The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-03-07
COMMISSIONERS OBJECTTO
BILL FOR PROPOSED DAM
Demand Protection of County
Rights; Contend Measure Would
Delegate Power Over County
Waters
MAY IMPERIL TAX SOURCE

4V41A A1VAA AAAS4A AGA<A OOO4SOA
The Garrett county commissioners
at their regular meeting on Monday
went on record as opposing the bill
for the proposed $1,250,OO0 Savage
river flood control dam. The dam
would be built in Garrett county by
Federal funds.
Directing to the measure in its pres
ent form, the commissioners said they
would oppose any bill that gave a
three-man board regulatory power
over all of the rivers and streams in
the county and that omitted clauses
protecting the county on losses of
roads and bridges by result of flood
ing.
The commissioners objected to what
they termed the refusal Of the legis-
1ative committee named by Abel VOL
man, State PWA engineer, to substi-
tute for the all-inclusive clause, one
clearly defining the Savage river basin
and combining the powers of the three
man commission to that basin.
Another objection was that the pro-
cesses of condemnation might in the
future deprive Garrett county of tax
alton sources.
Would Transfer Rights
Allegany county and its industries
would benefit from the flood control
project. That county and Garrett
each would have one man on the regu-
1atory commission and the governor
would appoint the third.
"Should such bill pass, it would
give this three-man commission power
over the Youghiogheny river and Deep
Creek Lake, which flow in different
direction than the Potomac River
basin, and might in the future take
away much of the sources Of taxes in
Garrett county,, said Blaine Cess
man, president of the commissioners.
AS proposed in the bill, the three
man board would control these bodies
of water, with power to condemn. The
bill also repealed any legislation in
consistent with it. This was a threat
to their taxation sources, the commits
sioners argued.
Deep Creek Lake is owned by the
Youghiogheny Hydro-electric COM
pany, which pays the county $4,000
in taxes and the state $13,500 an
nually. This is 20 percent of the en-
tire taxes of the county. The company
also holds riparian rights over part
of the Youghiogheny river for pos
sible future power dams. If such
bill as proposed for the Savage river
dam were passed, the commission
would have power to regulate all
waterways, perhaps to the detriment
of the county.
No Grudge Against Allegany
The commissioners pointed out that
this company spent some $750,000 in
the county ten years ago to rebuild
roads and bridges flooded by Deep
Creek Lake. The proposed bill pro.
vides no compensation in such cases,
they said.
AS to the benefit Allegany county
industries would derive from the flood
control measure, Giessman said:
eve have no desire whatever to
take away from Allegany county any
thing that would benefit its industries,
but we do object to any proposed bill
that would be giving over all of our
water rights and causing the county
undue expense"
The dam would be financed by the
Federal PWA, but the two counties
affected, according to the present pro-
posed bill, would be required to share
the maintence costs. This clause, it is
understood, will be changed to place
the cost of maintenance upon Allegany
county, but Neil C. Fraley, attorney
to the Commissioners, stated he had
received no word eliminating the other
objections of this county. "Until
these objections ar minated" he
concluded, 1--WE intenu fight the
hill -