The Washington times., 1923-11-12
BLOCK j. s.
IN HYDRO
PLANS
Great Falls Power Companies,
Busy Since 1889, Have
Developed Nothing.

4
How two Capital utilities en-
tered the field as realty holders
in the neighborhood Of Great
Falls, where it is proposed to
erect a great publicly-owned hy-
droelectric plant, was touched
upon in Saturdays issue Of The
Washington Times. Details Of
the plan are readily available
from District records. They serve
to pile reason upon reason why
Congress should uphold Senator
George w. Norris Of Nebraska,
| in his advocacy of the Tyler de-
velopment plan and vate the nee
essary funds at the forthcoming
session.
History I'm Files.
There is q lot of interesting his
tory tucked away in the files of the
Public Utilities Commission anent
the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany ana the Washington Railway
and Electric Company and the
Great Falls holdings. It's accessible
to the public and makes great read
ing.
It goes back to 1889. At that dis
tant date a corporation called the
Great Falls Manufacturing Company
was organized for the purpose OF
manufacturing cotton, flax. wool,
etc." Electricity still was regarded
as conjurer's stuff or the wrath Of
the Lord descending upon the heads
Of the unrighteous. 1t was to be a
straight water power development
Eye Ode MIL" in fact.
This concern, 1t was testified at q
Congressional hearing three-Quarters
of a century later, confined its ac-
tivities ITO nulcting the United
States when 1t attempted to utilize
the waters at or above the falls.
Human nature probably hasn't
changed since then.
In 1894 q charter was issued by
the Old Dominion legislature to the
Great Falls Power Company, au-
thorizing it to acquire, hold, Inn
prove and use water power at or
near Great Falls, and to generate,
transmit, sell and lease electricity,
electric light and power for railroad
and canal as well as other purposes.
Maryland Gives Right.
One month later the Maryland
legislature granted this corporation
the right to "erect such dam or daT1s
or other structures in the Potomac
river, between the Great Falls and
United States Government Aqueduct
dam as may be necessary for the de-
veIopment OF water power, at or
near Great Falls" 1t was also given
authority to purchase 1000 acres OF
land in Montgomery county, Md
and extend necessary transmission
lines in Montgomery and Prince
Georges counties.
In 1895 the company purchased
the rights and land at Great Falls
belonging to the Great Falls Manu-.
its organization the concern had &C.
land banks Of the river and including
Falls Island.
Nothing Ever Done.
But the virgin solitude of Great
| Falls continued undisturbed by
| steam shovels, concrete mixers, or
anything else that looked like a
| construction Job. In 1900, the COM
pany charter was amended and a
new section inserted authorizing 1t
to contract with any domestic or
foreign corporation for a considera-
ton, merger lease, purchase or sale,
when such deal Is completed, the
resultant company to have all the
rights, privileges and powers of
the Great Falls Power Company"
There was one very peculiar
thing about the charter of the
Great Falls Power Company, as
brought out in Congressional hear.
!ngs. There was no obligation to
begin or complete work. In other
words. the acquisition of land at
the rails was nothing more or less
IMAM an investment scheme, Matched
IN the lobbies of the two legisla-
lures. The names Of the officers
ana directors of the corporation are
not on file with the Public Utilities
Commission.
| Then-along came the Washing"
ton Hallway and Electric,
II purchased 3,SS4 shares 6f the
capital stock of the power COM
i pany. two-thirds OF the whole, Nov
~ 1902. The consideration was
Gontinuad an PIAZZA Ill