Evening star., 1936-04-02
POWER DISCUSSED
BY INHABITANTS
Association, However, Fails
to Take Action on Mu-
nicipaI Proposal.

Lively discussion over a suggested
municipality owned light and power
plant for the District of Columbia
bobbed up at the regular meeting
of the Association Of Oldest Inhab-
itants last night, but no formal ac-
ton was taken on the matter.
James F. Duhamel, delegate to the
Federation of Citizens Associations.
brought up the question as one Of
those pending before the federation.
John r. Mahoney, financial secre-
tary of the association, proposed the
Government buy the old C. g. o. Canal
and set up turbines 70 generate elec-
tricity for the city. Flour mills in
Georgetown, he understood, were op-
Grated by turbines from the canal
before the recent flood.
"If they can buy up property and
develop municipally-owned electric
plants where people VOTE declared
Mahoney with some feeling, why
can't we do something here, where
we don't vote?" He predicted, how
ever, that the Potomac Electric Power
Co. would fight any such a municipal
plant proposal, well backed by owners
of stock. AS matter of fact, he
said the Association of Oldest Inhab-
liant held $500 worth Of Pepco stock.
He complained that smoke from the
power plant was staining some OF
Washington's new buildings.
PheIps Opposes Plan,
Horace J. Phelps opposed the sug-
gestion for a municipal plant, de-
claring 1--WE don't want to call on the
Government to go into competition
with private business. We don't want
them to lose the peoples money.
He said scientific Investigations
showed that the Potomac was mot
sufficiently reliable in its flow" to be
depended on for power, especially at
Great Falls.
Duhamel said that instead Of losing
the peoples money publicly owned
power plants in many cities over the
country provided the taxpayers with
lower rates and saved thousands OF
tons of coal. He predicted the power
companies will fight it."
Another association member, who
said he came from Richmond, said
water power furnished electricity for
that city, where the taxpayers get
q cheaper rate" Whenever such a
proposal for a municipality owned
plant comes up. he said, "a lot of
lobbyists oppose it."
Duhamel outlined problems pend
ing before the federation, but no
action was taken on any of them by
the association.
Get Old Lithograph.
An old lithograph, 1.-THE Little
Brothers," was presented to the as
sociation museum by Duhamel as a
good example of old pictures made by
Currier & Ives, popular in the old
days.
The association referred to a spe-
cial committee, consisting of Phelps,
DR.. Hugh NJ Smith and E. w. Zea,
a request for approval of a sailing
base in the Hams Point vicinity" pro-
posed by Skipper" Nell Champ.
John Clagett Proctor, vice president
of the association, who presided, read
a poem championing the dandelion
as the State flower for the District
of Columbia
Before he was old enough to read
the language in The Evening Star, in
1856, Mahoney said he used to ''read"
The Star, because of the pictures Of
trains and ships in advertisements.
The Star, he said had been read by
his father, himself, his children and
grand children.
Discussing the proposed Guyer bill
to bring back prohibition to the Dis
triet, Mahoney, an ardent temperance
advocate, thought it unnecessary to
endorse the measure, as liquor even
tually will kill itself here"
The story of a pig that slept in
the White House, and later was sold
by Edward S. Schmid of this city was
related by ]. Eliot Wright, recording
secretary and treasurer who told of