The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-12-30
THIS GIT 7 BUILT
WHILE YOU WAIT
Fourth Largest Town In Alabama
Full Grown in One Year.
HAD A MODEL GOVERNMENT
Permanent Settlement Around
U. S. Nitrate Plant Presented
Unusual Problems.
BY eARREr smith,.


The fourth largest city in Alabama,
peopled with 25,0oO souls of diverse
races and religions, uprooted from fur
scattered communities in every part
OF the United States and Canada
sprang into being almost overnight
around the great new government am.
monIum nitrate plant down on tho
open cotton and corn fields at Muscle
Shoals on the Tennessee River during
the last year of the World War. Here
was problem In city building, munic-
ipal government and community wei
fare that has seldom been equalled
and the success of Its solution has
never been excelled.
The job was In the hands OF the Air
Nltrates Corporation which had been
organized under the direction Of the
Ordnance Department to build plant
and city al Muscle Shoals. Early In
January, 1918, this new town had a
few temporary buildings and a popu-
latlon of 800. This had jumped by the
middle of August to more than 21000.
a population multiplied by 20 In Z
months.
In the management OF the new
towns and army environments that
sprang up during the war the old
time evils that attended the growth or
mushroom cities have been avoided
by the application of modern welfare
systems. But nowhere were condi-
tions more difficult than at Muscle
Shoals. Here was a malarial region
threatened at the same time with
other deadly disease epidemlcs. Trans
portatlon was lacking. No nearby
labor was available and the general
labor shortage was at its most acute
stage. Costs Of labor and supplies
We're leaping over night. Furthermore,
Muscle Shoals differed from all the
other new war towns inasmuch as II
was to be permanent
New Government Devised.
The managers, besides city govern
ment, had 10 handle the entire retail
business of the town. camp super
visor's department was put In charge
OF the maintenance of all buildings,
FIRE protection aud sanitation. The
camp supervisor looked after every
thing from the mending Of lock TO
The remodeiing OF groups OF buildings
or laying sewers or steam mains. For
ihe bachelor contingent a commissary
department was necessary
The business department managed
the stores, cnnteens, motion picture
theaters, pool parlors. tailor shops
dry cleaning establishments, barber
shops. newsstandI. hotel, vegetable
farm and u hog farm where 900 hogs
were. raised on the wastes from eat
Ing places. II maintained slaughter
house where these hogs were pul
through The regular packing hous,
course. II operated laundry which
cleaned 7,493 pieces day. Their
there was real estate department
that rented and managed the family
quarters and housing department
which asslgped to quarters everybody
excepting the families.
Under separate Jurisdiction from II:
community director were the police
The health department, in charge oi
a physician from New York city
started with a small Office In ono OF
the temporary buildings. and was
soon full grown and splendidly
equipped Conditions were favorable
to disease. The winter was the
severest ON record In northern Ala
hama. The men were compelled e
work either In deep snow or mud above
their knees AS result pneumoniu
epidemic developed among the Negroes
that spring Later In the year q
typhoid epidemic was threatened
Moreover, the site OF The plant was IL
the heart Of the malaria district Bu
tie pneumonia epidemic was checked
tie typhoid threat nIpped in the bud
and malaria stamped out,
"A Health Record Established
The little flrst-aid hospital present
ly grew to complete modern institu
lion with nurses home and a sep
arate dlspensary for dental, eye, ear
nose, throat, genito-urlnary clinics ant
surgical dIspehsary for first-ait
work.
During the eight months when In,
death rate was not affected by the in
iiuenza and pneumonia epldemIcs In,
general health rate was, 12,4 per thou
sand per year, which is lower than II
most cities In. the same latitude an,
climate, and the pneumonia death raj,
during the epidemic was lower thai
In most army environments.
Much of tie Success of the healtl
administration is due TO the establish
ment OF the Muscle Shoals sunltar,
district by the United States PublI
Health Service
The education and welfare depart
ment also had a vial work to perforAi
There was school population Of owe
1000, The Secretary OF War createi
the community organization brancl
Of the Ordnance Department which
with advice and ali Of some OF Ia