Evening star., 1945-04-04
Army yEngineers
StudyP Protests
On Dam Project
Report to Be Made
To Governors; Only 6
Back Plan at Hearing

~ oSoVS'hOiS S'I'J "
Back Plan at Hearing
The Army Board of Engineers fol
Rivers and Harbors had before II
today a flood of protests on a pro-
posal to spend $235, ,000, 900 on a.
dam hydroelectric and flood contro
project in the Potomac River Basin
Nearly 1900 persons from Vir.
ginia, West Virginia, Maryland anc
the District packed the 800-seat In.
terror Department auditorium yes
terday to urge that the board, in it,
final report, reject the District En-
gineers plans for the project.
The Board of Engineers, after 6
study of yesterdays testimony
will send report on the project te
the Governors of the affected State.
for their approval or disapproval
The report then will be filed with
Congress, accompanied by recon.
mendations of the chief of Army
engineers. 1t is expected to reach
Congress by fall.
In the event, however, the boarc
wishes to make further studies be.
fore submitting a final report, ad.
ditional hearings may be held
throughout the affected areas.
Value of Project Questioned.
Landowners, business men, repre-.
sentatives of various organizations
and farmers, backed by eight men,
bers of Congress, demanded at yes
terday's hearing that the board re-
ject the project, which they de-
clared would flood 10000 acres OF
the most productive land in the
three-State area.
+ They questioned the economic
feasibility of the project, its flood
control benefits and held that the
dams on the Potomac, just above
Washington, would be threat to
the safety of the city in the event
of war.
Only a half dozen persons voiced
approval of the project. Mrs. Cliff
ford Durr, Alexandria, wife OF the
Federal Communications Commits
sioner, saying she represented the
Committees of 100 in Virginia, which
she termed as "a New Deal Demo-
cratic organization" Endorsed the
project. She drew boos and cries of
"go back to Alabama" when she
declared that Virginia has very low
standards of literacy, public health
and education.
Dams Held Needed for Industry.
She declared that the project is
needed if the South is to be indus
trialized, and asserted that Senator
Byrd and Representative Smith
represent the property owners well,
while the poorer classes are kept in
poverty and ignorance.
Among those from the District
opposing the project was Maj. Gen.
u. S. Grant III, chairman Of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, who said three dams
above Washington would destroy
the one scenic and wildlife refuge
area closest to the city.
Both the Washington Board of
Trade and the Fine Arts Commis-
sion submitted letters to the board
opposing the project.
Sees Damage to Valley.
IN a letter signed by E. Barrett
Prettyman, president Of the Board
of Trade, the organization said it
was against the system of dams ION
the basis that it would largely de-
stroy the Potomac River Valley and
that a less expensive plan for flood
control could be devised"
The board announced it was with
holding comment until after the
hearing on the power phase of the
project to determine whether such
additional power is needed in this
area.
The Fine Arts Commission, in a
letter signed by Gilmore D. Clarke
chairman, commended the motives
of the Army Engineers in trying to
devise means of controlling the
waters of the Potomac but pointed
out that flood control does not
necessarily mean destructive con-
struction."
Dams Called Overrated.
Speaking for the Izaak Walton
League, DR.. William B. Holton said
the engineers had overrated the
earning capacity of the hydroelectric
dams. He said that to get return
of approximately $14,345, 900 an
nually from the sale of power, rate
of 6.26 mills per kilowatt hour would
have to be charged. That, he said
is about double reasonable rate.
Miss Harlean James, secretary of
the Committee of 100 on the Federal
City, presented resolutions from that
organization and from the American
Society of Civil Engineers, the Gar
den Clubs of America and the Amer
ican Society of Landscape Archi-
tects, urging that the project be
abandoned. or that the three dams
nearest Washington be eliminated.
F. P. Turner, representing the
Norfolk g. Western Railroad, pro.
tested the project, as did James
M. Souby, general solicitor for the
American Association of Railroads
who represented 10 roads, including
the Baltimore g. Ohio, the Chesa.
peake & Ohio, the New York Cen.
tral, the Norfolk g. Western, the
Pennsylvania, the Reading, tht
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Poto.
mac, the Southern, the Virginiar
and the Western Maryland.
Others Oppose Project.
Others opposing the project wert
Devereaux Butcher, National Park.
Association: Lewis Radcliffe ane
Frank j. Mulkern, Izaak Waltor
League; Mrs. Mulkern, representing
the Washington Federation of Won.
ems Clubs; Thomas Dewisky, Wan.
der Bird Hikers' Club, and Mrs.
Elizabeth T. Sullivan, Progressive
Citizens Association of Georgetown
Fred W.! Tuemmler, planning di-
rector of the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, filed resolutions in oppo-
sition to the project from the plan
ming commission and the Montgom-
cry County Board of County Com
rnissioners.