The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-11
MUSCLE SHOALS |. CLAIMS PRESENTED
 ID NITRATE BOARD
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tContiDued from Page One) to Sheffield to inspect the Muscle Shoals site. The formal hearing of the Muscle Shoals claims took place in the ballroom at the. 1 Tutwiler yesterday before the nitrate board, the nine government experts ac- companying the board, about 50 members | of the Muscle Shoals association from north Alabama and Nashville, and sew eral hundred prominent Birmingham men. 1 The members of the government party, | in addition to the board, are: pr. George Otis Smith, chief of the geological survey; pr. c. l.. Parsons. chief chemist of the bureau of mines; O. c. Merrill, engineer of the forest service; J. N. Carothers of
 the bureau of soils of the department of lagriculture; Gen. William N. Black Lieut. Col Charles Keller
 MANY QUESTIONS ASKED Secretary Baker conducted the hearing and Secretaries Lane and Houston asked a number of questions of the witnesses examined. Despite the fact that the hear ing was conducted in more or less of a ju- dicial way, and questions and cross-ques- ton were fired at one witness after an- other by the cabinet members, every question was completely answered, show ing that no point had been overlooked in preparing the claims.
 Governor Charles Henderson welcomed tho board to Birmingham and to the state with a. few remarks. Dr. J. H. Finder, chairman of the local committee, then introduced J. w. Worthington, who, in turn. introduced the various speakers.
 AMONG THE WITNESSES Among the witnesses examined were: Prof. w G. Waldo and R. F. Bower of ilthArI0ttpSVlIln IL ranrQgnnfinO Farmers union, and Mrs. G. H. Mathis ; c. w. Ashcraft, vice president of the Ten | nessee River Improvement associations; Prof. Eugene Smith, state geologist, and | Emmet ONesl.
 1 The testimony of MT. Bower. repre- senting the National Farmers union which has unanimously indorsed the Mus 1 Gle Shoals location, was filled with con crete facts, showing that the farmers of
 the country, whom it is admitted will be 1 more vitally affected by the location of | the nitrate plant were absolutely and
 unanimously in favor of the Muscle Shoals location. THIRTY-FIVE STATES | MT. Bower declared that at the meet l ing at, which this location had been in dorseq there were present representatives l from 5 states in the union This infor- nation was submitted by him in reply
 
 the benefit to be derived from the fer tilizer product of the plant would be more | or lessS SlocalSt to the farmers in this sec- l ton, and that farmers in other sections
 might not think so well of the Muscle 1 Shoals location 1 In opening the hearing Secretary Baker called the attention of those present to the fact that there are a number of processes by which nitrate can be manll- factured, some requiring certain power and others not He complimented the Muscle Shoals committee on the brief, which had been submitted to the board previously, and suggested that it was not necessary to outline the brief at the hearing. In line with this ruling only data considered supplemental to that con- tained in the brief was submitted. Governor Henderson, in welcoming the board, declared that the Muscle Shoals association would not want to see the plant located at that point if it would in any way circumscribe the advantages to be derived from the plant.
 We simply want to offer you the ad- vantages of this state, and such informa- tion as will aid you in locating the plant" he said.
 WALDO INTRODUCED
 Professor Waldo was introduced by MT. Worthington as the person most instru- mental in preparing the Muscle Shoals brief. MT. Waldo illustrated with de- tailed maps the points he made in favor of the Muscle Shoals location.
 Tt is unnecessary for me to call the attention of the board to the great stress of the high cost of living" he said
 However, do wish to call their atten- ton to the fact that the high cost of liv- ing proposition is not a thing of short