Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-11
Engineer Corps
Is Told of Need
For U. S. Help
BY JOHN w. sTEPP

WESTERNPORT, Md, April
1.-THE new comprehensive
study of the Potomac River Basin
by the Army Engineer Corps got
under way in this Western Mary
land town Yesterday with a pub
lie hearing for all interests in
this area to air their views.
The session drew nearly so
representatives of these inter-
eSts.
A night hearing in nearby
Keyser. w. Va, attracted addi-
tional scores. Two similar ses-
sions were scheduled for today
in Bayard, w. Va; Kitzmiller,
Md; other communities whose
life is tied to the upper Poto-
mac where it pierceS the noun
tains of two States.
Study Wide in Scope
The corps, through its Wash
ington district engineer, is con-
Quoting the survey under con-
gressional mandate. The pur-
pose is to expand and bring up
to date an engineering study
made 10 years ago by the same
district. The scope of the new
undertaking includes flood con-
troll. water supply for industry,
municipalities and agriculture,
pollution abatement, hydroelec-
trio power, soil. fish and wildlife
conservation and recreation.
The upper reaches of the river
specifically the North Branch
Of the Potomac and its tribu-
taries above Cumberland, Md
are coming under scrutiny first
owing to a great degree of con-
gressional concern expressed for
the area.
Flod damage has been an
especial and recurring trial to
these communities. Flood con-
troll measures naturally occupied
much of the discussion yester-
day and last night.
Tell of Flood Danger
These were some of the ac-
counts heard by Col. Ray Adams,
Washington district engineer,
and his engineering aides:
Mayor Rodney Baker of Pied
mont, w. Va, told how last year
the town scraped up $4,000 by
popular subscription and bor-
Irowed bulldozer to build a re-
tanning wall to keep flood waters
out.
Representative Staggers. DEM
Iocrat of West Virginia, recalled
that during one flood two of
his children were stranded over
might in their Keyser home.
"KeySer wants and needs flood
control, he declared. He said
he will continue to fight for fund
appropriations in Congress for
improvements recommended by
the engineers.
r. B. Wooters, division engi-
neer of the Western Maryland
Railroad, noted the expense his
line had to meet in order to
build or replace revetments
washed away by Hurricane Hazel
floods on the North Branch,
where the rails closely parallel
the stream.
Says Dixie Is in Danger
Mayor Okey Michael of West
.ernport fretted about the grad.
ual undermining of a dixie" pro-
tecting his town. He estimated
that replacement would cost
about 100000. I'VE look to the
Federal Government for help"
he said.
John Luke, manager of the
West Virginia Pulp & Paper
Co, Luke, Md. - the sections
mainstay industry. along with
railroads--testified his company
was spared 81 million in flood
damage III last years hurricanes
because Of the Savage River
Dam. The dam is located up
stream from Luke on this i'm
portant tributary of the North
Branch.
j. B. Bowling. sanitarian of
the Allegany County Health De-
partment, warned that in the
not-too-distant future the city
of Cumberland will have to take
measures to increase its present
l8-million-gallon daily water
supply from Evatts Creek.
George L. Hall, chief engineer
of the Maryland State Health
Department, told of other COM
munities, mostly in the Iona
coming section, that are troubled
periodically with water short
ages.