The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-14
enc RGY To SPREAD.
400 MILES, ARMY
ENC INEER ASSERTS
Power Balance V! Sc At
feCted as Far North as Viz
qinia-Great Develop
ment Possible
WASHINGTON BUREAU /
THE AGE-HERALD !;
Washington. ID. C.. Han. ~

7fAehingtOn ID. u, Jan. IL
Power subsequently to be devel-
oped 1T Muscle Shoals will affect
the power situation clear up into
the Carolinas and perhaps to the
Virginia line" according to testi-
mony by Brig. Gen. Harry Taylor,
assistant to the chief of engineers,
United States army.
General Taylor appeared some
time ago before heaappropriations
committee in executive session. : A
transcript of his testimony has just
been made available to this bureau.
Asked by Representative Anthony
to what distance Muscle Shoals
power would affect the power sit
uation in the south, General Tay-
lor replied:
Within distance of 400 miles,
and I am not sure but that it will
affect the situation even for a
greater distance, because at the
present time, power is being sent
from the east towards the west. We
are putting this power on the west
end and it would throw it the other
way 1t would affect the situation
clear up Into the Carolin@s While
the actual power might not be trans
mitted that far, nevertheless it would
affect the balance of power prehaps
TO the Virginia line. The actual
power could be transmitted 200 or
300 miles. The value of this power
viii be very great throughout the
south"
General Taylor made 1t clear to
the committee that the action OF!
Congress in postponing the available
ity of an appropriation OF $1s5oo.-
600 for -the completion of Wilson
Dam from last July to last October,
had resulted in greatly delaying
the, work. Congress took this action,
at the instance of the Alabama House
delegation which had been assured
by agents OF Henry Ford that the
postponement would in some manner
enhance the Ford offer for Muscle
Shoals. The senators took the con-
trary view. but rather than endanger
the situation by a break with the
House, accepted the action of the
House.
Mr.. Anthony asked: The provision
adopted in connection with the APP
preparation prohibiting the expendl-
ture of the $7,500,000 until after Oc-
tober l, has resulted in delaying the
work."
Very materially" the general
replied.
Has 1t practically delayed the
work one year?"
Asked Particulars
TT depends altogether on what
happens with the next few weeks. III
the money had been available July 1, |
we could have started : Immediately
and gone vigorously to work; we
could have finished the cofferdam
and been out of the cofferdam across
h. orff, ,f,0
present good weather continues with
low water for another six weeks we
will be out of the cofferdam. But
il we should have high water, the
chances are we would be flooded out.
This would cause serious delay and
a good deal of extra expenser'
Asked for particulars as to the
work, General Taylor replied that
practically 1000 men were at work
on Wilson Dam. and that they are
putting in about 1000 yards of con-
crete per day. The cost, he added.
has been considerably below es-
Inmates.
He said: Our cost for excavation
in the spillway section was s2.4S
per cubic yard against an estimate
of Sc. In the power house Sec
tions, our cost for rock excavation
has been s1.65 as against an estimate
of $3.50" He explained that the ex-
Inmates had been made on the basis
of what such work had previously
cost. prior to the time, in fact, when
work was suspended because of the
exhaustion of funds.
Asked regarding consulting and
designing engineers and their pay
General Taylor said 1.-The consult
ing engineer is Hugh L.. Cooper.
Forty dollars per day in the only
pay he gets, personally, and he gets
that only when he is away from
New York on business concerned
with this particular Improvement.
The $40 covers all his expenses, rail-
road. hotel and everything else"
"He gets no salary or commits
sionG' asked Mr.. Anthony.
mo salary or commission at ALL
replied General Taylor. so that
pays or is supposed just about to
pay his actual travelling expenses,
but as matter of fact, 1 do not |
think it does when you take into
consideration the railroad fare and
other things. 1 think he is probably
behind on it.
THE designing engineers are the
men in his office who are actually
working on the plans. and they are
paid during the actual time they are
employed at their regular salaries,
which he pays them, plus certain
amount for overhead, which covers
his general expenses of bffice rent
and things like that. So that the
whole thing is on the basis of actual
cost to him."