The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
GOVERNMENT HOLDS UP DEVELOPMENTS AT MUSCLE SHOALS
Citizens in Mass Meeting Pledge Efforts 1o Secure Reasonable C0mpensa-
 ton for All Damages


 Florence May 2.--tspecial.) )--An enthu- sastic body of representative men from Decatur, sheffield. Tnscumbia, Florence and other points on the Tennessee river arrived in the city this morning to repre- sent their several towns In the Muscle Shoals convention. w.ich was held today at the courthouse.
 After few preliminafies F. A. Rob- inson nominated c. W. Aschaft as chair man. who stated the object of the meeting in clear forceful manner. He explained the condition at Washington and inas- much as the government engineers are besitating to recommend the eonstruc- ton of the locks and dams. MT. Ash craft thought it wise to explain the situation to the convention.
 Tho delay is caused fl om apprehension of the government engineers in regard to inc excessive damages claimed for the inundated lands Joseph Nathan from Sheffield made telling speech. in which he emphasized the benefis that would ac- crt,e to- not only the tri-eitles but to all this section of the country, II the pro nosed plans for the development Of the Muscle Shoals went through R. T. simp- son and John T. Ashcraft made enthu- sia st;c speeches They were followed by Col c. C. Harris. who pledged himself to carry out as far as possible the plans of his late predecessor. Col. William Rich ardson, of the Eighth congressional dis trict
 Judge J. J. Mitchell then, in happy sneech. introduced the following resolu- |tion. which was unanimously adopted: Resolution Adopted ..yvbereas. It has been called to the at tention of the people os this section that Ithe board of United States army engi- neers which advises the rivers and har- bors committee of Congress, is fearful that if inc United States government undertakes to improve the Muscle Shoals section of the Tennessee river by build ling locks and dams, the land which VIII be submerged by the construction or sucn daros will cost the United States govern ment SO large an amount of money as tcs make this method of improvement limpracticable, and,
 ..yVbereas. The people of the Tennessee jyallcv are deeply interested Tn securing ma vigation of the river and at the same i time preserving for themselves and for their children the vast water power al Muscle Shoals. and
 ..Whereas, We have assembled together on this. the 2d day of May. 1914 at the courthouse in Florence. as delegates rep resenting the commercial bodies of the cities and towns in the Tennessee val Iley and the municipal and county govern iments in this valley; and.
 "Whereas In our representative capac' lity we feel ourselves to be in position to sneak for the entire citizenship of thii ivalley; now, therefore be It
 Resolved, That we, on behalf of thu !, people of the Tennessee valley invite alit urge the United States government t Icome into the Tennessee valley and i'm prove our great waterway by tho con struction of such locks and dams as will i in the opinion of the authorities of tn l United States best promote the navisa I lion of the river and conserve and pre- serve the great water power thereof. B ,lit farther
 ls Resolved That we pledge the Unite' Estates government. in the event ou I jheafty and enthusiastic co-operation, ap' lplecge to the government our best ef l4orts toward securing all of the land
 xhich t Will need as an incident to thf x -->--. > z - < U