REPORT OF WATER SUPPLY COMMISSION 



^59 



sequent upon such interference is out- 

 weighed by the danger to the property 

 of others and to the pubhc good that 

 surely results from their camp-fires. 

 When the interests of the Maine public 

 are at stake, our law ofihcers must 

 surely be able to find some legal pro- 

 tection against non-resident tenderfeet. 

 The opportunity before our state 

 officials is an exceptional one. by 

 increasing the efficiency of the present 

 admirable forest fire warden system, by 



expending larger sums before the fires 

 start and relying less upon the average 

 rainfall, by promptly meeting each new 

 problem with the proper initiative and 

 independence by considering the inter- 

 est of the whole people, and that alone, 

 they can insure the future prosperity 

 of the state and be public benefactors in 

 fact. Some of us may advocate the 

 conservation of the state's wealth, to 

 these officials comes the privilege of 

 actually protecting these resources. 



REPORT OF THE WATER SUPPLY 

 COMMISSION OF PENNSYLVANIA 



ONE of the; most enlightening and attention to the influences which are 



useful papers of the year on working to reduce the available water 



stream flow and water supply is supply and to render stream flow more 



the Report of the Water Supply Com- irregular. 



mission of Pennsylvania for 1907. The Fortunately for the Commission it 

 Commission was established in 1905 to was provided with funds sufficient for 

 procure facts concerning the water sup- the employment of an able corps of 

 ply of the state and to provide for its engineers under the charge of Mr. Far- 

 utilization, conservation, purification, ley Gannett. Mr. Gannett and his as- 

 and equitable distribution. sistants have not been satisfied merely 

 In 1907, the jurisdiction of the Com- to compile information. They have 

 mission over the water companies of done this, to be sure, have compiled 

 the state was increased by requiring all much in fact, but they have also gone 

 applications for charters for water and after original data on the topographic 

 water-power companies to name the and hydrographic conditions of the 



waters which it is proposed to use, by 

 requiring all agreements for the con- 

 solidation or purchase of water or 

 power companies to designate and limit 

 their source of supply the same as orig- 

 inal applicants for charters and by re- 



state. 



The Commission has given a large 

 amount of attention to the obstruction 

 of streams through various kinds of 

 development work. Its investigations 

 have brought to light the existence of 



quirmg all companies subject to the serious conditions in several important 



provisions of the law to procure the streams. For instance, "the carrying 



approval of the Commission before they capacity of the Kiskiminetas River has 



can take or use any new or additional been greatly reduced by the flattening 



source or supply. of the slope by deposits carried down 



To intelligently carry out the provi- from above, and by encroachments 



sions of this comprehensive law the along its bank, while changing condi- 



Commission found it necessary to study tions in its watershed make necessary 



the water supply of the state from sev- a greater facility for discharge. This 



eral aspects. Particularly it had to give stream was one of the chief contribu- 



