Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1920-01-29
THIS CITY BUILT
WHILE YOU WAIT
Fourth Largest Town in Alabama
Full Grown in One Year.
HID A MODEL GOVERNMENT
Permanent Settlement Around
u. s. Nitrate Plant Presented
Unusual Problems.
BY GARRET SMITH.


peoplcd with $1,000 souls of diverse
races and religions, uprootcd from fuf
scattered comm mlnities 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 the
open cotton and corn fields ut Muscle
Shoals on the Tennessee River durins
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
Nitrates Corporation which had been
organized under the direction of the
Ordnance Department to build plant
and city at Muscle Shoals. Early in
January, 1918, this new town nad n
few temporary buildings and popu-
lation of 300. This had jumped ny the
middle of August 10 more than 2l00a
A population multiplied by 20 iii Z
months.
In the management Of the new
towns and army cantonments thar
sprang up during the war the old
time evils that attended the growth of
mushroom cities have been avoided
by The application of modern welfare
systems. But nowhere were c0nd!s
ti0ns more difficult than at Muscle
Shoals. Here was malarial region
threatened at the same time with
other deadly disease epidemics Trans
portation was lacking. No nearby
labor was available and the genessi
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 to handle the entire retail
business of the wn. A camp super.
visors department was put in charge
of the maintenance Of all buildings
fire protection and sanitation. I'll,
camp supervisor looked after every.
thing from the mending of lock t.
the fesmodeIing OF groups Of building
or laying sewers or steam mains Fol
the bachelor contingent commissary
department was necessary.
| The business department managed
the stores, canteens, motion picture
theaters, pool parlors, tailor shops
dry cleaning establishments, barber
shops, newsstands, a hotel, Il yegetahl,
farm and hog farm where 1000 hogi
were raised on the wastes from eat
Ing places. 1t maintained q slaughter
house where these hogs were pu
through The regular packing hOus'
course. Ii operated a laundry whIcl
cleaned 7,4S3 pieces q day. Thel
there was a real estate department
that rented and managed the famil.
quarters and q housing department
which assigned to quarters everybod.
excepting the families.
Under separate Jurisdiction from II
community director were the police.
The health department, in charge q
physician from New York city
started with small office in one O
the temporary buildings, and wa
soon full grown and splendid
equipped. Conditions were favorabl
to disease. The winter wRs tn
severest on record In northern Ala
baina. The men were compelled t
work either In deep snow or mud abov
their knees. AS result pheumoni
epidemic developed among the Negroe
that spring. Later iii the year
typhoid epidemic WAS threatened
Moreover, the site of the plant was j
The heart of the malaria district. Bu
the pneumonia epidemic was checked
the typhoid threat nipped In the but
and malaria stamped out.
A Health Record Established
The little first-ad hospital presen
ly grew to complete modern institl
lion with a nurses home and a ser
arate dispensaly for dental, eye, ca
nose, throat, gento-urinary clinics an
a surgical dispensary for first-ai
work.
During the eight months when tn
dea.h rate was not affected by the il
liuenza and pneumonia epidemics III
general health rate was 12.4 per thol
sand per year, which is lower than !
most cities in the same latitude an
climate, and the pneumonia death raj
during the epidemic was lower tha
in most army environments.
Much of the success of the heait
administration is due to the establish
nent of the Muscle Shoals sanitar
district by the United States Publ
He2 Ith Service,