The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-12-30
Big $60,oo0,o0o Nitrate Plant
a Defense for Future
Generations.
INSURES NATIONAL DEFENSE
Assurance Of Abundant Ameri-
can Explosives a Reason
Why Germany Quit.
eY oARRET SMITH.

bnc OF the Cnlet iortreSScS OF Amer
teas now military defense system
which developed out of the World
War Is the Ammonium Nitrate Plant
at Muscle shoals, Alabama, on the
TenuC see River, over three hundred
miles from the seacoast, capable OF
turning out 300 tons of high explosives
day. II assures to the United States
for all time an abundance of ammuni-
ton without which an army is II help
less cncumbrance and II has made
this unlimited supply OF explosives
available without resort to raw ma.
terial from outside of the country.
The essential Ingredient OF all mod
ern military explosives in nitric acid,
Before the World War, America was
entirely dependent upon Chile for the
supply Of nitrate OF soda, the only
chemical from which nitric acid can
be made. In case this country became
involved In war with any nation that
could control the sea our foe would
cut OF our essential means of striking
back.
Other nations, however, were
equally dependent upon the Chilean
nitrate supply. Germany was pur-
chasing one-thlrd Of It. She had OK.
pected to hold the sea with her sub
marines but failed. But process
for extracting nitrogen from the air
had been obtained by Germany some
years before from Italian chemists.
This process had been successful in
producing high grade heterogeneous
fertilizer from which in turn could
be extracted ammonium nitrate Ger.
many, therefore, fell tc manufacturing
ammonium nitrate from the air on a
large scale.
Americana Buy German Secret.
In 1907 an American company, head
ed by Frank s. Washburn, had secured
the American rights TO this process
from Germany and had gone into man.
ufacturing the fertilizer on the Cana.
dian side Ct Tho Niagara Falls. When
America found herself in the World
War the Ordnance Department turned
TO MIR. WASH arms company FOR help.
The Air NllrAtHs CORPORATION was
formed, with Mr.. Washburu at Its
head, 10 build The Muscle Shoals plant.
II was assisted by several other well
known corporations, such as the West
inghouse Church Kerr Company, which
put up the plant buildings, the perma-
Dent city and utilities the J. q. White
Corporation, which designed and CON
structed the power plant; the Chem.
ical Construction Company, which de.
signed and built the nitric acid plant,
and the NJ. w. Kellogg Company, which
furnished the piping and built the
chimneys.
Beginning work In November, 1917,
the big plant and new city at Muscle
Shoals was completed within one
years time. Had the expected spring
drive Of 1919 materialized Ills one
plant alone would have been able to
supply 10 per cent. OF all the high
explosives used by all the Allied ar.
mics on all fronts during that drive,
aud the United States was secure for
all time TO come against an ammuni-
lion shortage.
When the arrangement was finally
mnde Tor buhdlng the big air nitrate
plant, work was begun ON power
dam at the same point. This work Is
being conducted directly by the Unit.
ed States Engineering Corps. II will
not be completed, however, for two on
three more years. 1t was necessary
therefore, in order to insure immo.
date operation when the nitrate plant
was completed TO construct a $4,000,
600 steam power plant one of the larg.
est steam plants for the production Of
continuous electric power In the world
1t is pointed out ihnt even had the
water-power plant been completed dur,
Ing the war IL would have been neces
sary also 10 have constructed Il steam
plant TO insure the nitrate plant work.
Ing at fun capacity at MI times dur.
ing the year.
Plant Worth All II Cost.
Now, this entire Job cost the Govern.
ment SGO,OOOOO0. 1t was put through
at a time when the prices of materials
and labor were at their summit. II
was built ut record speed, and speed
costs money. The question naturally
arises, then, as to whether Uncle Sam
got his moneys worth.
Tests made after the plant was IN
operation showed that ammonium nj.
trate Of standard specifications could
be produced AT this plant at cost of
less than onc-hUlf the standard fixed
price paid by the Government for am.
monium nitrate produced by the Older
methods This cost Is only about one
fourth to onc-lifth the cost of othei
high explosives OF equal strength
Compared with the older process fOl
making ammonium nitrate, the say
ngs made by Ibis Plant would hay,
t.utI 90. tT,l. .at,ftrn Rlnnt "a uItg.ff ttfl