Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
COMMISSION URGES
GREAT FALLS PARK
Power Dams Would Ruin
Beauty Of River Valley,
Group Holds.
Continued From First Page.l

up the picture Of a great navigational
development, linking up the Potomac
and Monongahela Rivers with O canal
network, giving washington water access
to the vast Mississippi system under the
intracoastal program.
Gen. Jadwin sums up the anticipated
financial BENEFITS, aggregating $4,000
600, In this wise:
Savings on production Of hydro
power instead of steam, capitalized on
q 6 per cent basis. at 100000.
Saving by elimination OF two bridges,
$4,000, 600.
Savings in the form of income from
taxes, at the rate of 2 per cent, cap
italiZed at $4,000, 900.
Savings which the power structures
would produce in navigation should be
extended up the Potomac River, amount
ing to $l4,00O,0O0.
Savings on preliminary treatment of
the Washington water supply. and esti-
mated value Of food protection. $4,000
$40.
Gen. Jadwin explains in his report
that: With the present population,
about $10,000,000 Of the total savings
would fall to the specific Ieaeflt of the
residents and the government Of the
District of Columbia, and $50, 900 900
60 the adjacent States and to the coun-
try at large.
Goals Value Is Added
1.-THE value due to the conservation
of the coal should, when more definite
ly determined, be added to the above
$48 100000. The same Is true to the
increased net freight savings, which
will come from the navigation improve
ment and the growth of commerce"
Gen. Jadwin does not neglect park
considerations in his report, for he says
Shall a park of the low-level type
be developed at the sacrifice Of over
48 millions Of dollars, plus the cost
Of low-lying land and its development?
Or can a plan be devised that will
save this sum to the taxpayer without
sacrificing park values? To assist in
determining this. special joint COM
mittee was appointed by the executive
officer Of the planning commission and
the District engineer Of the War De-
partment. The plan, known as scheme
&c" proposed in the report of this spe-
cial joint committee contemplates a
high-level park development Of an area
equal to that in the low-level park.
with two lakes substituted for the low
est, most ragged part of the food plain
These parks contain more recreational
features than the parks without these
lakes. The major scenic feature Of the
cult Run. ss5< common to both devel-
opmentS -
ITO summarize, comprehensive plan
ming for the National Capital demands
that all ma or elements of the situation
be considered. The decision lies be-
tween park prodigal of the latent re-
sources OF the Potomac and an equally
good park conserving these resources:
Combined park and power development
than
$4,000, 900 of potential values for de-
batable minor scenic consideration Is
neither necessary, desirable nor sound, u
Gen. Jadwin concludes.
Members Of Majority Faction.
The report of the majority of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission represents the views Of Col.
w. B. Ladue, Engineer Commissioner
of the District; Robert Y. Stuart, chief
of the Forest Service, Department OF
Agriculture; Representative Frederick
N. Zihlman, Republican, OF Maryland
chairman of the House District COM
rnittee; Frederic A. Delano OF Washing
ton; the late Milton B. Medary, .jr, OF
philadelphia, prominent arcnitect'
Frederick Law OlmSted Of Brookline.
Mass. Jesse C. Nichols of Kansas City,
Mo-, and Lieut.. Col u. S. Grant, 3rd,
executive officer Of the commission.
The two reports, bearing the date OF
August 2, 1929, we're forwarded to F.. E.
Bonner, executive secretary OF the Fed
eral Power Commission. Another re-
port on the Great Falls power Situa-
tion-that of Mai. Brehon SomerVell,
district engineer for the War Depart
ment for the Washington area-also is
pending before the Federal Power Com
mission, but has not yet been made
public Mai SomerVell conducted his
investigations at the request OF Gen.
Jadwin and the Power Commission. In
addition to these prior Investigations,
Mai. Somervell's once now Is engaged
in conducting the fourfold survey OF
the Potomac River Basin. authorized by
Congress as part of a nationwide in
yeStigation, with relation to irrigation,
food control. navigation and power de-
yelopment. The report of the majority
of the planning commission follows In
part:
After extended consideration Of the
report on The Development OF the Po-
tomac River Valley for Park and Power
Purposes by q joint committee OF the
Federal Power Commission and the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, together with supplementary
information supplied at the request OF
the commission by Maj. Brehon Somer-
VEIL United States engineer officer, ana
after an intensive study on the ground
by it's committee on parks and other
members, and extended discussion In
formal session, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission adopted the
following resolution on December Is,
1928:
Urges Park Treatment.
"Resolved, That the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission favors
the acquisition of the Potomac Valley
from Chain Bridge to and including
Great Falls and the development of this
area for park purposes as funds may
be made available, leaving 1t open for
Congress at any future time to author
iSe the development Of the navigation,
flood control and power potentialities OF
the area should such development be-
come Of greater importance and be JUS
tilted in the public interest
The main considerations moving the
commission to the above action were as
follows:
81. The valley of the Potomac River
from Chain Bridge, to and including
Great Falls, has, in its natural condi-
ton, unique and distinctive scenic and
recreational values accompanied by GER
tain historic and scientific points Of In
tereSt which, rs a whole, make II
extraordinarily important to the Capital
of the United States. These values are
unique and distinctive in the sense that
this Is probably the best example ir
the Atlantic Seaboard States Of thu
particular type Of natural scenery here