Evening star., 1945-04-01
1000 Foes of Potomac Dams
Plan Protest Here Tuesday
Landowners From Three States Declare
They Are Going to Clog Capital Streets
BY JAMES BIRCHFIELD.

Iney Are 0Oin9 10
BY JAMES BIRCHFIELD.
Between 300 and 1000 irate land
owners in the three-State area in
cluded in the Army Engineers pro-
posed Potomas River basin flood and
power control project will descend
on Washington Tuesday to protest
construction of the projects pro-
posed IA dams.
Farmers, businessmen and home
owners from the Valley of Virginia,
the eastern section of West Vir-
ginia and the Potomac River area
in Maryland, backed for the most
part by their congressional repre-
sentatives, will appear at g am.
Tuesday in the main auditorium in
the new Interior Building to tell the
Army Board of Engineers for Rivers
and Harbors why they think the
elaborate $235, 5,00O, 900 flood control
and power project should not be
built.
The Engineer Board, after the
hearing, will make a report which
will combine testimony taken at
the session with the findings OF the
engineers survey which proposed
the dams. This report will be sub
mitted to the governors of the af-
fected States for their considera-
ton. After the governors make
their recommendations, the full re-
port will go to Congress with the
recommendations of the chief of en-
gineers-probably by fall.
The land owners, arriving here
Tuesday, will be directed by spe-
cial signs reading ITO Virginia and
West Virginia Delegation Parking
Area" which has been marked of
by park police on Independence
avenue, between the Tidal Basin
and Twenty-third street in West
Potomac Park. All routes leading
into the city will be marked, ano
police viii be on duty at principal
intersections to give delegates fur
ther directions.
Heading the West Virginia group
will be Representative Randolph
Democrat, who has estimated a loss
of approximately II per cent OF the
total income of each of six counties
in mis- district in the area to be
flooded.
Virginia's Spokesman.
Speaking for the Virginia group
will be Senator Byrd and Represent
atives Robertson and Smith, Demo-
Gratis, all of whom have character
lied the proposed project as un-
necessary and wasteful.
Representative Beall, Republican,
of Maryland, has remained silent on
the project and has not indicated
his intention to attend the hearing.
Representatives Simpson, Republi-
can, and Snyder, Democrat, OF
Pennsylvania, whose districts ad-
join Maryland and might be affected
by the proposed power facilities, are
out of the city during Easter and
are not expected back in time for
the hearing. Neither has made
statements on the project.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission has opposed
the project because it would destroy
the natural beauty of the Great
Falls, above Washington. Maj. Gen.
U. S. Grant, III, chairman, said the
commission would not favor the
project unless it becomes an eco
nomic necessity.
Several civic groups here have
expressed their opposition to the
dams. A representative of the COM
mittee of 100 for the Federal city
will be at the hearing.
The engineers proposal, which
calls for orderly completion OF the
IA dams on the Potomac and its
tributaries during the 20 years fol-
lowing the end Of the war has won
support from only two groups so far
Waynesboro to File Brief.
The Waynesboro (Va) City Coun-
Gil has authorized its manager, I. G
Vass, to file three-page brief with
the Engineer Board committing the
city to participation in the project.
A Washington group, headed by
Mrs. Clifford Durr, Alexandria, wife
of the Federal Communications
commissioner; Clifford Pinchot, for
mer Forest Service chief, and Henry
Beitcher, president Of the District
Council of United Federal Workers
CIO, will seek construction OF dam
at Chain Bridge, one Of the IA pro-
posed.
In Maryland, Frederick County
whose board of county commission
ers yesterday adopted a resolution
opposing the project, is expected tc
be represented at the hearing, while
in Virginia delegations from LOU
doun, Clarke, Warren and Fau-
quier Counties will attend. West Vir.
ginia counties sending delegations
are Jefferson. Berkeley, Morgan,
Hampshire, Mineral and Grant
The Cumberland (Md0 area has in
dicated that It, will remain neutral
on the issue.
The engineers plan, briefly, calls
for the construction Of dams at the
following points beside Chain
Bridge: Riverbend, Harpers Ferry
Rockymarsh Run, Bear Island, Or
leans and Pinesburg on the Poto-
mac; Melville on the Shenandoah
and Brooks Gap on the north fork
of the Shenandoah, Springfield and
Royal Glen on the south branch
of the Potomac, Keyser on the
north branch of the Potomac. Edes
Fort on the Cacapon River and the
Patterson Creek dam on Patterson
Greek.
The dams would range In height
from 78 feet for the Keyser dam
to 276 feet for the Edes Fort dam
and would have q total drainage
area Of. 65,276 square miles.