The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-02-23
MAY TAKE PRIEST RAPIDS
FOR U. S. NITRATE PLANT
Secretaries Baker, Lane and Houston
With Civil Engineers viii Be Here
To Investigate


states: Three members OF President
Wilson'S cabinet acting as special
committee, will investigate the
possibilities OF Priest Rapids, in the
Columbia river, as site for proposed
federal nitrate plant. Word to this
effect has just been received from
Washington BY the chamber Of COM
merce, which had previously suggested
the Priest Rapids site. Congress has
passed an appropriation Of $40, 900, 900
for nitrate plant development.
The establishment Of a government
nitrate plant was the subject Of detailed
hearings before congress when the
matter was originally up for con-
sideration. Nitrate is manufactured by
electricity and a plant Of great power
capacity will be required. No plants
OF this kind now exist in America,
although there is one in Canada
operated by American capital, and a
number in Europe. In the discussion
of possible power sites but two were
considered of sufficient possibilities the
one at Priest Rapids, in the Columbia,
and a site at Mussel Shoals, on the
Tennessee river in Alabama.
Soon after the passage of the ap-
preparation by congress the industrial
committee Of the Spokane chamber Of
commerce interested Senator Miles
Poindexter in securing recognition for
the Priest Rapids site. The matter
was placed before the war department,
together with a great amount of data
required. Nothing futher was done
until last week when the president
designated Secretaries Baker, Lane and
Houston as a committee to investigate
and report as to location for the pro-
posed nitrate plant.
Senator Poindexter then notified the
industrial committee Of the chamber
which at once sent the following letter
to Secretary Of War Baker.
I'VE are advised from Washington
that the preliminary investigation Of
the proposed government nitrate plant
has now been completed, and that the
entire subject has been referred by the
president to a special committee Of the
cabinet with yourself as the head. This
letter is to direct your attention to the
fact that the commercial organizations
in the Northwest states should be
heard before final decision is reached.
Hearings before the house com
mittee brought out that water power on
the scale necessary to this enterprise,
and at the proper cost, was available
only at Muscle Shoals, in Alabama,
and at Priest Rapids on the Columbia
river, in Washington. Our organization
will indeed be glad TO 60 into every
phase Of the subject with your com
mittee and your engineers, but we feel
that no decision should be reached
until the possibilities Of Priest Rapids
have been thoroughly taken into con-
sideratioD. We wish 10 ask you to
advise US as to the proper steps TO be
taken 10 bring this matter before your
committee.
In reply to this the following letter
has been received by the chamber Of
commerce:
In reply to your letter of the lst
inst, addressed to the secretary Of war,
inviting attention to the possibilities Of
Priest Rapids, Columbia river, as a site
for the proposed federal nitrate plant,
and asking advice as to the steps nee
essary to bring the matter before the
special committee appointed by the
president to investigate the subject, I
have to state that number Of sites
have been suggested, and that the
committee is making preparations to
visit the localities which appear to
offer the greater advantages. Studies
for the purpose Of planning an Itinerary
are now being made, and Prizes, Rapids
is among the localities under con-
IL