Evening star., 1929-11-18
ELECTRICAL POWER
NEED IN CAPITAL IS
SURVEyEDByG GROUP
U. S. Commission to Use
Data in Report on Applica-
lions Affecting Great Falls.
OPINION is DIVIDED
ON PERMIT PLEAS
Park and Planning Body Opposes
Granting of Right to Examine
Possibilities in Area.

The Federal Power Commission Il
making an economic survey of the neec
for electrical power in Washington snc
its vicinity, in the course OF preparing
for Congress its report on the applica-
tions for preliminary permits to examine
the possibilities of power development
at Great Falls on the Potomac River.
While the commission may not be
able to submit its report to Congress on
December 2. when it is due to open in
regular session, 1t will send up hS
recommendations early in the new year
being delayed somewhat by the thor
oughness and importance of its STUDY.
The commission has before It
divergence of opinion on the proposal
to develop hydroelectric power at Greai
Falls. On the one hand, IN IaVor Oh
granting the preliminary permit TO the
Potomac River Corporation OF whining
ton, Del, authorizing 1t 10 explore Ine
possibilities for hydroelectric develop
ment in the Great Falls region, are re-
norts from Lieut.. Gen. Edgar Jadwln
FORMER chief OF Army Engineers, now
retired. who submitted minority re-
mort in August in his capacity as cnslr
man Of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
SomerveH FavOrs Permit.
The granting of the preliminary per-
NIT is likewise favored by Maj. Brehon
Someryell, district engineer for the war
Denartment for the washington area
who went into the subject exhaustlvely
and submitted report, which wenI 10
the chief of Army Engineers and is now
nofore the Federal Power Commission.
Roth Gen, Jadwin and Maj. Somerveil
take the position that park ana power
DEVELOPMENT can go forward at AIreaI
Falls. hand in hand and harmonlously
Opposed to the granting OF q permlt
looking to hydroelectric oevelophts,nt t,IH
At Great Falls is this expression OF the
majority of the National Capital ParK
and Planning Commission:
"Resolyed. that the National Capltal
PARK and Planning Commission 1avofS
the acquisition of the Potomac Valley
from Chain Bridge to and mcluolng
Great Fails. and the development OF
this area for park purposes as funos
NAV be made available, leaving II open
for Congress at any future time 10 au-
.thoriZe the development OF the naViga-
ton, food control and power poten-
tiaIities of the area should sucn oe-
velonment become of greater Importance
and be justified in the public interest.
This resolution and a lengthy COM
mentary on 1t were made public last
August. l.A
Having a bearing on the Feoeral
Power Commissions study OF the eco
nouic needs for power IN TINS tegon
within A radius of some 200 miles, Is an
application filed recently py the oaIe
Harbor Water Power Corporation ol
HOLLYWOOD. Pa, which proposes 10 oe-
yeIop power on the SuSquenanna hiyeI ~
in York and Lancaster CouIl,5es. rp.s 9, q
rrhe dam on the Susquehanna River az
Conowinpo. Pa, now is developing pow
or which is being used in Maryland
The safe Harbor Water Power CoT,
noration informs the commission tha'
n rIans generating units reaching
total CAPACITY of 231, 900 horsepower
and that it intends to dispose OF poWel
to the Consolidated Gas Light & PoWei
Co. of Baltimore, as well as TO Penn'
sylvania f1rm
Three Applications Are Pending.
Three applications affecting the
Great Falls area now are penang De
fore the Federal Power Commission
All are seeking preliminary permits
which would allow them TO explore Tux
possibilities of developing power:
The Potomac River Corporation o
wiIninoton, Del, contemplates the De
yeIopment OF four storage dams nea
CHARLES Town, W. Va.-at Brooks Gap
near broadway. w. Va; on the Soutl
Branch, near Springfield, w. Va, ant
on the Great Cacapon, branch
the Potomac, near Berkeley SPRINGS
w Va.-with a total storage capaclt.
of $50. 900 acre-feet, which means tn
fioodine of each acre to depth OF on
foot. Power would be developed nea
Harpers Ferry, w. Va: at Great FAN
and at Chain Bridge. This application
for a preliminary permit was filed viii
the Federal Power Commission on Ma
l3. 1927. and is described as being TN
most ambitious OF the three plans.
The application OF the South Branci
Power Co, contemplates construction o
storage development on the soutl
branch, on the Great Cacapon and ol
the Shenandoah River. This appllca
tton was laid before the Federal Powe
Commission September 81, 1925. but al
amended application for a larger de
veIopment was filed on November q
1927. :. 49,
The third application pending Is tina
of Stineman and Quick of Baltimore
which filed it's request with the com
mission on December 8, 1920, and con
templates development at Great Ealli
Congress has directed that the Feoers
Power Commission grant no perm
affecting Great Falls until 1t mas sup
mitted report on the whole wate
power development program.