The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-12
WEST VIRGINIA
WILL PROVIDE
PRIVATE 'TvA'
MonongaheIa Valley to
Show Business Ability in
Planning.

By Scripps-HOlcard Newspaper Alliance
WASHINGTON, April l2.-Om-
cial thumbs were down today on a
proposal to make another IVA"
out of the Monongahela Valley of
northern West Virginia. Instead. a
committee representing three Fed
eral departments has invited private
capital to make this region a yard
stick" of its ability to provide social
as we'll as industrial benefits.
Thus the opportunity was offered
for industry to match millions with
the government, and by developing
smaller but somewhat similar re-
giOn provide a comparison with Fed
eral accomplishments in the Ten
neSsee Valley.
The recommendation. made pub
lie by the National Resources Board
after the report of the MOnonga-
hela Valley Committee was turned
over to it by the White House. dis
closed a sharp cleavage between Os-
car L. Chapman, Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Interior, and his $50
committee colleagues.
Chapman DisSents
Mr. Chapman dissented. express
ing his sincere belief that the Sc
curity, happiness and general well
fare of the greatest number of peo-
pie in the upper Monongahela VAL
ley can best be obtained through
public ownership and operation of
the utilities of this area, coal as we'll
as hydro electric power"
The other members were Rich
ardSOn Saunders, assistant to Secre-
tary of Labor Perkins, and John
Franklin Carter, magazine writer
now connected with the Department
of Agriculture. The committee was
named after West Virginia authori-
ties requested President Roosevelt
to authorize a study of the region,
which is suffering from conditions
which antedated the depression.
The area surveyed includes 10
northern counties of West Virginia
Rugged and partly mountainous, the
area contains about $4,000 persons
1t is said to have about 40 per cent
Of the states supply of recoverable
bituminouS coal, and mining is the
main industry. Manufacturing has
declined. Ninety-two stranded
communities" we're reported by the
committee. OF these, 81 had de-
pended on coal mining. and % on
numbering.
Water Power Available
The committee found hydro
electric development feasible, but
suggested a study of whether it is
needed, and whether mine mouth
power would not be cheaper Occa-
Sional floods, sometimes affecting
Pittsburgh, caused a recommended
ton for f1ood-control dams. One
such is now under way in the Ty-
CART Valley near Grafton.
Other recommendations
Establishment of new industries,
using local raw materials, financed
locally ito offset the disadvantages
of present heavy out-of-state in
vestment."
Development of a recreational
area, to attract patronage from
Pittsburgh, Washington and Balti-
more; stream publication and arti-
fetal lakes.
Removal of coal-mining families
from congested coal camps to farm
homesteads; relocation of submar-
ginal farmers on better lands.
An educational program stress
ing vocational and self-help train
ing.
The committee said that if no re-
suits come from private initiative,
supplemented by appropriate aid
and advice through federal state
and county agencies" there might
be combination of public and priv
ate effort.