Mr. HALE. I would make sure that they put forth very decided efforts to control it.

The CHAIRMAN. If that were true, then the great steel mills and the pulp mills probably would not exist.

Mr. HALE. I do not know, sir; I am not familiar with those industries.

The CHAIRMAN. You do not know whether that would prevent or hinder?

Mr. HALE. I do not know whether that would stop an industry or not. We do not know in a particular case whether the industry is able to control that pollution or not.

The CHAIRMAN. I see; but, generally, your understanding is that there are a lot of streams, particularly where there are manufacturing enterprises, and the cause of pollution in a varying degree in practically every section of the United States is industry, and you would insist on the abatement of pollution if possible. I believe you would say that is a fair statement.

Mr. HALE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you think that Congress ought to prevent any pollution at all, even to the extent of preventing manufacturing industries from polluting the streams?

Mr. HALE. Certainly not, sir; I think there are other means of controlling pollution, some of which are under control. There are many means of controlling pollution that could be put in practice.

The CHAIRMAN. Where have they ben adopted? Have you any other points to offer?

Mr. HALE. I think not. I discussed the recreational feature of this dam, and I stated it was rather insignificant. I repeat that the drawdown of the Gathright Dam will make it somewhat undesirable.

The CHAIRMAN. You have covered that point. Is there anything else?

Mr. HALE. I think I have covered all our points.

The CHAIRMAN. Who is your next witness?

STATEMENT OF T. M. GATHRIGHT

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I am T. M. Gathright, a farmer.

The CHAIRMAN. Where do you live?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Right in the middle of the proposed dam.

The CHAIRMAN. And how long have you lived there?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I commenced to buy the property in 1903 and finished in 1930.

The CHAIRMAN. Now you are the Gathright after whom this dam is called?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What have you to say about it?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I live there and have a hunting lodge. I did some farming, but I cannot do much with the labor situation as it is. I have upward of 2,000 acres of rich bottom land that ordinarily was in cultivation. I have not much right now because of the labor conditions. I have 37,200 acres and the lake or the water of the dam that is proposed would cover all of that land. It will cover 90 percent of the area. It will cover my land, and I am more affected than anybody else or all of them put together.

I have spent a great deal of money and when that dam is put in my land will become absolutely worthless to me; that is, upward of 30,000 acres which would be ruined and affected by this act.

Now there is no richer land than 2,000 acres of mine. I can grow 85 bushels of corn to the acre without fertilizer. You cannot do it in your country or anywhere else.

I want to go on record as to what I have and what I can do.

The CHAIRMAN. You can beat me growing corn but I can beat you growing cotton.

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I know that, but I have what is without doubt the finest game preserve on earth. It is admitted by any number of people who have been there and know about it. We have game in great quantities and all varieties on that land.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, Mr. Gathright, presently you have this 2,000 acres which you ordinarily cultivate when there is no scarcity of labor. What is the remainder of your land?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Grazing land and the finest game preserve that a man ever saw, so full of game that there is no such a point as saturation. Take deer, for instance; in most places you cannot find so many deer. There are upward of 300 deer there and they are feeding there, and 1 predict there may probably be that many more.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you pheasants?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Lots of them, and wild turkey and everything of that kind.

The CHAIRMAN. Wild ducks?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. No; we have those only in the wintertime.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you bear?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I have lots of bear, and sometimes I have to burn these flares on my pigpens to keep the bears from coming down and getting my pigs.

The CHAIRMAN. Are you raising many cattle now?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I do not raise many cattle now for the reason that you have got to have food. In other words, you have to raise food. on your farms for cattle, and I have not the labor to do it, especially on my upper farm. I have 68 head of white-faced cows.

The CHAIRMAN. They are not taking that?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Yes, sir; the water will be 160 feet on top of my lodge.

The CHAIRMAN. How many acres will be flooded down there, as you understand?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. I haven't figured it exactly, but something like 4,000 acres.

The CHAIRMAN. And you own 37,000?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. How many acres will you have left after what they take?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. But you see, the way it lies, it renders the rest of it useless to me; I could not use it.

The CHAIRMAN. But it would take about 4,000 of your 37,000

acres.

Mr. GATHRIGHT. It would take more than that; I haven't figured it exactly. They have figured it several times, and I do not know just exactly what it takes.

87116 46- -13

The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other statement that you care to make?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. No; I just want to emphasize what I have said; that it is my richest land; and they will put my richest land under water and make the rest of it so that it is practically worthless to me. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any homes besides your lodge that will be taken?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Homes on my farms. I own right where the dam will be and a mile or 2 miles below, and I own everything up the river for 17.5 miles. I join Mr. Williams; you know Mr. Hickman is his attorney. I sold him a place up there.

The CHAIRMAN. I see. Are there any other homes except your lodge generally and the homes of your people?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Well, my old home on the upper farm, a brick house, a very fine home.

The CHAIRMAN. And that will be taken?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Yes; and then I have tenant houses that will be taken.

The CHAIRMAN. How many would you say?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Well, I have five, six, seven, or eight; somewhere around there.

The CHAIRMAN. How many tenants do you have on your holdings at present?

