The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
Alaban1ians Giuen Warning
Of Value Of Warrior Dam
Representative Oliver Advises Against Granting Ala
bama Power Company Control of Lock II, Warrior

Text of Congressman W. B. divers
recent letter to Gov. W. w. Brandon
with reference to the application of
the Alabama Power company for a
permit to build a hydroelectrio pow
er plant at the site of the government
dam at Lock No. IT, on the Warrior
river, copy of which has Just been
received from the congressman, de-
clares that III the people of Alabama
are ever to enjoy the undeveloped
wealth of the rivers of the state,
there must be a comprehensive and
co-ordinated policy adopted both by
ment."
Congressman divers letter takes
up the question in detail and
throughout it emphasizes the impor-
lance of such policy, pointing to
the fact that the people of Alabama
have in numerous ways declared
against a monopoly of all the water
powers on all of the streams of the
state, adding that public opinion IN
the state has definitely decided
against monopoly"
Congressman divers Letter.
Congressman divers letter IN full
follows:
Hon. W. w. Brandon. Governor of
Alabama. Montg omery, Ala.
My Dear Governor:
In my letter to you OF April l4th,
calling attention to the Importance OF
the application filed with the fede-
raj power commission in Washing
ton and before the Alabama public
service commission in Montgomery,
for a permit to develop hydroelec-
trio power at the governments Lock
Il dam on the Warrior river 1 ad-
vised you that l desired to submit
to you some data that was then col
lecting and which felt would be of
service to you and the commission IN
passing on the application of the
Alabama Power company.
As an Introduction to this state
ment submit to you, please let me
quote from the late special message
of Governor Smith of New York to
the legislature of his state as fol-
lows:
Our, experience in the past is
dealing, with our great water power
resources should be a strong lesson
for the future. These water powers
belong to all the people of this state
and they should be developed for
their benefit"
Again, in referring to the contest
between the state of New York and
the federal government as to juris
ciction over the water powers in
New York state, Governor Smith
says:
II seems to be impossible to de-
velop them In our state unless it DE
by giving them away to be made the
objects of private gain and private
profit"
These quotations from the special
message of Governor Smith to the
New York legislature apply forcibly
TO Aiapamas water power develop
ment.
Alabama's water powers are per-
haps the most important, and GER
tainly the most permanent natural
resources in the state. and their
comprehensive and coordinate de-
~
lied upon to increase the manu-
featuring, mining and agricultural
wealth of the state and promises
sooner to reduce the taxation and !
transportation burdens of the peo-
pie than. can be expected from the
state s other varied resources
State md Federal Policy
If the people of Alabama are ever
to enjoy the 'undeveloped wealth of
the rivers of the state, there must be
n comprehensive and co-ordinated
policy adopted both by the state and
by the federal government.
Any comprehensive and eG-ordi-
mated water power policy for the flu
ture in Alabama, state and federal,
must embrace the following:
l. Improvement of the WATERWAYS
of the state for navigation.
?. Hydroelectric power develop
ment with interconneeted service to
cities, factories. rural communities.
farms and to railways for their cleo
trification.
8. Storage reservoirs in headwaters
of streams regulating flow with in
crease of power and protection from
floods.
These problems are of such magni- !
tude that they are beyond the reach |
of the state of Alabama and her
people altne; they must receive ma
tional solution, for they are national
In magnitude and beyond the reach |
OF private enterprise alone, as Is dem |
onstrated at Muscle Shoals
There is no conflict of opinion--it !
is admitted that all of the water
power development On every stream
In the state should be intercon-
nected to secure the maximum serv- |
ice at the lowest cost for power, and
therefore any proposal to develop
hydro electric power at Lock II dam
on the Warrior river requires, net on |
i,s own account and standing alone
but on account of its possible inter
connected service. the most careful
and cautious considera ton.
While it is true and economically
sound that all of the power develop
ments on the various streams of the
state should be linked together to
secure the economies. which flow
from diversity of demand as well as
the advantage of the differences from
time to time in the natural stream
flow of disconnected drainage areas, |
1t is not sound, it is not safe, but con-
trary and dangerous to the Industrial,
agricultural and social welfare Ct the |
state, for all Of the interconnected
water powers on the various streams
Of the state to be owned. operated
and monopolized by any one corpora
ton or individual.
The people of Alabama so fire.
quently and in SO many ways de-
clared against a monopoly Of all of
the water powers on all OF the
streams of the state that public opin-
ion in the state has definitely de-
cided against monopoly.
Congress Against Monopoly
In the pro tracted discussion of the |
Muscle Shoals case in Congress, 1t |
has been made clear that Congress |
will never permit the monopoly of all |
of the water powers in Alabama to |
be- made complete by the addition of |
Muscle Shoals. Public opinion in |
Alabama and congressional opinion |
in Washington are in accord against |
.ss complete monopoly OF Alabamas !
water powers.
In view of the policies which Con-
gress at its next session will consider
and probably adopt with reference to
joint navigation Improvement and |
power development with flood con- |
troll, any consideration of the Lock |
II dal.. on the Warrior river recalls |
the report of United States Assistant
Engineer c. X. Little, dated February
3, 1917. In this report Mr.. Little es-
timated the primary power at exist
ing and proposed dams on the Black |