Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-12
Retiring Chief of Engineers
= Recommends Preliminary
Permit Be Granted.
SUBJECT TO PROTECTION
FOR PARK development
Report Holds Question Is Not
Park Versus Power" but What
Kind of Park.

Lieut.. Gen. Edgar Jadwin, U. S. A.,
retired, recommended to the Federal
Power Commission, just before he re-
linquished the post of chief of Army
Engineers last week, that the Potomac
River Corporation of Wilmington, Del,
be granted a preliminary permit, with
Q view to ultimate power development
In the Great Falls area of the Potomac
River, subject to certain provisions fol
protection Of navigation and park de-
velopment."
In making this announcement today
the Federal Power Commission asserted
that it is probable that its own report
on the subject Of power development at
Great Falls, as well as those from the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. and from Gen. Jadwin,
win not be made public until they are
sent to Congress.
In addition to the Jadwin report, the
Federal Power Commission has before
it q report from Maj. Brehon Somer-
veil, District engineer for the War De-
partment in the Washington area,
which it Is likewise holding in conf
dence at present. 1t is understood,
however, that the Somervell report Is
In line with the Jadwin report, and
that both recommend that power
should be developed at Great Falls, in
sisting that the question is not one OF
park versus power" but Is question
Of having q different kind of park with
additional recreational facilities from
that desired by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. Both
reports are said to take the view that
power and park development can 60
forward side by side.
Would Permit Inquiry.
II the application for a preliminary
permit, which Gen. Jadwin has recon-
mended, should be granted to the Po-
tomac River Corporation, it would enable
the company to begin an investigation
of power possibilities at Great Falls.
Mai. Glen E. Edgerton, the Power Com
missions chief engineer, made 1t clear
that the commission is precluded from
granting even this. IS Congress has re-
granted until it has had an opportunity
to examine the subject further.
Should Congress and the Federal
Power Commission decide that a pre-
hminary permit should be granted, lt
was explained today that this would
not allow the Potomac River Corpora
ton to do any construction work, but
would merely permit the firm to prove
the power possibilities OF that region.
Should power development at Great
Falls be found desirable it would then
be necessary for the Potomac River
Corporation to seek from the Federal
Power Commission an application for
a license to begin actual construction
for hydro-electric development.
Commissions Announcement.
The Federal Power Commissions an
nouncement today on the Jadwin re-
port follows:
"The reports Of the chief of engineers,
War Department, on application Tor
preliminary permits for power develop
ment on the Potomac River have been
received. The applications involved are
that of Messrs. Stineman and Quick for
two dams, one at High Island and one
at Plummers Island; that Of the South
Branch Power Co. for certain storage
reservoirs and two power plants, one at
Great Falls and one at Chain Bridge,
and that OF the Potomac River Cor
poraticn, which Is substantially the
same as that Of the South Branch Pow
er Co., except that it includes also q
power plant at HarperS Ferry.
"The chief Of engineers recommends
that a preliminary permit be granted
to the Potomac River Corporation, SUBJ
ject to certain provisions for the pro.
lection of navigation and park develop
ment and also subject to provision Of
public resolution No. 81, Seventieth
Congress, which prescribes that no per-
NIT shall be issued by the commission
until further action has been taken by
Congress after consideration Of reports
to be submitted by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and the
Federal Power Commission.
"Report has also been made to this
commission by the National Capital
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