The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-02-06
6ig $50, 600, 900 Nitrate Plant
a Defense for Future
Generations.
iNSUREs NATIONAL DEFENSE
Assurance Of Abundant Ameri-
can Explosives a Reason
Why Germany Quit.
BY GARRETT SMITH.


lca's new military defense system
which developed out OF the World
War is the Ammonium Nitrate Plant
at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, on the
Tennessee River. over three hundred
miles from the seacoast, capable Of
turning out 800 tons of high explosives
day. II assures to the United States
for all time an abundance Of am,nuni-
ton without which an army is a help
less encumbrance and 1t has made
this unlimited supply Of explosives
available without resort to raw ,ua-
teriai from outside Of the country
The essential ingredient OF ali l,otl-
ern military explosives in nitric acid.
BEFORE the World War, America was
entirely dependent upo,, 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
have us ut her mercy, for she could
cut Oft our essential means Of striking
back.
Other nations. however, were
equally dependent upon the Chilean
nitrate supply. Germany was pur-
chasing one-tl,ird Of it. She had ex-
pected to hold the sea with her sub.
marines but failed. But a 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
he extracted ammonium nitrate. Ger
many, therefore. fell to manufacturing
large scale.
Americans Buy German Secret
In 100. an American company, head
ed By Frank S. Washburn, had secured
the American rights to this process
from Germany and had gone into man
ufacturin. the fertilizer on the Cana
dian side of the Niagara Falls. When
America found herself in the World
War the Ordnance Department turned
to Mr.. Washhurn's company for help.
The Air Nitrates Corporation was
formed, with Mr.. Washburn at it's
head, to build the Muscle Shoals plant.
1t was assisted by several other well
known corporations. such as the West
'hghouse Church Kerr Company. which
put up the plant buildings. the perna-
nent city and utilities the j. 6. White
Corporation. which designed and con-
structed the power plant; the Chem
zeal Construction Company. which de.
signed and built the nitric acid plant,
and the NJ. w. Kellogg Company, which
furnished the piping ami 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 materialZed this one
plant alone would have been able to
supply Ii per cent. of all the high
explosives used by all the Allied ar
mics on all fronts during that drive
and the United States was secure for
all time to come against an ammuni
ton shortage.
When the arrangement was finally
made FOR building the big air nitrate
plant, work was begun on a power
dam at the same point This work is
being conducted directly by the Unit
ed States Engineering Corps. 1t will
~ hn
three more years. It was necessary,
therefore, in order 10 insure imme-
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 that even had the
water-power plant been completed dur.
ing the war it would have been neces-
sary also to have constructed steam
plant to insure the nitrate plant work.
ing at full capacity at all times dur
ing the year.
Plant Worth All It Cost.
Now, this entire Job cost the Govern
ment $6V,OOO,OOO. 1t was put through
at 4 time when the prices of materials
and labor were at their summit. 1t
was built at 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 vas in
operation showed that ammonium nj
trate of standard specifications could
he produced at this plant at a cost of
less than one-half 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 one-fifth the cost Of other
high explosives Of equal strength.
Compared with the older process for
making ammonium nitrate, the saw
Jugs made by this plant would have
paid for the entire plant in about one
and One-half years OF operation.
The chief value Of the Muscle Shoals