The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-03-06
FIRM STAND ON
BRIDGE RIGHTS
Governor Insists Power Com
pany Must Replace Struc-
ture At Conowingo.


| Mackall, chairman of the State Roads
Commission, stood by the fundamental
basis Of their demands for protection
of the States bridge rights in the face
of limited threat from the Susque-
hanna Power Company to abandon
their $4,000, 5000 power project plans
at Conowingo.
/ While the matter is under dispute,
the power company has reached a
compromise agreement with the city
of Baltimore, consenting to offer no
objection to the plans for installing
an intake above the proposed dam,
to supply water to Baltimore when the
city's needs exceed the present supply.
The negotiations were carried on by
City Water Engineer v. Bernard Stems
and City Solicitor Philip B. Perlman,
Governor Richie said that he did
not want to see the companys plans
held up, and that he was not prepared
to say how much it would have to
pay for the bridge that it would have
to replace for the State, but that he
did intend to stick by his stand that
the company should replace the bridge
so it would be acceptable to the State
Roads Commission. He said:
Il think that is about as little as
| they could do for the power rights
that would be granted them by the
State, and certainly expect the
bridge to be replaced"
Mr.. Mackall who on Friday engaged
in controversy over the bridge with
Francis T. Homer, counsel for the
company, when the issues of the
amended petitions were being heard
before the Public Service Commits
sion, said that he would enter into no
more conferences with the company's
officials; that the stand of his COM
mission was filed with the Public
Service Commission; and that it was
now up to the Public Service Commits.
sion to say whether the company
should or should not replace the
bridge. He explained:
1T has been our contention that the
| company should replace what it de-
stroys, and we will expect the COM
pany to replace the bridge at it's own
expense. 1t was Mr.. Homer's idea
that the company go ahead with its
plans: replace the bridge; and then
| let it be decided who should pay for it.
That was not our idea of doing bust
ness, and ! simply smoked him out.
The idea that such an expense to the
company would wreck the company's
plans, as Mr.. Homer tried to make
it appear, is ridiculous"
While the case ponds before the
Public Service Commissions of Mary
land and Pennsylvania, the Baltimore
[ Federation of Labor was strengthened
in its stand by support from the Fed
erations of Labor of Maryland and the
District Of Columbia Henry F. Broen-
| ing, president of the Baltimore Fed
| Grafton made public copy of resolu-
! tions just passed by the State body,
which opposes the granting of any
permits to the Conowingo project until
/ a public investigation has been made
of all the facts connected with the
project, and also until a study has
been made of comparative rates as
between privately owned and publicly
owned hydro and steam electric
plants.
The resolution cited that in other
States national scandals have been
caused by turning over national re-
sources to private corporations. and
that Maryland officials should avoid
such disgrace" and try to do every
thing in their power to prevent its
Citizens from losing faith in their