Evening star., 1921-02-16
POWER BOARD ASKS
IMMEDIATE ACTION
In Report to Congress, Ex-
perts Say Potomac Develop
ment Will Be National Asset

Complete development Of the Poto-
mac river. with dams at Great Falls
and Chain Bridge, will constitute a
national asset Of incalculable value,
the Federal Power Commission says
in q report on the proposed harness.
ing of Great Falls for water supply
and water power purposes, sent yes
terday to Congress. The commission
recommends that Congress authorize
ment, in accordance with the report
submitted to it by Maj. M. C. Tyler,
Engineer Corps, U. S. A.
Recommendation also is made that
the question of supplementary water
supply for the District Of Columbia
should be separated, and the commits
sion earnestly recommends to Con-
gress the urgency of the need Of the
District that this project be at once
undertaken"
The commission, after an investiga-
tion by engineers of the Interior De-
partment, decided that the counter
mitted by J. H. Leverfng of Los An
geles. should be given mo further
consideration"
Unanimous ON Water Project.
Text of the report of the commits
sion sent to the president of the SEN
ate and the Speaker of the House
follows. in part:
1.-THE Federal Power Commission,
early after it's organization, caused
public notice to be given of a hearing
to be had before 1t, at which all per-
sons interested in the development of
power from the Potomac river would
be heard. Such a meeting was held
and was attended by representatives
of steam and electric railroads. elec-
trio light and power companies, per-
sons privately interested in the de-
velopment of Potomac power, public
commissions, Industrial bodies and
citizens.
$50 far as these public hearings are
concerned. 1t will be safe to say that
there was at all times unanimous con-
currence on the part of those present,
representing alike the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia and the
business and private interests Of the
District. in the judgment EXPRESSED as
to the urgent need of immediate steps
to supplement the water supply Of the
District. No serious objection was dis
closed to the development of power
the earlier meeting revoived largely
around the relative economy of the
production of hydro-electric power by
various suggested plans the possible
losses which would follow to investors
interested in existing steam plants,
and the length of time 1t would take
to develop a market for the power pro-
duced with a sufficiently satisfactory
load factor to justify the investment
and establish a rate which would make
the power a real addition to the indus
trial and commercial resources of the
community.
"The Congress is aware Of the fact
that both the production of hydro
electric power from the Potomac and
additional water supply for the Dis
trict of Columbia have been studied
for many years and reported upon by
both official and unofficial engineers
in large number of carefully studied
documents.
Urge Immediate Action.
"The Federal Power Commission is
Of opinion that the question of sup
Elementary water supply for the Dis
trict Of Columbia should be separated
from that of power production. both
for the reason that an immediate ad-
dition to the water supply of the Dis
trict Of Columbia is tmperatively de-
manded and also for the reason that