Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-30
MEASURE TO MAKE
u. S. PAY FOR WATER
HERE INTRODUCED
CONTINUED from First Page.)


and three storage reservoirs on certain
of the Potomac's larger tributaries, pow
er may be developed economically at a
cost per kilowat-hour approximately so
per cent less than for power generated
by steam, provided the entire output of
the hydroelectric plants can be marketed.
II marketing the entire output is eS-
sential to making the project economi-
cally feasible. it was suggested last
night by Washington engineers the gov
eminent would have to assume the entire
burden of furnishing electric service in
the District, which would put the Poto-
mac Electric Power Company out Of
business.
The estimate of $44.421.000 for build
ing the dams and reservoirs and other
facilities for delivering power to a main
substation in Washington does not COW
er the cost of distributing power, the
REPORT points out.
Cost Of Distribution.
ITO provide a distribution system to
supply all the government buildings with
automatically generated power" it says,
would require substations and cable and
conduit systems 'paralleling ine existing
systems of the public utility. The cost
of the public utilitys distribution sys-
tenn, based on reproduction cost esti-
mates as of July, 1914. and additions
made since that date. is approximately
$S,400,000. Present cost, Of course, would
greatly exceed this figure"
Concerning the effect Of the pro-
posed power development on the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal, the re-
port says that the construction Of the
dam above Chain Bridge will sub
merge canal locks to Is, inclusive,
eliminating eight miles of canal nav
igation. Construction of the Great
xrvs1y
locks Fl to 26 inclusive. Boats will
use the lake from the locks at the
dam to a point one mile below the
mouth of the Monocacy river. where
the estimates provide for new en-
trance to the canal. controlled by a
new lock. This development will
eliminate twenty-six miles of canal
navigation above Great Falls.
G. L. Nicholson. general manager
Of the Canal Towage Company. is the
author of a plan for development Of
power at Great Falls. which is de-
scribed in the TYLER report. Mr..
Nicholson last night said the Tyler
nroject would not interfere with traf-
fic on the canal. as the boats could
"slack" into the lakes that would be
created by the Great Falls and Chain
Bridge dams and re-enter the canal
at points below the dams.
Need OF Further Study.
Maj. Tyler does not propose that
the power project be taken up with
out further study. In this connection
his conclusions state:
Further study of storage possibili-
ties is desirable Gaging stations
should be established at the reser-
voir dam sites on the Great Cacapon,
Shenandoah, North Fork of the
Shenandoah and south branch of the
Potomac, and large scale surveys Of
the reservoir sites on the Great Caca-
pom river and the Potomac river
above Great Falls should be made.
Prior to the adoption of any reser-
vofr project, thorough borings ac-
curately to determine dam founda-
ton conditions should be made"
Mai. T'yler's report is the same in
it's fundamentals as that submitted
two weeks ago to the federal power
commission by J. H. lowering, a
civil engineer of Los Angeles. Mr..
lowering said last night The Tyler
findings embody certain proposed
structural differences from his re-
port, Mr. lowering said, and involve
expenditure of nearly twice as much
money, some of which, however, is
made up by higher costs for the
same items as estimated by Mai.
Tyler. The conclusions reached in the
two reports are arrived at in abort
the same manner. Mr.. lowering said.