Evening star., 1927-11-24
Incomratible Projects.

Incompatible Projects.
ru,ther conferences between repre-
.,,,,ti,es Of the Potomac River Cor
marathon. which seeks permit Tor
hydroe;ectric development OF the To-
tomac below Great Falls. ana mem
hers of the National Capital Park ana
Planning Commission have served
nnlv to convince the latter hody ne
vord doubt that hydroelectrlc ana
,s,k dsvelopment OF the river are m
.o,,nstihie. and that in the last ahat'
ysis there must he a choice between
them. for they cannot he comnineu'
The question for ultimate decision Is
whether the river is to he USED TOT
x,..r seyelonment or as the moth
for the long planned extension OF ihe
National Capitals park system. Inc
economic feasibility OF the river 3 use
Far mower has not been satisfactorily
demonstrated. but it has been shown
conclusively that if the power dam as
nroposed is built the unequaied beauty
~ the Potomac gorge will be lost 1ot
all time and the American Capital VIII
ne deprived OF what IL potentially one
of it's most valuable scenic resources
In his letter to the Federal Power
Commission yesterday Col. U. ,.
Grant. Sd, executive officer OF the Ma
tjonal Capital Park and Planning
Commission, renewed the commissions 5
affection to the proposed power de-
yelopment and answered the suS'
restion that a reasonable power de-
velopment might he carried out With
out destroying the essential PARK
value Of Great Falls and the gorge
Of the Potomac. Regarding this sug'
restion Col. Grant points out that
preliminary investigation already in
dicates that the power development
cannot be so planned that 1t will not
destroy the park plans without adding
TO the cost OF the power development
and that this additional cost might
serve almost to consume the margin
Of profit contemplated for the power
development. In addition. 1t Is en-
phasized that II the proponents of the
power development are able to sug-
gest a plan for their undertaking
which will not destroy the scenic as
poets OF the river gorge, there should
he no further delay in presenting it.
For the park plans are at hand. and
the power plans are not. Prolonged
delay in producing the latter might
endanger the former.
washingtonisns who are unfamiliar
with the projected power development
of the river may obtain rough idea
Of what it would mean by walking
from Conduit road over to the bluff on
the District side of the river at point
not far above the Chain Bridge, where
the new filtration plant has just been
completed. 1t is at this point that
the proposed dam would be built.
From it one obtains a long view up
stream of the winding gorge of the
Potomac. with the steep palisades on
the Virginia side of the river and the
more gently sloping banks on the
Maryland side. 1t is not difficult to
visualize from this point the destruc-
tive effect of building the proposed
dam. Its completion would create
lake, the water line Of which would
creep high along the Virginia pal
isades and inland on the Maryland
side. The effect of the gorge would be
lost. in dry season the water line of
this lake would recede, leaving un.
slightly marshes along it's banks. For
ests which now grow down to the
waters edge would vanish. And while
II is only reasonable to suppose that
the proposed dam would be construct.
ed with all the engineering skill to be
mustered. there must also he borne in
mind the danger to Washington
should this msn.made device crumple
under unexpected stress of unprece.
dented floods. Dams along small
waterways in New England were con
structed with a maximum load in
mind. But nature sent along a load
which exceeded this maximum" and
death and destruction followed.
Possibly The greatest weakness in
the proposed development OF the river
for power purposes lies in the fact
that the ecoromic urge for it has not
made itself more strongly felt The
practical results from such power de-
velopment have always been Ques.
toned. There has never been unanim.
fty OF opinion, backed by an existing
necessity. IL the power development
was shown conclusively to be neces.
ssry for the welfare and happiness Of
the people In this region. there would
be more strength in the argument for
carrying it out. AS 1t is, one OF the
most beautiful and inspiring spots in
the United States, an integral part OF
the National Capitals development,
seems threatened by a project which,
in the end, may be Of questionable
benefit.
A Chinese politician is wise IL he
knows just how his politics is being
internationally suggested.