The Washington herald., 1921-06-12
District Conduit Item of
2 100000 Wins Ap-
proval. y
SPECIAL LAW URGED
FOR BIG PROJECT
Eventual Development Of
Power Site Is Fa-
vored.

Conferees on the army approprit-
tions bill knocked out the s2ao.eoe
Norris amendment for the begin
ming of work on the Great Falls
power plant. but allowed the $780,
900 item for starting a conduit to
Increase the District water supply
to remain in the bill
TT was not because Of any op-
position to the development OF the
power site" said Senator Mcclellan.
Of Tennessee, one OF the conferees-
In fact the project was generally
approved" he said But since the
100000 amendment committed the
government to a program involving
the eventual expenditure Of some
f44. 900 the idea prevailed that
such a huge proposftiol should be
taken care OF by special legislation
in order that every necessary sar.-
| guard against extravaganza and
mistakes could be taken. ] have
no doubt but that Senator Norris
in due time will introduce q bill
adequately covering the plan
Attacked by Senator King.
When the army bill passed the
senate last Wednesday Senator
King. of Utah. attacked the Nor
ris amendment upon the ground
that no recommendations had been
made by a senate committee as is
customary on matters Of such vast
Importance He said he thought IL
NHr - h. w4e
to such a project without the fullest
possible investigation, and made a
point Of order against the amend
ment
Senator Norris declared that the
appropriation had been recon-
mended by Maj. NJ. c. Tyler, OF
the army engineer corps. and ex-
perts of that branch Of the gov
eminent, that Investigations had
been made from time to time for
Is years past and that no one
seemed to be in doubt as TO the
feasibility OF the plan and its great
emergency.
Great Power Wasted, He Ssyx-
Senator Norris pointed out that
| the government was allowing one
of the greatest power sites in the
! world TO go to waste in the very
shadow Of the national capital.
while power and electricity are ex-
brilliantly high and badly needed
here. Senator Dial. Of South Caro-
lima asked Senator King 20 with
draw his objection. but the mem
ber from Utah said II was too vast
an undertaking to be acted upon
in such a cursory way. He thought
the District committee should have
a chance 10 look into IL. since the
District will be required to share
the financial burdens, and that at
least a committee should pass upon
the proposal and make recommen-
dations, rather than have a single
senator propose its adoption with
nothing but the engineers report to
back him.
Urges Emergency Conduit.
Senator Norris called attention TO
the fact that the report OF Mai
gTyler had been before congress fdt
two or three months and no sen
ator lacked the opportunity OF
studying il. Secretary Of War
weeks had urged the adoption. he
said, particularly OF that part OF
the Tyler report calling for some
ss.ooo.Oo0 for the construction Of a
conduit to increase the District
| water supply. The emergency Of
the conduit for the initiation of
work upon which s2Oo.O is pro-
vided in the bill. has been pointed
out in numerous appeals to the
senate military affairs committee.
There is but one water line sup
plying the District and e is taxed
beyond its capacity. Experts are
unable to shut of the water 10
| a l. frG f1-
necessity of continuous service, and
IL il should break, the claim is
made that Washingtoa's water sys-
tenn would be interrupted. con-
fronting the population with a
water famine threatening direful
results.
Point of Order Fall.
The senate refused to sustain
Senator Kings point of order and
the Norris amendment was agreed
to. Senators Wadsworth, SutherJ
land, New. Fletcher and McKellar
were appointed conferees for the
senate. At their session yesterday
with the house conferees substan-
tial progress was made on the
army bill. the adoption of the con-
duit item and the rejection Of the
| power plant item being the most
important features of the bin acted
upon. The conferences will be re-
sumed tomorrow.
During debate on the Norris
Il amendment when the army bill wa.
on its passage Senator wadsworth
in reply TO a question from Sens-
tor King. admitted that the mill
tary affairs committee had not
acted upon the Norris amendment
and could not give its approval in
view of that fact. This was re-
garded as indicative of its possi-
BILE rejection by the conferees..
Two Projects Submitted.
The Tyler project for the de-
velopment of a power plant at
Great Falls is one Of two that have
been submitted to congress, the
other being that of J. II. Lesver-
ing. providing for slS.00e.0OO ex-
penditures along widely different
lines. The Leavering plan was tao
subject of an inquiry by army ex-
perts. who reported to congress
through Maj. Tyler that IL was un-
workable and perilous TO lie and
property.
1t is believed now that before the
suggested Great Falls power plant
bill is introduced an investigation