The Washington times., 1924-12-12
APPROVES
PLANT. At
FALLS
Special Subcommittee, After
investigation, Orders Favor
able Report

Construction of the proposed
$44,000,000 hydro-electric power
plant at Great Falls was advo-
Gated by the special subcommittee
of the House District Committee,
which today ordered a favorable
report on the Norris bill, which
has. passed the Senate already.
Today's report follows exhaus-
tive hearings by the subcommittee
covering a period of nearly one
year.
Report Gets Vote of 4 to 1.
The report was ordered by a
vote Of four to one. Congressman
Frederick N. Zihlman of Maryland,
Oscar E. Keller of Minnesota.
Ernest w. Gibson of Vermont, and
William c. Hammer of NORTH
Carolina, voting for the bill. Con-
gresham Thomas l.. Blanton. of
Texas, voted against the measure.
Congressman Zihlman. author OF
the bill. which was introduced in
the House last year. and chairman
OF the subcommittee, will make
every effort to secure early action
by the House District committee.
He is confident that the committee
will report the bill to the House
during the present session in time
for a final vote before adjournment
March 4
The subcommittee passed the
Norris bill intact, except for the
addition of two amendments re-
lating TO the power of condemna-
ton and guaranteeing q market.
The bill authorizes the Secretary
of War to construct all the neces.
sary dams and equipment for de-
velopment of hydro-electric power
at Great Falls and Chain bridge in
with the plan of Major
nj. c. Tyler. army engineer. The
work is to be done in cooperation
with the Federal Water Power
Commission, which Is authorized
to make any changes in the plan
which will result in an increase of
the amount of energy developed.
The bill passed the Senate April
10, last, and, if passed by the
House, will then go to the Presiden:
TOR his signature.
Details If Plans.
The Tyler project calls for erec.
ton Of power dams and plants at
Great Falls and Chain Bridge AMI
storage dams at three points in
the headwaters of the Potomac.
The committee, sdst before order.
ing the report. received a state.
ment from Clarence Z. Martin. al
torney for L. II. Rollins & Sons.
bankers. who are engaged in the
of pubic utilities sc
curlties and who. II is expected,
will be bidders if the project Is
Martin declared that a careful
study, made during the summer by
his company, showed that the esti-
mates of Major Tyler submitted to
the committee last year, could be
reduced.
Cites Possible Reductions.
, He declared that reductions were
possible in the following amounts:
$444,210 in interest, $2S7 900 in de-
probation, and $531 900 in the sink
ing fund, or total reduction of
81 ,262,210.
He declared that installation of
the plant would result in saving
of 100000 tons of coal of year, and
would enable the Government to
deliver electrical power in Wash
ington at less than 3.75 mills per
kilowatt hour or less than half the
cost of the same amount of power
produced by steam.
The project. as recommended by
Major Tyler. includes three major
pieces of constructions erection Of
A dam and power station at Chain
Bridge at cost of S13, 800 900; q
dam and power station at Great
Falls at cost of $1S,616,0O0, and
Ell ection of three storage reservoirs
st the following locations: Neac
the mouth OF the Capapon river, in
West Virginia, $2,340, 900; north
fork of the Shenandoah river. at
Brooks Gap, $S.615 900. and the
south branch of the Potomac river
Eear Green Springs, West Virginia,
Sc 1850 900.
Power Delivered.
The two power dams would make
possible the delivery in Washington