Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
Great Falls and Power.


The majority report of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
on the preservation OF Great Falls, q
detailed statement Of which appears else
where in today's Star, recommends q
course that is reasonable and sound. It
asks for the acquisition and development
for park purposes of the river gorge
from Chain Bridge to Great Falls. It
emphasizes the desira bility Of conserv-
ing this territory in its natural state,
pointing to the unique scenic and recre-
ational value Of the land involved. But
the report would leave ut open for
Congress at any future time to author
i2e the development Of the navigation,
food control and power potentialities Of
this area should such development be-
come. Of greater importance and be
justified in the public interest"
In other words, there Is enough
doubt. even among the experts, on the
existing and present demand for or the
practieability Of power development ut
Great Falls to make that project . de-
batable issue. In the meantime the
loss for park purposes of the Potomac
gorge Ia threatened. Would 1t not be
more reasonable first to guarantee
against this loss by purchasing the land
and proceeding with park development,
allowing the questions Of treatment for
navigation, food control and power to
be settled when those issues become
acute? 1t is easy to believe that some
time In the future the commercial de-
velopment Of the Potomac's resources In
water power and navigation will be OF
more importance to the public than its
esthetic development now. But that
time has not arrived. 1t may never
arrive, and the desirable step Ia to guard
against the irreparable loss Of Great
Falls a. . great scenic and recreational
area, preserving it as q national asset
against the time when new conditions
may develop new necessities.
That part Of Gen. Jadwin's minority
report, made public with the majority
views, which deals with the savings to
be effected by power, development at
Great Falls n interesting and presents
prospects that are undoubtedly entranc-
ing. A saving Of t4S,oOo,oOo to the
people Of washington and the Nation
10 worth while. The possibility thus
presented II not to be idly dismissed.
But examination Of Gen. Jadwin's items
Of savinRs and the fact that other en-
RineerS and experts do not take his
view Of the matter, put the picture in
o different light.
Some Of the savings would be effected
a. follows: The savings on production
Of hydro power. instead Of steam power,
$4,000 600; elimination Of two toll
bridges, not yet constructed, by util-
ising for bridge purposes the tops Of
the dams, 100000 savings In the
form of income from taxes, at the rate
Of q per cent, $4,000, 900; savings that
the power structures would produce II
navigation should be extended up the
Potomac, 4l4, 900 900; savings on the pre-
lirninary treatment Of the Washington
water supply and the estimated value OF
flood protection, 100000. Taken to-
gether, these items make up total OF
s4s, o0o,o 900.
The 1irst item of $4,000, 900 Is COM
puted on the assumption that electric
power could be produced by hydro
plant at Great Falls at a million dollars
a year less cost than 1t would take to
produce that power by coal, and that
this million dollars year, capitalized
at 9 per cent. actually represents
capital value of sls,0oO,0OO. But no
power company has ever guaranteed
definitely to save the people Of the Dis
trict million dollars year In electric
bills by hydro development at Great
Falls. II such Q guarantee were offered
1t would be worth looking into.-
Another item is for the elimination
Of two projected. toll bridges. BY driv-
ing across the dams, instead Of the
bridges, the cost Of the bridges-$s, ooo,-
o0o-would be saved.
II navigation is extended up the
Potomac, making an inland waterway
from the Atlantic to the Ohio by way
of the Potomac and the Monongahela
Rivers, the dams, ETC.. incidental to
power development would be useful TO
Ehb navigation and save some $4,000
900 that otherwise would have to be
spent on construction Of the waterways
BUT Is there any traffic now demanding
The item Of 100000 to be saved
on preliminary treatment of the Wash
ineton water supply and representing
the value of flood protection. Is figured
on the basis of, decreasing by rs pei
cent the. $4,000 year now spent or
chemicals for purifying the water. and
by estimating the annual food damage
below Great Fails at $4,000. Capital
izlnR the amount Of this damage at
per cent, the savings by flood contro
ut Great rails would be lat least
$1,000 ,00O."
These estimates may be accurate, They
are interesting. But they. are not con-
vincing. The Great Falls. area should
be purchased now aid held In trust by
the Government for future generations
Of Americans. They may not be able
to afford 1t IS q park. But the present
generation can. and should.
A Treaty Test.
The Kellogg multilateral treaty re-
nouncing war is facing Its first test