The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-03
CHEAPER POWER
PROMISED BY
REP. RANKIN

Till ubAubuAHuu
Representative John E. Rankin
3D., of Mississippi. today served
notice on private power interests
that public development of hydro
electric energy will force lower
electric rates.
Speaking at the Round Table
Conference of the National Rivers
and HarborS Congress convention
at the Mayflower, Representative
Rankin said
I'VE are going to build
another Muscle Shoals at the
TOmbigbee River in Mississippi.
We're going to force power
rates down to iva level, if 1t
takes us 100 years."
Mr.. Rankin was seeking the in
dorsement of the Congress on a
project calling for the canal con-
nection of the Tennessee and
Tombigbee rivers and widening
and dredging the latter. The cost
of the project is estimated by Mr..
Rankin at approximately $685.
100000.
Would Control Floods
Completion of the project, &C
cording to Representative Rankin,
would be an effective means OF
controlling and guarding against
floods on the Tennessee and MIS-
Sissippi rivers.
Development of the resources
of both Mississippi and Alabama
in coal, steel and lumber was also
outlined by the speaker. Mr..
Rankin stressed the military value
of this proposed inland route to
the Tennessee River and to the
nitrate deposits in the vicinity.
There would be no over-produc
ton of goods in this country if an
adequate system of distribution
is effected" Representative Vir'
GINA E. Jenckes of Indiana told
the Congress delegates. She stated
that sc &c essive transportation
costs" have been the basic reason
why distribution has been ham
pered.
She Offers Cure
She advocated a coordinated
Federal transportation system as a
cure for this condition.
A vast development of the Pa
cific Northwest in Oregon and
Washington was pictured today by
Representative Knute Hill, of
Washington. He told the Congress
of his States intention to build
dams "up and down the Columbia
River" which would be developed
into water power, electrical energy
and transportation arteries. With
this development he said:
"We1I build an industrial EN-.
pire which will rival New Eng.
land and New York during the
next 50 years."
Expects $4,000 Families
He added that $4,000 families
are expected to immigrate to his
State in the next IL months.
Dredging of the Calumet River
and the Sag Channel on the out
skirts of Chicago was advocated
by a Chicago delegation headed
by members of the board of al
dermen. They pointed out that
their plan of deepening these
arteries would make for a direct
waterway from the Great Lakes
to the Gulf navigable by ships
transporting steel, coal and grain.
Terming water "our most vital
national resource" Secretary of
War George H. Dern last night
threw the full force of the War
Department behind the develop
ment of Americas waterways.
AS principal speaker at the an
nual banquet of the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress Mr..
Dern pledged 1.-The utmost in en-
lightened and energetic prosecu-
ton Of waterway affairs"
Big Appropriations
Allotment of $515,0OO,OOO to
waterways improvements to date
by the present Administration
amounts to almost twice the sums
made available for such work dur
ing the nineteenth century. Mr..
Dern observed. adding:
Certainly the Waterway New
Deal has been a square DEAL"
Following this afternoons final
session, the approved projects
will be forwarded to the White
House and the Capitol with rec
concentrations that they be con.
Structed with funds from the
1880 million dollar work relief