The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-18
Nitrate Plant WiU Be In
 Operation By June First
It Is Expected That One Unit of Great Industry Will Begin Extracting Ammonium From Air by This Date-Care of Workmen Being
 Given Every Consideration
By MABEL RANDOLPH

Florence, February Especial )-One unit of the governments nitrate plant will be extracting ammonium nitrate from the air for war use by June l. The determination to build at Muscle Shoals was not announced officially until November 10.-Then the rush began. La- borers from all parts of the United States came to Florence in droves.
 On the way to Florence by rail the traveller observes that something unusual is under way. Every train is filled with men of types that do not abound in the Tennessee valley. They are on their way to Muscle Shoals, where S30000, GOO is to be expended for labor and material as rapidly as these may be assembled. In the crowd of travellers the man with the saw predominates. He is not bowed by the weight of centuries''-not by several lengths. The American carpenter is a very independent citizen. He knows there is a job awaiting the man with the square, saw and level and that he will receive about 5 per day for his labor if he really knows how to use these tools. Even the unskilled laborer receives about $2.7 per day and all are paid time and half for overtime and Sundays.
 PROVIDE FOR MEN
 To provide for these workmen on their arrival is the first care of the Air Nitrates between the government and the work. Hotels and boarding houses in the Tri- Cities were filled with the first thrush of managers and workmen. There was not enough room available in private res idences to accommodate the foremen and clerical force employed. Every workman had to be provided with a place to sleep and place to take his meals. It Is no exaggeration to say that the first ar rivals built their barracks in the day time and slept therein that night. To feed this multitude Is a task of no less magnitude. One of the temporary mess halls where 2000 men may be fed in an hour was completed within four days. The ranges set in row in the largest of the mess halls extend the length of a city block.
 LABOR IS PROBLEM
 To recruit the labor for this task was a work of many difficulties, but the average obtained in skilled and unskilled workmen is good More than 300 of the 5000 carpenters, mechanics. bosses and ldUOT6TS dl WOEh dI NLuoClc di Hoosiers, fresh from Indiana. Others are from Minnesota, Michigan and all of the states of the west. They are efficient and American. The cold weather which prevailed in January did not stop them nor make them afraid, as they are used to it. Alabama men and Alabama mules are employed in large numbers, in fact, the greater portion of the labor came from the southern states.
 BUNK HOUSES
 One of the first things done in the way of building quarters for labor was the construction of bunk houses where negro laborers are made comfortable A vil- lage of small family houses was built for the negroes who brought their fam lilies. Each of these contains two rooms and they are separated from the other negro settlement and from the portion of the grounds occupied by white people. Another part of the dwelling section has been reserved for white men who have brought their wives and families to the work. This is called Married Row"
 The area covered by the temporary and permanent buildings already con- structed or under construction will be