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Right now there are 2, but before they went in the Army I had 39 of them and I got them to volunteer quicker than anybody else in the county; and I had 83 men and boys on my farm up until the second year of the war, and now I have got just about a handful who are working. Those who have come back have not got back to earth yet. You cannot hire them.

The CHAIRMAN. I have sympathy you. I know how you feel.
Mr. GATHRIGHT. And I have to do all the work myself.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other statement, Mr. Gathright? Mr. GATHRIGHT. No; I believe not. I have taken up more time than I expected.

The CHAIRMAN. No, sir; you have not. We are glad to have your

statement.

Mr. GATHRIGHT. Come up and I will show you some good hunting and fishing.

The CHAIRMAN. Your statement was very informative.

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS LOTH, WAYNESBORO, VA.

The CHAIRMAN. State your name and residence.
Mr. LOTH. I am Francis Loth, of Waynesboro, Va.

The CHAIRMAN. How far are you from this proposed dam?
Mr. LоTH. Approximately 75 miles.

The CHAIRMAN. What is your interest in this area here [indicating]. Mr. LOTH. As a citizen and as a taxpayer; and I have an interest in some property that will be affected by the flood waters when the dam is constructed.

The CHAIRMAN. Where is your property located? In the reservoir site?

Mr. LOTн. At the upper end of the reservoir site.
The CHAIRMAN. Is it in the site or above it?
Mr. LOTH. Well it is in the site.

The CHAIRMAN. It will be all flooded then?
Mr. LOTн. Part of it will be, yes.

The CHAIRMAN. How much property have you?
Mr. LOTH. I have an interest in 3,500 acres.

The CHAIRMAN. And part of that will be flooded?

Mr. LоTH. In the front end, the lower end.

The CHAIRMAN. The upper end of the property, what is it used for? Mr. LoTH. It is preserve and recreation.

The CHAIRMAN. And you live at Waynesboro?

Mr. LOTн. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You favor flood control generally?

Mr. LOTH. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Did you favor the Waynesboro project down there? Mr. LOTн. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You were in favor of the local project for the protection of Waynesboro?

Mr. LOTH. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You favored the project for the protection of your property down there?

Mr. LOTH. Yes; but I oppose this project.

The CHAIRMAN. Why?

Mr. LOTH. Well, because I think the State economy will be vitally affected when the dam goes into use there. I think it will take out a great many taxable properties. I do not think it should be a burden on the taxpayers to provide water for any private industry. The CHAIRMAN. What is your next point?

Mr. LoTH. I do not think the results of pollution abatement will be of any particular value in this case. I do not think that the flood control will apply with any particular effect on the James River. I understand that the city of Covington will not be particularly benefited from a flood-control standpoint.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other point?

Mr. LOTH. That is all.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have your statement.

Mr. LOTн. May I submit some reports that I have? One is a resolution that was authorized and approved by the board of directors of the Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce on April 26, 1946, and the other is a resolution of the Waynesboro Game and Fish Protective Association requesting the Government to defer approval of these flood-control dams involving power generation in Virginia until the facts concerning individual projects, including the various flood-control methods and the effects on the State economy, are widely publicized so that the citizens may be informed and given ample opportunity to express their views; and until the effect on the State economy and on fish and wildlife conservation may be amply publicized so that the citizens may be informed and given an opportunity to express themselves.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection they may be inserted in the record at this point.

(The resolutions above referred to are as follows:)

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WAYNESBORO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON APRIL 26, 1946

RESOLUTION

Whereas the Federal Government proposes the development of multipurpose dams, including power generation in connection with certain Virginia rivers; and Whereas the multipurpose dams contemplated and proposed involve permanent inundation of whole towns and large areas of productive farm lands, highway, schools, churches, graveyards, railroads, all of which will have a major effect on the entire State economy;

Now, therefore, we respectfully request the United States Government to defer approval of any flood-control dams involving power generation in Virginia until the facts concerning the individual projects, including the various flood-control methods and the effects on the State economy, are widely publicized so that the citizens may be informed and given ample opportunity to express their views. E. J. MILLIGAN, Executive Secretary.

Copy to-
GOVERNOR,

Senator BYRD.

A. WILLIS ROBERTSON. Attest: April 26, 1946.

RESOLUTION

Whereas the Federal Government proposes the development of multipurpose dams in connection with certain rivers in Virginia; and

Whereas we are unalterably opposed to any form of Government competition with private enterprise of the citizens and taxpayers under any guise whatsoever; and

Whereas the effect of multipurpose dams on fish and wildlife conservation has not been fully determined; and

Whereas the effect of multipurpose dams on the abatement of stream pollution is of doubtful value: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Waynesboro Game and Fish Protective Association respectfully requests the United States Government to defer approval of all multipurpose dams in Virginia until the facts concerning the effect on the State economy and on fish and wildlife conservation can be amply publicized so that the citizens may be informed and have an opportunity to express themselves.

STATEMENT OF C. PURCELL McCUE, GREENWOOD, ALBERMARLE COUNTY, VA.

The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to hear you, Mr. McCue.

Mr. McCUE. I am C. Purcell McCue. I happen to be president of

an organization which Mr. Francis Loth was speaking for.

The CHAIRMAN. Where?

Mr. McCUE. In Bath County.

The CHAIRMAN. What is that organization?