Evening star., 1921-04-11
GREAT FALLS PLAN
IN A NEW ASPECT
Tyler Scheme, at Cost of
$13,600,O0O, Revives In
terest in Power Project.

When the Tyler Great Falls power
report, estimating total construc-
t1on cost of s44.421, 900. went to Con-
gress It the last session this staeeer-
ing figure was thought to have ended
All prospects of an early appropria-
ton for the project
1t now develops that if a part of
the Tyler scheme, namely. the build
ing of dam at Chain bridge, is
adopted, and the hydroelectric plant
operated in conjunction with existing
steam plants, which Col. Tyler says is
.ne ldeai plan. the cost of Uncle Sam
Will be only s13.6oo.00o.
AND what is more. states the Army
ofhcer. the investment can be Iiouidat.
ed in thirty years.
ihe tyler report. covering more
than a hundred typewriter pages
nas not oeen printed. which probably
accounts FOR the general impression
having developed that to harness
Great Falls for power purposes would
cost $4,000. 600
Approximate Cost Stated,
II Is true that the report mentions
TINS approximate figure as the cost
or building two dams, one at Chain
bridge and the other at Great Falls,
ana three storage reservoirs, SO that
for years could be generated inde-
pendently Of q steam reserve.
But the report also points out the
prospective economies of Construct
ing only the one dam. at Chain
orloge. and operating it in conjunc-
now that there is prospect Of =
merger of Washington traction and
power interests. the Chain bridge
plan has come suddenly into the
limelight and promises to receive no
little attention.
partnership between the government
and local utilities whereby the gov
ernment would build and operate q
hydroelectric plant and the utilities
receive and distribute the power
generated. bringing their own steam
o1 low water in the river.
Sum Named Covers Interest.
1nasmuch as the appropriation
that would be reQuired-$13,eoo,0o 900
would cover interest during period
Of construction. estimated at five
years, and the investment, according
to the Tyler figures. would be re.
turned an thirty years, Washing
tonians. in the meantime, receiving
electric power at cheaper rates, the
q
thorough probe before the present
Congress ends.
Members of Congress. it developed
today. consider that the Tyler Chai n
bridge project has a direct bearing on
the question Of a merger of local
traction and power interests.
Should the merger conference start
ing tomorrow. go beyond preliminary
stages, informal congressional suE-
gestion to the conferees that they
consider the power project undoubt-
edly will be made.
1t is pointed out that the Tyler
plan of joint development and dis
tribution of power by the government
and the utilities could be worked out
more effectively il tho government
had but a single company, covering
all the traction and power interests to
deal with.
Greater Economy Possible.
Another reason advanced for consid-
ering power development and merger
jointly is that economies resulting
from a hydroelectric development
would be reflected in reduced street
car and power rates-reductions the
public could not hope for through a
merger alone. but only through the
basing of a consolidation upon plans
for reducing the cost of developing
power.