Evening star., 1922-05-14
CONGRESS GETTING BACK
OF, GREAT FALLS PROJECT
Proposal for Power and Park Develop
ment Wins Increasing Support From
Legislative Body.
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

BY WILL r. KENNEDY.
@HE whole country has become
interested in one engineering
| project, which includes safe
| guarding the water supply of
| the National Capital against pollu-
! tion at its source, Harvesting water
power sufficient to meet all the power
! needs Of the District OF Columbia and
| surrounding territory, creation of a
great national playground in the out
skirts of the nations capital and
| preservation of the natural beauty
and historic sites along the Potomac
| river.
Senators and representatives from
| nearly every state in the Union are
promising their earnest support to
legislation which contemplates de-
velopment of Great Falls for water
and power resources consistent with
! the best conservation policies, and
by an unusual coincidence the con-
gressmen from communities furthest
| removed from Washington are TAX
ing a moro pronounced and active
interest than many of those whose
districts lie much closer.
| Attention Of Country
Focused ON Project.
Three distinct pieces Of legislation,
have focused the attention OF Con-
gress and people all over tho coun-
try upon the need for prompt action
to preserve the watershed Of Great
Falls, to develop the most important
water-power resources in this Sec
ton of tho country and to protect
the purity Of tho water. The water
power commission sent to Congress
last year what is known as the Tyler
report, which was drafted by the
Army Engineer Corps and recon-
mended the feasibility and urgent de-
STABILITY Of developing that portion
of the Potomac river for power pur-
poses. Conferees for tho Senate and
House recently reached an agreement
! on an appropriation for starting work
on a new conduit from Great Falls
to the District Of olumbia, so that
the National Capital may have an
| adequate and safe water supply. This
project will cost at least $s.7oo.0o0.
A Joint resolution fathered in the
Senate by Senator Fernald OF Maine.
| chairman Of the committee on public
buildings and grounds and an active
member Of tho commerce and inter-
| state commerce committees. and ia
thered in tho House by Representa-
tive J. Charles Linthicum OF Mary
land, calls for q survey Of the banks
| of tho Potomac river above Wash
ington and beyond Great Falls by
Army engineers to establish the fde-
| STABILITY Of creating a great national
park about the falls. The big idea
of this resolution is to preserve the
falls and tho banks Of the river, the
| woodlands about the falls and the
! purity of the water supply.
Opinion 10 Agreed in
Congress ON Plan
Every once in q while official rec
ognition is given the importance and
possibilities Of tho Potomac river at
| Washington. and It is interesting to
note how little difference OF opinion
there seems to be as to the various
developments proposed. even when no
| conclusive action is taken. Congress
has Invariably shown that it favors
these developments-andc conservation
| measures-but 10 prone to procras-
| innate about ordering tho work done.
While the Linthicum resolution on
its face calls for an examination and
survey of tho banks Of the Potomac
! river between Washington and Great
Falls, and tho land on each side in
Virginia and Maryland, with a view to
tho extension Of the magnificent park
! way system Of tho National Capital,
Representative Linthicum makes 1t
plain that his interest is primarily in
safeguarding the water supply from
pollution. He says that he got his
| first idea Of this project from tho fact
that his home city Of Baltimore is
| now expending $15.ooo.ooo to improve
its water system, in addition to a
very largo expenditure some years
ago. There, the plan is to impound a
largo supply in case of a drought.
This project includes the purchase Of
the watershed Of Gun Powder river
and its protection against pollution.
Water supply Protection
A First Civic Duty.
He points out that Boston, New
| York city. Buffalo and a dozen other
=! large cities have spent vast sums
| buying up entire villages, SO as to