Evening star., 1927-05-15
NORRIS IS SILENT
ON POWER Plans
Citizens Federation Deemed
Likely to Consider New
Electricity Proposal.

Potomac River at Great Falls DeIore
the Federal Power Commission Iore
action-the first concrete. proposal tor
practical utilization of the waters or
the river which flows past the door
of the Capital--speculation turned 70
the attitude Of water power leaders
in Congress when the proposal OF a
group of Cleveland capitalists 10
harness the Potomac comes again De-
fore the legislative body in December.
Senator Norris Of Nebraska, cnam- :
pion of development by the Govern
ment of the hydroelectric possibilities
at Great Falls, maintained silence on
the new move. Others who have been
with the Nebraska solon in his night
to preserve the hydroelectric develop
ment Of the Potomac as public prof.
ect were likewise silent on the pro-
posal. But citizens groups and trade
organizations Of the city professed
great interest in the development
plan, while Maj. Clayton E. Emig. act
ing chairman OF the public utilities
committee of the Federation OF C1ti.
zens' Associations, visited the Federal
Power Commission and began an
active study of the private develop
ment proposal.
The matter is sure to come up at
tn, next meeting of the federation.
and the prediction is made that Gov
ernment development Of the hydro-
electric possibilities Of the Potomac as
opposed to private development, would
be insisted upon by most citizens
groups. In some quarters the view
was expressed that it makes little dif-
ference whether the project IL under
taken by the Government or by pri-
vate capital, so it can be demonstrate
ed that power can be developed by the
waters of the river and sold in Wash
ington more cheaply than the existing
steam plants can produce and sell II.
Pepco Position Recalled.
The scheme Of the Cleveland groo
recalled the long drawn out studic4
and many proposals that have beerf
made to harness the waters OF the
river and the position of the Potomac
Electric Power Co. toward the devel-
opment. The power company, which
iS now operating steam plant that
has been declared one Of the most eff
ficiently operated units In the United
States, holds that If power can be pro-
duced at Great Falls cheaper than
1t can be produced in the Benning
and downtown plants of the company,
it will be glad to purchase and dis
tribute the power over its transmits
sion lines to consumers in Washington
and surrounding territory.
In this connection the warning OF
Maj. NJ. c. Tyler. made IN January,
1921, about a market for all the power
possible Of generation at Great Fails,
was recalled. Mai. Tyler, in his volu-
minous report on the Great Falls de-
velopment, made to Mai. Gen. Lansing
III. Beach, then chief OF Army engi-
neers, said: Great Falls can be har.
messed econmically for power pur-
poses, provided only the entire power
generated In used" The Tyler plan
placed the total cost Of development
to insure an adequate power supply
in Washington and power develop
teen reservoirs, supply reservoirs
and 2 dams, one at Great Falls and
the other at Chain Bridge, were pro-
posed by Maj. Tyler. The water sup
ply scheme involved construction Of n
new conduit for the city water supply.
work that has now been going on for
four years. and a. new filtration plant.
Score Of Proposals.
Great Falls has been potential
source of power supply for the city
Of Washington for at least three
decades. During that time a score
of proposals for harnessing the waters
Of the river have been advanced. and
the Senate in 1871 passed bill con-
tanning an appropriation Of $35.000.-
600 for the beginning Of work on the
power development scheme under the
Tyler plan. This bill. as did several
subsequent measures introduced by
Senator Norris. failed OF extended con-
sideration and passage In the HOUSE.
Friends OF Senator Norris predic
taS NJ <hoA lSfof afor6 fr,cf
private development OF the Potomac
would remain unchanged and that
the Nebraska Senator may come East
from his Summer home In Wisconsin
and inaugurate a determined fight on
the Cleveland proposal when the plan
comes before the Federal Power Com
mission for action. =
None of the present members of the
Federal Power Commission-Secretar
Of War Davis. Secretary of the In
terror Work and Secretary OF Agricul-
ture Jardine-has expressed an opin-
ion on the possibility and feasibility
Of power development at Great Falls.
Former Secretary Of War Weeks.
when he was chairman OF the COM
mission, was known to have been
against the development as uneeo-
nomic and too expensive for the
anticipated results.
Some time during the Summer the
commission will take up the request
of the Cleveland group to inaugurate
a preliminary survey and take over
the water rights Of the river at Great
Falls for upstream. Foes Of the pri-
vate development plan hold that the
Federal Power Commission may grant
this permission before Congress can
act unless friends Of the Government
development proposal. such as Sena-
tors Norris and la Toilette. come to
Washington to urge postponement Of
consideration of the scheme or its
convenes in December.
Mai. Tyler's report emphasized
the uncertainty Of continuous and
constant development Of the peak
of power Of Great Falls because
of the shortage Of water In the
summre. Impounding dams on the
upper river, to be constructed at
great expense, offer the only way
to maintain q constant flow OF water
over the turbines OF hydro-electric
plant at Great Falls. in his opinion.
A power development OF $4,000 to
$4,000 kilowatts, or about 100000
watts. Is possible under the Tyler
scheme, he said. Delivery Of inter-
mittent power at total cost, inelud-
ing all overhead and transmission
charges of about 5 mills per horse
power at substations In Washington
at a voltage OF about $500 was de-
clared possible.
Plan Held UneconomicaI.
c. Melvin Sharpe. assistant to the
president Of the Potomac Electric
Power Co., and Lindley =. Sinclair,
in charge Of operations OF the com.
pany plants. both said the power com
pany Is equipped to transmit power
developed at Great Falls cheaper than
1t could be transmitted ever power
lines yet to be built.
The position of the company has
been clearly stated many times. they
said holding that thai. s,,runua haua