Evening star., 1933-05-09
CLEARS
FOR us. WORK
New Law Enables Govern.
ment to Acquire Land for
Valley Development.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
KNOXVILLE. Tenn, May s.-Any
State barriers that might halt the Fed
eral Government in expediting develop
mcnt of the Tennessee Valley under
President Roosevelt's plan have been
removed by legislative act, says James
B. Wright, Knoxville attorney and
author of the bill which was passed the
final week Of the recent legislative
session.
The act enables the Federal Govern
ment to acquire by purchase or con-
demnation lands needed in furthering
the development.
I'VE realized in the last week Of the
session." Wright said, that an act
would be necessary to give the United
States Government the right to proceed
with the development, and, with that
in mind, the measure was enacted into
law"
At the same time, the attorney ex-
planned, the measure also contains full
provisions for the protection Of the
State and Of private property Of citi-
zens as well as municipality -owned land
and improvements and State and
county developments.
Acquisition of Land.
The act gives the President of the
United States, with the Governor Of
Tennessee concurring, the right to ac-
quire by purchase or otherwise such
lands within the State as may be nee
essary for the establishment and ex-
tension Of national forests and parks
and the improvement and development
Of the Tennessee River Basin and
basins tributary thereto"
The State retains civil and criminal
jurisdiction over the persons living
upon the lands acquired by the Fed
eral Government, and the State and
counties retain their title and owner
ship and jurisdiction over all highways
and thoroughfares over or contiguous
to the property purchased by the Gov
ernment
The State will also have the right to
relocate and reconstruct roads and
bridges over such lands and streams as
may be necessary to protect and i'm
prove the highways of the State and
counties, under the Wright measure.
Right to tax sales of gasoline and
motor vehicle supplies in the section,
whether on Federal or State highways,
is retained by the State under the act.
The State may also tax persons or cor
porations and their franchises and
properties on the land taken over by
the Government.
Adequate to Meet Needs.
The act, Wright says, Is fully ade-
quate to meet all needs in connection
with the development, and there can
be no question as to its constitution
atty" He says it had the full scru-
tiny and approval of Attorney General
Roy Beeler of Tennessee.
Tennessee will reap the greatest bene-
fit, perhaps, of any State from the de-
velopment proposed by President Roose-
welt. Cove Creek. near Knoxville, has
been heralded as the headwater and the
flood gate for the Muscle Shoals Dam
and as an approach to the dream of
East Tennesseans for "Ruhr Valley
Of America
OF immediate interest, if the dam is
built. will be the Governments con-
struction of a village of homes. bar
racks, streets, commissaries and shops
for the housing and care of 5000
workers on the great dam. The village
itself will cost between S120O,OO0 and
S2,000,000. while the dam Is estimated
to cost s6,842,836. the spillway to cost
s1,810,839. the power house at its foot,
S4,903, ,457: the barge lift for naviga-
ton. s2,983,850, and the reservoir be-
hind the dam, $11, 1,318, ,745-in all, some
$37.540,643
The reservoir behind Cove Creek
Dam will have shore line of 900 to
1000 miles, or almost equal to the en-
tire border line Of Tennessee. It will
cover 54,527 acres of fertile mountain
valley and forest lands with clear blue
waters from mountain streams.