James Delmage Ross

The coincidence of Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide reelection in November 1936 and the public power sentiment peaking in the same election, particularly in the State of Washington, set the stage for enacting the Bonneville Act and for the selection of a public power man as first Administrator.

From 1933 through 1937 President Franklin D. Roosevelt provided the focal point and leadership for policy on Columbia River development and writing the Bonneville Project Act. His personal, friendly, and protective interest would continue for eight more years, but now the focal point would shift to the Administrator.

Luck, good timing, and fortuitous circumstances often determine the direction and success of a policy or program. The region's good luck in having the Columbia River as an outstanding water power potential, the readiness of the Army's 1932 plan of development, the urgent need for jobs to overcome the depression, and the unusual interest of President Roosevelt had much to do with the launching of the program. For many years Roosevelt had been frustrated in his efforts to obtain water power development at Niagara Falls and on the St. Lawrence River, and that development did not come until long after his death. Perhaps he saw in 1933 an opportunity to do on the Tennessee and Columbia Rivers what he could not accomplish in the State of New York.

The genius of management and political judgment may often lie in recognizing the circumstances and changing situations as opportunities for initiating new public policies and programs, and striking while the iron is hot.

The Bonneville Project Act placed in the hands of the Secretary of the Interior the authority to select and appoint the Administrator, but in fact President Roosevelt had made the selection perhaps as early as April 1937. Appointment of his friend J. D. Ross would enable Roosevelt to feel that the enterprise was in good hands. Ross reported personally to the President. Another peculiarity of the arrangement was the half-time nature of the appointment, as Ross also served as Superintendent of Lighting for Seattle City Light.

The strong assertion of public power sentiment in the Pacific Northwest at the November 1936 election provided an unusual historical setting and political climate both for enactment of the Bonneville Act and for the selection of J. D. Ross as the first Administrator. In this position, for a time all too brief, he launched the fledgling Bonneville Project and initiated construction of the transmission grid system.

14. THE J. D. ROSS LEGACY

It is fitting that every American should know of the passing of one of the greatest Americans of our generation. Mr. J. D. Ross, fighting against illness, built for himself a strong body and a brilliant mind in the building of Alaska and later of the Pacific Northwest. An outstanding mathematician and an equally great engineer, he combined with this the practical ability to make things work in the sphere of public opinion and successful business. More than that, he was a philosopher and a lover and student of trees and flowers.

His successful career and especially his long service in behalf of the public interest are worthy of study by every American boy.

My personal affection for him grew with the years and because so many people leaned on him for so much of inspiration and advice, his place in our country will be almost impossible to fill.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt Tribute to J. D. Ross March 15, 1939

The historical setting changed abruptly in 1937 to 1939 due to a series of unfavorable factors during the 161⁄2 months J. D. Ross was Administrator, Bonneville Project. Yet he accomplished much.

The economy turned sharply downward in late 1937 and remained adverse until the defense and war boom began in 1940. War clouds gathered on the horizon. The New Deal lost ground in the 1938 election. The Pacific Northwest entered a period of controversy and turmoil, and the public looked to the Federal Government for help in establishing public power institutions. Optimism makes opportunities of such adversity. Ross had the optimism.

He served vigorously as the instrument of change. He was able to facilitate change because he had wide support among the people of the Pacific Northwest. He also had the confidence and support of the President.

A Purposeful Life. J. D. Ross had lived a purposeful life, capped by his launching the master plan for the Bonneville transmission system. Born in Chatham, Ontario, November 9, 1871, he completed 2 years college, taught school 6 years, and joined the gold rush to the Yukon. Largely a self-taught electrical engineer, he tried his hand as an electrical contractor at Anacortes, Washington, before moving to Seattle.

The people of Seattle voted 3 to 1 on March 4, 1902 for a $590,000 bond issue to install two 1,200 kilowatt hydroelectric generators in connection with the municipal water supply from Cedar Falls. Seattle hired Ross as an electrical engineer January 2, 1903.

The electric plant began serving its first customer in April 1905. While the private company serving Seattle had a prevailing rate of 20 cents per kilowatthour for the initial block, Seattle's initial rate was 81⁄2 cents per kilowatthour, available on a postage stamp basis throughout the city. By 1911 the private utility matched the city rate, so July 1, 1911 the city announced a residential rate of 7 cents/kWh for the first 60 kWh and 4 cents/kWh for anything exceeding that. The company met the rate in November 1911. The Stone and Webster interests merged several small companies to form the Puget Sound Power and Light Company (PSP&L) in 1912.

The rate battle continued. The city cut its rate July 1, 1912 to 60 kWh at 6 cents/kWh and 4 cents/kWh for anything beyond that. PSP&L matched it a month later. On April 1, 1915 the city residential rate dropped to 45 kWh at 52 cents/kWh and 2 cents/kWh beyond that. Again the company met the rate, but only in the competitive area.

Meanwhile, against strong newspaper opposition, voters approved bond issues in 1904, 1906, and 1908 to expand the Seattle electric plant. They voted April 1, 1910 to amend the charter to establish the separate Department of Lighting, however, Mayor Hiram C. Gill appointed a private power company man as lighting superintendent. A year later the voters recalled Gill on charges he was running a wide open town.

