The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-17
Property at Muscle Shoals Will Be Taken Over
 by Government
OFFICIALS ARE NOW
 HOLDING CONFERENCE
Question Is Whether to Make Gift or Allow Condemnation Pro- ceedings so That Transfer
 May Be Made
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

Washington, February 16.--(Specialo The Alabama Power company, after hay ing purchased property bordering the Tennessee river in hope of developing wa the power at Muscle Shoals, is now con fronted with the necessity of transfer ring such property to the government
 James Mitchell. president, and Thomas W. Martin, chief counsel and vice presi- dent. surrounded by various directors or the company, are at present in Washing ton devising ways and means for proper negotiations
 The company must select one or three alternatives. It must initiate the trans action either by offering to donate it's property, or offering to sell it at a vaiue the company thinks just. namely $oo'oo' or 1t must permit the government to condemn the property and pay Tor IL al figure the government deems reason able.
 REACH DECISION MONDAY
 It is understood tonight that the com pany by Monday morning will nave reached a decision as how it shall pr~ ceed If it gives the property to the povernment it naturally follows that the company in the estimat tion of those Wno regard it as selfish and monopohsuc VII have ..come clean" and have shown 's appreciation of the action of the state II holding It's extensive enterprises, non . accessible for taxation. On the otner hand. should the company hold out TOT inc value of the property as nxeu oy itselfs there Is the possibility of the idea obtaining currency that the company oe- nied the right to develop Muscle Shoais is in the role of the dog in the manger' attempting to impede the government III ona of it's most momentous war enter prises. .. nest,onz
 uhtcb give MT. Mitchell and his ac-
 NOTHING MADE PUBLIC
 Nothing from the conference has
 rs.cbed the public and the course to ha nursued cannot be foretold. It Is
 Lnown. however that both Senator
 R.nkhead and Senator Underwood nave advised that the company Win tne good will of the government at tne same time the people of Alabama by meeting the administration more than half way. The present attitude of the Alabama Power company respecting thc development of Muscle Shoals IS helieyed to be friendly. In the begin n;nr. when the senators attempted leeislation giving the government the right to develop the shoals, the com nany. having purchased land on both sides of the river with the view ul- timately of developing the shoals it- self. did register objection. When the senators made it plain that they were not 10 be dissuaded from their course inc company retired from the field gracefully, it is said. Later the com pany is understood to have behaved i finely when the government eofi- nandeered power from it's steam plants in walker county for the purpose of hastily operating the cynamid plant | Tn course of construction at Sheffield As to whether or not the company will deem it wise further to serve the gov ernment at possible loss to itself or to stand out for it's pound of flesh remains to be seen. Tn the event the company determines to fieht for the whole value of it's territory borderin2 2 | the Tennessee the government will Itake 1t under condemnation proceed l ines and justice may be done later | through the court of claims.
 Regarding the conference nothing
 by Mir. Mitchell or MT. Martin is of
 feree for publication.