Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-02-15
House Members Visit Great Fails
Washington Star Of Saturday.

Washington Star Of Saturday.
Advantages Of Great Falls as site for
power developments for use in the District
Of Columbia and surrounding territory were
explained to group Of members Of Con-
gress today. who visited the Falls Of the
Potomac river and inspected the possibil-
ties for hydrOelectric development. TIE
party was made up Of Representative
Fred Zihlman Of Maryland. Representa-
tive r. Walton Moore OF Virginia, Repre-
sentative Thomas Blanton Of Texas. Rep
resentative Oscar Keller Of Minnesota,
Representative Hammer Of North Carolina
and Representative Gibson Of Vermont.
members Of the subcommittee Of the Dis
trict Committee charged with investie cation
Of the Potomac river power development.
Representatives Zihlman and Moore are
joint authors Of bill providing for power
development now In the House.
Maj James A. 0'Connor Of the Army
Engineer Corps told the party that under
the Tyler plan for power development two
dams would be constructed on the middle
part Of the river. one just above Gfeat
Falls and one Immediately above Chain
Bridge. Both dams would be us feet high
and would develop 10000 primary horss-
power. At Great Falls. Mai. O'Connor said.
the water would be backed up over IS 900
acres Of practically virgin country. some Of
which, however. is now In farms. The lake
thus formed. he added. would extend for
thirty-three miles north Of Great Falls.
within few miles Of the proposed head
dam near Harpers Ferry.
The second. or lower dam. would back
the water up distance Of about seven
miles to within less than a mile of Great
Falls. Maj. 0Connor declared that neither
dam would destroy the beauty Of the Falls
nor the gorge Of the Potomac. but would
on the contrary. make both more beautiful
by formation Of two vast lakes Of water
Immediately above Washington.
The members Of the subcommittee
showed great interest in the proposed de-
velopments and asked Maj. 0Connor many
questions. Representative Blanton inquired
why the natural power now going to waste
over Great Falls could not be used by
construction Of a small dam at present.
Maj. 0Connor told the committee that the
flow over the Falls Is not always equal at
different periods Of the year. and that dur
ing the summer time the flow would be so
small as to practically put such a plant
out Of business.
He added that with the two dam sites
developed there would be constant flow
for power purposes Of 5000 cubic feet per
second
Maj. OCOnnor declared that the Poto-
mac river gorge constituted one Of the
finest potential power development posi-
bilities along the Atlantic seaboard and
the members Of the committee appeared
impressed with his statements.
Representative Keller declared that he
was hopeful the day would come when
ooen po"ct uC'ctoputchee Woutu Uc con-
structed, and that when that time came
the people Of Washington and surround
ine country could buy electric power at
figure in the neiehborhood Of one cent per
kilowat
He said construction Of the two dam
sites and Of generating plants might not
completely abolish present steam plants
in Washington which could be advanta-
eeously linked up with the hydro-electric
developments. Mr.. Keller compared the
situation on the Potomac river with that
in the province Of Ontario. Canada. where.
he said. the people Of the province buy
electricity furnished by the waters Of the
Niagara river at / i-2 cent per kllowat.