The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1946-04-25
Army Engineers Back
Completion of Savage
River Dam in County
Hearing Held Before House
Flood Control Committee; Tes-
timOny Supplied By Beall
And Randolph

Army engineers recommended to
the House Flood Control committee
at a hearing in Washington last Fri
day that $2.1OO,OOO be provided in the
flood control bill for completion of
the Savage river dam in this county,
according to Rep. J. Glenn Beall.
Rep. Beall, who is a member of the
committee, also testified along with
Rep. Jennings Randolph of West Vir-
ginia.
Rep Beall said he would put forth
his best efforts to see that the item is
included in a flood bill. He said that
as usual thing the committee acts
favorably upon recommendation of
the engineers and he feels certain the
committee will accept the proposal,
Definite Recommendation
Brig. Gen. R. C. Crawford, assist
ant to the chief engineer, testified be-
fore the committee and according to
Rep. Beall Every definitely" backed
the Savage river project. 1t was
pointed out by the congressman that
the dam will bring direct benefits to
the 10000 persons in the Keyser,
Luke, Westermport and Piedmont
areas and will offer material aid in
eliminating Potomac river pollution.
Gen. Crawford told the committee
that prospective benefits justify COM
pletion now.
The two congressman also made
public a report on the project sub
mitted to the committee by 1t. Gen.
r. A. Wheeler, chief of engineers.
In the report to Chairman Whit
tington DMiss) of the Flood Con-
troll committee, Wheeler declared
completion of the dam on which work
was stopped early in 1912, would have
estimated annual benefits of $182,-
TOO
He broke them down this way: Pol
luton abatement, $4,000; increased
power $1,000; improved water supply,
PiDO'VpbD llopu NpIlitOl, p-, wv.
at is probable that the above fig
ures are somewhat low and would be
increased by more thorough canvas
of the situation" Wheeler wrote. at
is apparent, however, that the COM
pletion of the project is amply justi-
fled even on these partial benefits"
Based On Resurvey
The report was based on a resurvey
of benefits and costs made at the re-
quest of Beall and Randolph. Engi-
neers previously had said that the
flood control benefits alone did not
justify completion.
"The Savage River dam is a unit
in the comprehensive plan for the
development of the water resources
of the Potomac river basin," Wheeler
said
"The Board of Engineers for Rivers
and Harbors and the chief of engi-
neers did not however recommend
the authorization of this comprehen-
olNc pan az lilIS TIME because OF Jnc
very strong opposition to the plan ex-
pressed in the public hearings held by
the board.
"lf the comprehensive plan or any
part thereof should be undertaken in
the future, the Savage river dam
would contribute its share to the
overall benefits"
Construction of the dam was
started in the fall of 1899 as WPA
project by the Upper Potomac River
commission. Work was halted at the
beginning of the war with construc-
ton about two-thirds completed.
Both Beall and Randolph told the
committee, which is now writing an
omnibus flood control bill, that pollu-
ton abatement would benefit towns