The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-31
CHEAP POWER WILL BE
 BOON TO WHOLE STATE
PIntes Laid 250 Guests But the Overflow / l, t-. renee Was So Large That s Preparation. Had
 = Be Made
eS $ ALTER HARPER

Plates o arranged for 250 people at thi quet tonight but the Ellzs' hall was overrun with more than that number of people anxious to pay the S2 admission and help in boosting Muscle Shoals city. Arrangements had | to be made for the accommodation or | the overflow after the banquet had be- gun.
 Governor O'Neal was received with great applause when introduced by Mayor Ashcraft. He briefly reviewed the work that has already been done on the Tennessee and something that is still needed to complete the prof ect. Tt matters not what means are adopted to secure this development, 1t must be had" he said. Congress must be sh own that we are in earnest; that Muscle Shoals must be developed The development of Muscle Shoals will build here rival for Birmingham and Pittsburg.
 Engineers report that the present canal is inadequate and cannot carry commerce of the valley. Work that has been done is an obstruction rather than improvement. I advocate joint action in this development by the gov ernment and a private corporation. We want action and must have action" Tribute to Richardson | Governor O'Neal paid a fine tribute l to Congressman William Richardson. the father om the movemer1t." The mention of MT. Richardson's name in | this connection was received with wild applause. With the development of Muscle Shoals there will be no vacant space between these three cities" con cluded Colonel ONeal. "The mountains alone will bound the great electric city" 1 Congressman Richardson was warm Fly received when introduced by Gov | ernor O'Neal He said: q appreciate most earnestly this expression of pub lie opinion of the people of this sec ton. have worked on this project for more than 10 years and am naturally pleased with the interest manifest here in the work that has been so near my heart so long.
 'T see that I am limited to 15 min utes. You all known how such re- striction gals me when I am to talk on this subject"
 He briefly reviewed the work that has been already done on the river and explained the great importance of it's further development. He also re- viewed the history of congressional legislation affecting the improvement of the Tennessee river.
 ''The board of engineers recognize that | fbo fC ;,o of Instructions. shallowness and narrow ness,' he said. ITO remedy this defect would cost s7.7OO,0O0. The present canal Is considered, in fact, as an obstruction to navigation. The difference existing now between the government and the private corporations proposition for the develop ment of the shoals is only s1,2eo0Oo.'
 Introduced Senator Bankhead
 When Governor ONeal introduced Sem ator Bankhead he referred to Judson liar mon as the probable President of the United States. The reference caused much l applause.
 Governor O'Neal referred to Senator | Bankhead as the father of good roads in Alabama. Senator Bankhead made some witty references to his colleagues 1 in Congress. who will be very important as chairmen of big committees when the democrats come into their own. He made | the statement that Congress has been | very liberal with the rivers and harbors | of Alabama. "Only three other states have received more money than Ala bama;" he said More than $20,O0O,O00 have been spent in Alabama during my ip co Onn nnn has been spent on the Tennessee. Some of you may beunkind enough to ask what has been done with It. There is as much undeveloped power on Muscle Shoals as l at Niagara. Many of you now living will | see it developed as it should be. You will also see live industries honeycombed all over the valley. Waterpower is the cheapest in the world and industries all | ways seek it. Alabama will get all it I wants from Congress. It has always got | it's share of good things from Congress-. The Tennessee river is one of the oldest rivers in the country and will get all that it needs if you people keep up your pres ent rate"
 Senator Bankhead closed by pledging the remainder of his eight years service | m congress to furtner1ng the success or the Muscle Shoals project. "You will have thought, my strength and all the mental power that God has given me- he said. His speech was received with great en- 1 thusian.
 Henry D. Clayton was introduced as | the next chairman of the judiciary com mittee of the House. Congressman Clay ton made a most happy address, compli- menting the people of the three cities and the two counties on their unanmity of purpose in the development of Muscle Shoals. He talked on Muscle Shoals. it's development, its conservation. He paid a high tribute to the long and valuable service of Senator Bankhead in the House /! and Senate in his tireless efforts for the development of Alabama rivers and har- bors.
 "It would be impossible to estimate the value Of the power of Muscle Shoals It | --~~-->--->----~~-~- CONTINUED ON PAGE 8