The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-01-02
Fourth Largest Town IN Aiabalms
Full Grown in One Year.
HAD A MODEL GOVERNMENT
Permanent Settlement Around
Us! Nitrate Plant Presented
Unusual Problems.
~ oARReT SMITH.

races anu rellgiOnS, uprOOted from n T
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 the
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 well
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 had q
few temporary buildings and a popu-
lation Of 800 This had jumped by the
middle Of August to more than 21,O0O.
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-
lions more difficult than at Muscle
Shoals. Here was a malarlal region
threatened at the same time with
other deadly disease epldemics. Trans
portation was lacking. No nearby
labor was available and the general
labor shortage was at its most acute
stage. Costs Of labor and supplies
were 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. town. A camp super
visor's department was put in charge
of the maintenance of all buildings,
fire protection and sanitation. The
camp supervisor looked after every
thing from the mending OF lock to
the remodeling of groups Of buildings
or laying sewers or steam mains. For
the bachelor contingent a commissary
department was necessary.
The business department managed
the stores, canteens, motion picture
theaters, pool. parlors, tailor shops,
dry cleaning establishments, barber
shops, newsstands, hotel, IA vegetable
farm and hog farm where 1000 hogs
were raised on the wastes from eat
Ing places. 1t maintained slaughter
house where these hogs were put
through the regular packing house
course. 1t operated laundry which
cleaned 7,49S pieces a day. Then
there was real estate department
that rented and managed the family
quarters and housing department
which assigned to quarters everybody
excepting the families.
Under separate Jurisdiction from It's
community director were the police.
The health department, in charge If
a physician from New York city,
started with a small office Ia one 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
bama. The men were compelled to
work either In deep snow or mud above
their knees. AS result pneumonia
epidemic developed among the Negroes
that spring. Later In the year q
typhoid epidemic was threatened.
Moreover, the site of the plant was In
the heart of the malaria district. But
the pneumonia epidemic was checked,
the typhoid threat nipped In the bud,
and malaria stamped out.
A Health Record Established
The little first-ald hospital present
ly grew to complete modern institu.
ton with a nurses home and sep
arate dispensary for dental, eye, ear,
nose, throat, genito-urinary clinics and
surgical dispensary for first-aId
work.
During the eight months when the
death rate was not affected by the In
fluenza and pneumonia epidemics the
general health rate was 12.4 per thou
sand per year. which Is lower than In
most cities In the same latitude and
climate, and the pneumonia death rate
during the epidemic was lower than
In most army environments.
Much of the success of the health
administration Is due TO the establisli-
ment Of the Muscle Shoals sanitary
district by the United States Public
Health. Service. ...-@ 80 1.-,,...
The education and welfare depart
ment also had vital work to perform
There was school population of over
1000. The Secretary. of War created
the community organization branch
of the Ordnance Department which.
with advice and aid of some of the
greatest school men OF the country,