The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-11
AFRAID OF MUSCLE SHOALS

In regard to the contention of cer- tain interests that the manufacture of fertilizer would duplicate or interfere with the product of the by-product ovens, MT. Bower declared that such interests had been more afraid of the Muscle Shoals location than any other place, knowing that the cheapest fer tilizer could be manufactured at tha- point.
 He stated to the board that the manufacture of fertilizer at the ni- ,, trate plant would not in any way duplicate the by-product production, but would simply create larger sup ply and a consequent cheaper price
 He submitted to the board letters from the Ohio state legislature and the Indiana state legislature unani- mously indorsing Muscle Shoals. He entered a protest in the name of the farmers against the establishment of more than one plant.
 ''We are for one plant, and that To- cated at Muscle Shoals" he said.
 ASHCRAFT IS HEARD
 c. W. Ashcraft submitted data in regard to the amount of money that would be necessary to purchase the lands which would be involved in the location of the plant at Muscle Shoals He declared that the total acreage af- fected, about 10000 acres. was under option at an average of $50 per acre. Much of the land had been offered free to the government, he said, and the commissioners of the counties affect ed had adopted resolutions providing that the counties would bear all the expense of building bridges and roads
 He estimated the cost of the entire de- velopment necessary, including the build ing of dams and the establishment of power houses as less than 5000, GOO. Sec retary Baker stressed the point that the entire development and construction of the plant must come within the $20, ,000, GOO appropriation. MT. Worthington assured him that this could be accomplished by locating the plant at Muscle Shoals
 Dr. Eugene Smith testified in regard to the amount of fixed carbon in the coal of Alabama, declaring that the coals of the Warrior river field hold the greatest amount of fixed carbon of any coal pro- duced in the state
 Mrs. G. H. Mathis called attention of the board to the poor producing average Of the state in the Muscle Shoals district, and asked that the plant be established at Muscle Shoals in order that something might be done for the millions of people east of the Mississippi river.
 She declared that the high cost of liv- ing could only be reduced by a larger production at less expense, and that this could only be accomplished by the use of more fertilizer in the states where such fertilizer is needed.
 She said that fertilizer product bear ing only F per cent of plant food was being shipped from the south to other farming sections, and that with the loca- ton of the plant at Muscle Shoals a fertilizer bearing 60 per cent of plant food could be shipped forsthe same freigh. rate.
 WORTHINGTON SUMS UP
 Mr Worthington summed up the sit- uation in few remarks following the talk of Mrs. Mathis. He declared that there is only an instilled horse power of 90O0O on the Coosa river. while at Mus cle Shoals there is 650,000, and within radius of several hundred miles more than million horse power could be concen- trated.
 He showed the board shell from the plant of the Anniston Ordnance company and invited Colonel Wheeler, of the ord nance department, and other members of the board, to visit the plant, the only shell producing plant in the .south~
 Gov. Emmet O'Neal was the last speak, CT. Whatever may be your decision,' he told the board, we shall have the con- solation of knowing that we have had