The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-24
WEATHER HAS NOT STOPPED
 GOVERNMENT WORK
Engineers in Charge of Muscle Shoals Improve ment Continue to Keep
 Men on the Job

Sheffield, January e3.-(SpeciaL)-Ihe distressing weather conditions prevalent in this section almost continuously Tor the past six weeks, while hindering to large degree the work being done on the vast government industries in East ana West Sheffield, where thousands of la borers have been given employment late- ly. has had but little effect upon the great throngs of people coming from all sections of the country apparently with a desire to Took over'' the Sheffield field and make investigation of the accrescent developments taking place here. Despite the adverse weather conditions, consld- erable work is being carried on with dis patch both at Plant No. 1 in West Shelf field and Plant No. in East Sheffield. All work will, of course, be further speeded up with the advent of more normal weather conditions.
 Indications are that Sheffield will eS- perience during the preesnt year the greatest era of development along all lines ever recorded in the history of any industrial town in the country. The
 
 comprehend the magnitude of the devel- opments under way here. Indeed, it is not far-fetched to state that 1918 Is go- ing to be the greatest year that Shef- field has experienced since the boom days of 1SS4-SS. And that was "some" boom period.
 Coupled with the vast industries being builded in the western and eastern sec tions of Sheffield will be added the enor- nous work of building dams at Muscle Shoals. It is indicated and now believed that the building of these dams will soon be authorized by the war department. There has been no let-up in the campaign that has been waged to bring about the development of Muscle Shoals scheme in it's entirety. With the dams authorized the development as whole will finally be under way.
 Building activity, and which is so vi tally necessary, is already under way Since last October the housing of the great influx of people has been a prob- lem and one hard to solve. especially here in Sheffield, where the greatest need is felt due to the fact that every official or laborer wants to be located very near to his work. Naturally a great lover flow population has found location in Tuscumbia and Florence, where con gcsted conditions are on a par witt those of Sheffield. In this city, however hundrds of new houses will be built many are already in the course of con struction, and with the advent of spring weather building activities will be meas ured only by the supply of material and labor
 The executive offices of the several con struction companies are, of course estab- lished here. These include the Westing house, Church, Kerr company, the J. G, White Engineering corporation, the Ali Nitrates corporation, and the Chemica, Construction company When in full op- eration these companies will give em- ployment to more than 15,000 people Nat urally the pay roll will amount to many thousands of dollars monthly
 A splendid cooperation Is being ex- hibited between the people of this city and officials of the construction com, panies. The latter are using hundreds of auto trucks, automobiles and wagon teams here in transferring men, which to some extent relieves the street railw ay company and other modes of transporta- ton, which are entirely inadequate to cope with handling the thousands "on the move'' here.
 Transportation lines are not only sorely taxed, but also the hotels, the union sta ton. the postoffice and every business house in town. the facilities of which are totally inefficient and lacking in ca pacity to meet the demands that are now being made upon them, notwithstanding that remedial measures are being added daily to relieve the situation.
 Viewing the situation in it's entirely ii may appropriately be stated that pros. perity has fairly and largely captured this city and section in gripping fash ion. bidding fair to hold sway for years and years to come.