Evening star., 1945-04-03

norance."
Mrs. Durr said she had seen the
development of the Tennessee VAL
ley Authority and the benefits de-
rived from 1t. She recalled that
many protest were also lodged
against this project and said she
knew "how people feel about leaving
their homes"
Labor Groups Back Project.
Sidney Katz, secretary OF the
CIO Maryland and District Indus
trial Union Council, said his group
was in favor of the proposals after
preliminary study but reserved
the right to protest later If further
study showed the harm done to the
areas involved outweighed the bene-
fits
J. C. Turner, representing the
AFL Washington Central Labor
Union, presented a resolution ap-
proving the project on the grounds
| it would provide cheaper power
rates and would offer substitute
| for coal.
DCuudIay = AopVoSs
Mr.. Demaray told the Engineer
Board his agency views with the
deepest concern the implications of
at least four of the proposals in the
project-the Chain Bridge dam, the
Bear Island dam, the Harpers Ferry
dam and the proposed modification
of the existing f1ood-control project
at Washington"
THE areas affected by these pro-
posals," Mr.. Demaray said "are
monuments which tell the American
story-its natural and human his
tory. Any changes which lead to
their destruction or impairment
must be justified only by the direst
necessity
TT follows that the cost of the
proposals must be canVassed not IN
terms of the money outlay. but
rather as to its true and ultimate
cost, which may we'll be too great a
price to pay for whatever purely ma
terial benefits might accrue"
Mr.. Demaray referred to report
of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission made several
years ago when a proposal was made
TO flood the Potomac Gorge. 1t said !:
For such amount of power as
would be used here, it does not ap-
pear that the prospective economic
advantage to the National Capital
and its environs from any expectable
saving in cost of power from this
source as compared with others,
even assuming that the saving would
be passed on to the consumers,
would be so great, or that the people
of this region and of the United
States are so poor that they cannot
afford to forego it for the sake OF
retaining a unique feature Oh the
National Capital"
| In general, Mr.. Demaray contln-
ued, it appears that the engineers
survey tends to overemphasize the
scenic and recreational value OF the
reservoirs to be created by this pro-
gram, and to underestimate the ex-
isting scenic and recreational values
which would be lost.
! Says Nation would Suner.
Describing the effects of con.
structing the four projects he men,
toned, Mr.. Demaray said construc-
ton of the Chain Bridge dam woulc
create inferior bathing facilities
would decrease the value Of the
lower Potomac as fishing ground
would add nothing to the value ol
the river for sailing. the f1uctuatine
shore line would not be conducive
to good canoeing, and that the
scenic masterpiece" that is the
Potomac Gorge would be flooded UP
to one-third of its height. His
torically, he added. Washington and
the Nation would suffer by flooding
long stretches of the Chesapeake g.
Ohio Canal.
The proposed dam at Bear Island,
he continued, would have no par
ticular recreational value and would
be an intrusion into the Great Falls
area. and the dam at Harpers Ferry
would cause "irreparable loss" to the
Harpers Ferry National Monument
! Dixie Plan Hit.
! Referring to the proposed modifi.
cations of the flood control project
here, Mr.. Demaray said a propose.
to construct permanent dikes i:
recognized as an answer to ths
problem of protecting Washington
These plans appear to be soune
and functional from an engineer
ing standpoint, but are in conflic
with the proper development of th'
area on the Mall which they woult
occupy" he said.
IF the plan were approved MI
Demaray continued, 40 mature
trees along Seventeenth street, from
Constitution avenue to the Johl
Paul Jones statue would be killed
Furthermore, the profile of tina
portion of Seventeenth street woult
) be Sc materially altered as to maxi
it hazardous and present mos
unfortunate obstacle to proper treat
ment of the Mall. Alternate studie'
have been made by the Park Servic'