to The Star. an
nouneing the favorable conclusion
reached by an interdepartment COM
mittee of engineers appointed to in
yestigate the, feasibility of harness
ing Great Fails. added additional on
cial evidence to the record now be-
fore Congress indicating the impera-
tive need of Immediately INCREASING
Washington's water supply.
= The committee in questio was ap-
pointed in April, 1918. but its report
has never been made public. The
shows that it considers the Develop
msnt Of Great Falls for power pur-
poses practicable, but that the city,s
need OF an additional wafer supply
IS an emergency one, which should
ne handled first. as recommended by
MAI; Tyler in his Great Falls report
TO the Federal Power Commission
Composing the committee which
made the investigation at the instiga-
ton OF Secretary Moyle were Brig,
Gen. William Marshall. representing
the Interior Department.; Brig Gen.
III. G. Newcomer. the War Depart
ment; A. l.. Parsons, the Navy De-
partment and Nelson S. Thompson,
the Treasury Department.
Approves Thompson-~ Warming.
"In view of the findings of this able
body Of engineers said the assistant
secretary, and in the face of the
existing money stringency and the
unfavorable situation relating to ma
terials and labor, l did not press them.
nor do deem it wise to press now Cor
immediate action in regard to the
power development of the river; but /
am impressed and strongly urge that
immediate steps should be taken to-
ward the augmentation of the water
supply for the District"
Mr.. Moyle indorsed statements made
recently. in The Star by Mr. Thomp-
son. member of the committee, who
is the chief mechanical and electrical
engineer of the Treasury Department
to the effect that If the present single
conduit supplying Washington should
be put out Of commissio one-tenth
OF the capitals population might per-
ish from drinking contaminated wa
ter.
Doubt Reservoir Plan FeasfbIe.
In reporting on the committees
findings as to the proposed power de-
velopment, Assistant Secretary Moyle
stated that the committee was of the
opinion any development of the river
for power should be along the lines
shown in the report of Langfitt-Her-
schel. in 1913. modified. II feasible, by
the use. Of approximately I,500. 600
acre-feet of storage to insure a con-
tinuous minimum flow throughout the
year at Great Falls OF from 1000 to
5000 second feet
The committee stated that while
there was no evidence or demonstrat-
ed reason why reservoirs and storage
works were not feasible and advisable,
1t felt that doubt attached because
of the prevalence Of caves and grot-
toes IN some limestone formations
near at least one of the proposed res
ervofrs. and recommended that thor
ough examination of the geological
features in and about the reservoir
sites be made before undertaking the
Of storage works.
The I4angftt-H report. in
dorsed by the committee. called for
the construction Of a single dam. The
100000. The Tyler plan. now un-
der consideration by Secretaries
Baker. PAYNE and Meredith. compos-
ing the Federal Power Commission.
proposes two dams and three reser-
voirs. the total cost to be $44,000.0 900.
Favors Hydro-Electric Power.
while favor making the matter
OF water supply, to the District Of
Columbia a paramount issue at this
time" stated Mr.. Moyle today. "and
believe that the power development
may well be deferred for a year or
two, I am fully convinced the power
should be made without
further delay than is necessary to
the reservoir question.
"Al1 recent reports on the river
agree that enormous savings in coal
will result from the substitution Of
hydro-elect for carbo- electric
energy. Maj. Tyler states that this
will amount to a total OF 100000 tons
per annum. and his estimate is con-
sidered conservative.
Even the layman can certainly
visualize this enormous conservation
Of fuel. The power that would be
developed by the able scheme pro-
posed by Maj. Tyler would be much
more than is necessary to light every
building In the city of Washington,
drive every motor, operate every
street car and cook al the meals OF,
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