New Mayor George W. Dilling appointed Ross lighting superintendent in March 1911. Ross almost came to grief in 1914 when a replacement dam was built at Cedar Falls without an adequate preconstruction soil condition survey, and it failed to hold water. This forced the city to build a 7,500-kW oil-fired, steam electric generating plant at Lake Union, which is still available for emergency use.

Meanwhile Ross had been studying all available hydroelectric sites west of the Cascade Mountains within 150 miles of Seattle. He found PSP&L had obtained U.S. Forest Service permits for many sites but was not meeting development requirements.

When a PSP&L permit for the Skagit River lapsed, he seized the opportunity to personally file for the site July 17, 1917, and file formally for the city August 7. Despite protests from PSP&L, Secretary of Agriculture David P. Houston awarded the Skagit permit to the city December 24, 1918. It was a great Christmas present for Seattle. Ross began building.

President Coolidge pressed a button September 24, 1924 to energize the Gorge plant as the farthest downstream unit of the Skagit development. The Diablo plant went on

line August 26, 1930.

Progress stopped when Frank Edwards became Seattle mayor in 1929. He stymied proposed plant expansion and a bond issue to buy out PSP&L. He turned down the Department of Lighting's request to do its own engineering. That issue went the initiative route to a vote by the people March 10, 1931. The day before the vote Mayor Edwards fired Ross.

Ross promptly went on radio to urge voters to adopt the initiative. It carried by 17,000 votes. For a change, the newspapers supported Ross and condemned Edwards. After failing to get the city council to impeach Edwards, within a week after the vote Friends of City Light began circulating petitions for his recall.

Meanwhile, New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law April 27, 1931 creating the New York State Power Authority, and invited Ross to be a consulting engineer on the Saint Lawrence River project. Ross accepted. While in New York that June he met Morris Llewellyn Cooke, Leland Olds, James Bonbright, Frank Walsh, and others on Roosevelt's power team.

Seattle voters recalled Edwards on July 31 with a vote of 35,657 to 21,836. The next day Mayor Harlin reappointed Ross lighting superintendent. The Seattle PostIntelligencer published a huge picture of Ross with the caption "Vindicated By People." Publisher of the Seattle P.I. was John Boettiger, son-in-law of President Roosevelt. It is related that when he was fired by Edwards, Ross told Department of Lighting secretaries, "You girls look dejected and as you like rhymes, here's a little one for you: "Be not dismayed, these severe afflictions Not from the ground arise.

But oftentimes celestial benedictions
Assume this dark disguise."

Governor Roosevelt sent congratulations to Ross on his reappointment. Ross sent Roosevelt his newly published book, New Views of Space, Matter and Time. In an August 1931 letter, Roosevelt commended Ross on his book and his ability to combine theory and practice. They exchanged seven letters in 1931 and 1932, generally on electric power and Roosevelt's presidential campaign. Although a Republican, Ross strongly supported Roosevelt. Ross also often visited at the home of John and Anna Roosevelt Boettiger. Ross continued as Seattle's lighting superintendent from 1931 to his death, but often was on leave of absence or serving part time. He served part time on both jobs while BPA Administrator. He was a consultant to the FPC on the

National Power Survey in 1934. He became an advisory engineer on power to the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1935. He suffered frustration as a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission from September 1935 to October 31, 1937 because the Public Utility Holding Company Act was tied up in the courts. By late 1937 Ross was anxious to return to the Pacific Northwest as first Administrator, Bonneville Project, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon.

What did Ross bring to BPA? People knew him as the father of Seattle City Light, a leader in the public power struggle, an expert on electric power, a prolific writer and speaker, and personal friend of President Roosevelt. He had extensive radio interview experience. He had survived more than 30 years of competition and philosophical attacks from PSP&L.

In Seattle, the inhouse, grass roots organization Friends of City Light helped on publicity and political campaigns. He had a loyal staff, that he had personally trained.

At the Bonneville Project on November 1, 1937, he was the only employee. With only $100,000 available for the remaining 8 months of the 1937-1938 fiscal year, Ross had to limit his hiring. From Seattle he borrowed Robert Beck, engineer; Isaac Comeau, accountant, and George Holmes Moore, rate engineer. Ulric J. Gendron moved from Washington, D.C., to become Executive Assistant. Stephen B. Kahn came from TVA to direct public relations. Engineer Charles E. Carey had been with the PNWRPC. Ross assigned Engineer J. Perry Alvey to head BPA's Washington, D.C. office. Attorney John Fisher became General Counsel and Attorney Doris Rae Keeler Assistant General Counsel. Richard L. Neuberger and Jack R. Cluck were temporary staff assistants. Ivan Bloch joined July 5, 1938.

In line with his belief that the Bonneville Project had a mission to promote establishment of local PUDs, he employed six field engineers in January 1938 for 3 months to survey power requirements, and promote formation and activation of PUDs. Field engineers Morton Tompkins and Byron G. Carney in Oregon, and Neal Jones, Frank F. Fitts, Fred J. Chamberlain, and E. F. Banker in Washington helped the sponsors of new PUDs.

The BPA Bulletins. Administrator Ross believed in communication. The 36 informal, mimeographed news bulletins through June 1939 provide a quick picture of this period.

The February to June 1938 bulletins were a step-by-step account of how he set up the postage stamp rate, as de