Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-01
BAKER GIVES HOPE
TOD. c. ADVOCATES
OF FPOWERPRO)ECT
Secretary Declares Water
Sources Are Needed to
Save Nations Coal.
SUPPORTS UTILIZING OF
EVERY AVAILABLE SITE

~ 0ASSCSeS O1Cdl GdllS dS 1IOuuCcI
for Large Territory-Would
Still Need Steam Plants.
Secretary of War Baker, presiding
today at hearing before the federal
power commission on the Tyler plan
to develop Great Falls. brought hope
to the advocates of the utilization Of
the Potomac river at this point for
power purposes. when he declared that
the United States Immediately should
undertake to develop every available
power site in the country to save coal.
The Secretary of War also injected
a new element into the situation with
the suggestion that power developed
at Great Falls should not be for local
purposes merely. but should be mar
keted to territory surrounding Wash
ington, in which he declared there was
a great dearth of electrical power dur
ing the war.
He expressed the conviction that the
demand for power is so large that
there would be no likelihood of exist
ing steam pants being put out of
business by reason of the development
of hydro-electric power al Great Falls.
Water supply Question.
Next to the Secretary's suggestions
the outstanding development Of the
hearing was an urgent plea by En-
gineer Commissioner Charles w.
Kutz that steps be taken without de-
lay to increase the Districts water
supply. Washington Is confronted by
a serious situation in the matter OF
it's water supply. said Col. Kutz. who
suggested that unless the Tyler or
nf fa1o ic .fty N
it may become necessary to pump
water from the river in order to safe
guard the city against water famine.
Secretary Payne Of the 1nterioI De-
partment and Secretary Meredith OF
the Department of Agriculture. the
other members of the federal power
commission, sat through the hearing
with Secretary Baker and repeatedly
asked questions of the witnesses.
LeverinE Project Explained.
]. H. Levering. a civil engineer. who
has made a separate study of the
problem of Harvesting Great Falls and
transmitted a report on his findings to
>he commission, took up a large part
of the session explaining his project.
which. he said, would cost about $685.
900, 900, as against the $53,000,000 for
that of Maj. Tyler, covering both the
water supplyaand power developments
features. -
showed considerable interest in the
Levering recommendation. Secretary
Baker especially questioned him as to
the details of his plan, and stated
that he was impressed by Mr.. Lever
ing's assertion that the dam which
he has devised for Chain Bridge
would be stronger thon the one esti-
mated for by Maj. Tyler.
other important witnesses at the
hearing were William F. Ham, presi-
dent of the w. r. & E. Co. and Fran
els R. Weller, who appeared for he
Washington Board of Trade.
Local Company's Interest.
Mr.. Ham inquired of Secretary
Baker if the Great Falls project was
a part of the super-water power de-
velopment of the government. He
was informed that the proposed de-
is not included in the larger
program, but may become a part of
it later.
Mr.. Ham said it was vital to the
Potomac Electric Light and Power
Company to know when the power
Falls would become available for use.
in order that it might plan wisely as
to its expansion program.
Secretary Baker agreed with Mr..
Ham that this was an important phase
of the situation. and stated that if
ness to develop the Great Falls plan,
studies would have to be made to CO.
ordinate the development of the Po-
tomac Electric Power Company with
the eventual development Of the
Great Falls scheme, in order that
there might not be unnecessary capi-
tai expenditures made by the existing
The hearing attracted a large at
tendance of representatives of Wash
ington's business and civic interests.
Secretary Baker opened the proceed
ings with an explanation OF the plan
presented by Maj. Tyler.
Turned to Power Hearing.
Although Mr.. Weller. the first
speaker, put the Board Of Trade on
record as favoring consideration of
ect in advance of the power de-
velopment recommendations. speak
crs who followed Mr.. Weller rapidly
turned the hearing into a discus
sion of the power development
plans alone.
It was not until near the end of
the hearing that Commissioner
kutz rediverted the discussion to the
water supply problem and his re-
marks were calculated to impress the
seriousness of this situation as prob
ably no utterances by any District
need of additional water supply be-
came apparent.
The Commissioners are interested
in both questions, Col. kutZ said. but 3;
consider that there is no real econ
omy in combining them.
The interest of the Commission
ars," he said, '.is largely centered in
the recommendations for an increased
water supply. The question Of power
Is considered to be mainly federal
question. That Of obtaining an ade-
1uate water supply IS local issue,
and the community would expect to
share the cost of it.
Dangerous to Delay.
ut is really dangerous to delay pro-
yiding washington with more water"
continued the Commissioner. we :.
.an't afford to delay a single year in
aking steps to increase our supply"
The Commissioner commended the
'atuxent river plan for increasing the
apitaIs supply Of water. He said the
'atuxent offers two advantages.
amely, softer water and a source OF
upply that is separate and distinct
rom the present source Of supply.
Secretary Bakers suggestion that
rater power sites all over the United
tates should be developed as mat
seconded by A. z. Seymour.
ecretary of the Chamber Of Com
nerce, who declared that IL the Great
'alls project is put through 1t would
erve as q stimulus to the program
or national development Of water
over sites.
w. T. s. Curtis, chairman Of the
Maryland suburban sanitary commits
ion, attended the hearing, aS did q
1F 20 nP tnA