The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-06-02
TOWNS ALONG THE Y0UCH
RIVER MAY BE INUNDATED
Government Engineers Said to
be Planning Huge Dam for
Flood Control Purpose
Continued from Page One)

The Western Maryland line running
through this section is also a main
line, with a large volume of freight
traffic. At the present time the West
ern Maryland is running only two pas
senger trains, one east and one west,
daily
Considering everything, the damage
to the railroads, and the cost of re-
locating and rebuilding would prob
ably run into many millions of dollars
and would be one of the biggest
problems to be met.
Another railroad which would be
abandoned, if the dam project were
completed, is the Ursina and North
Fork Railroad, running between Ur-
sina and Humbert, and into the coun-
try beyond that point. This railroad
is principally coal and lumber road,
and its outlet is at Ursina Junction,
where it connects with the Baltimore
and Ohio. 1t serves large acreage
of timber as we'll as a number of coal
mines.
Immense Property Loss.
Confluence, situated "a miles east of
Pittsburgh, receives it's name from the
junction of the three streams, the
Youghiogheny River, the Casselman
River and Laurel Hill Greek. 1t is
thriving community of 1900 popula-
ton and is admirably adapted for
manufacturing sites. 1t lies at the
apex of three converging valleys, all
of which would be utilized for i'm
pounding water, if the dam were built.
These valleys, all being low, would be
covered by water for many miles.
The land which would be inundated, is
of almost incalculable value. The Cas-
selman Valley, in particular, is very
low, and with very little fall, and the
property damage along this one river
alone, would run high in the millions.
Property owners will, of course, be
protected in case the project is under
taken, and this will mean the pur-
chase of all the property in the towns
of Confluence, Ursina and Harneds-
vile, as well as a portion of Somer-
field and large portion of lands ~
ing between these towns. 1t would
necessitate the purchase of large
portion of Lower Turkeyfoot Town
ship as well as portion of Addison
Township and Upper Turkeyfoot
Township in Somerset county and a
portion of Henry Clay Township in
Fayette county.
Three Bad Rivers.
The Youghiogheny and Casselman
Rivers have their sources in Garrett
county, Maryland, and Laurel Hill
Creek has it's SURGE in the mountains
back of Somerset. The three unite at
Confluence to form the main stem of
the Youghiogheny, and when all three
streams are at flood stage they make
rip roaring" stream below Conf1u
ence, often doing much damage in its
onward rush to unite with the Mon
ongahela at McKeesport, and, through
the latter, with the Ohio at Pitts
burgh.
1t is expected that the proposed dam
would help much in preventing floods
in the Pittsburgh district, as well as
in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. A
report was current that the water
would be piped from the dam into
Pittsburgh to be used for domestic
purposes, but this report has been
denied. Drainage from coal mines has
polluted most of the streams in this
vicinity to such an extent as to make
it unfit for domestic use, especially
the Casselman River. Nevertheless,
water is taken from the Youghio-
gheny River at Connellsville for do
mestic purposes.
Would Cost Many Millions.
The estimated cost of the project
has been reported at anywhere from
seven to one hundred million dollars.
After much investigation, it is believ-
ed that the cost, including property
loss and business damages, would not
be less than fifty million dollars, and
possibly as much as one hundred mil
lion.
The property loss would be very
heavy, not only because of the total
destruction of town sites, but owing
to the curtailment of the coal and
lumber industries as well. The bust
ness loss is almost incalculable. Con-
sideration would have to be given to
the merchants, garagemen, insurance
men, ETC., for their loss of business.
Their properties would not only be
lost, but their customers and patrons
would be scattered and it would re-
quire much work to rebuild their trade
in some other locality. This loss is
of type that would be very hard to
give figures on, and very hard to make
just settlement for.
1t is hardly probable that any word
of confirmation or rejection of the
proiect will be received here for at