The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-02-06

HAD A MODEL GOVERNMENT
Permanent Settlement Aroun4
U. S. Nitrate Plant Presented
Unusual Problems.
BY eARRET SMITH.

III ~ <AA~$~-A@As
peopled with $4,000 souls OF divers
races and religions. uprooted fr0R lar
scattered communities In every part
OF the United States and Ca1A1A
sprang into being almost overnignP
around the great new government an
monium nitrate plant down en- The
open cotton and corn fields at Muscle
Shoals on the Tennessee River daI1Rg
the last year OF the World War Here
was problem In city building. mHRtc-
ipal government and community vel
fare that has seldom been eduansd
and the success OF its solution Aas
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 10 build plant
and city at Muscle Shoals Early IN
January, 1918. this new town aaa q
few temporary buildings and a popu-
lation of 800. This had jumped BY the
middle OF August to more than 21O00.
A population multiplied by 20 In
months
towns and army environments thaK
sprang up during the war the 0id-
time evils that attended the growth sr
mushroom cities have been avoided
by the application of, modern welfare
systems But nowhere were condt-
lions more difficult than at Muscle
Shoals. Here was a malarial regsaR
threatened at the same time vita
other deadly disease epidemics. Trans
portation was lacking No nearky
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 TIE
other new war towns inasmuch ss ig
was to be permanent
New Government Devised.
The managers. besides city govern.
ment, had to handle the entire retain
business OF the town. A camp super
visor's department was put ia charge
of the maintenance OF all buildings,
fire protection and sanitation. The
camp supervisor looked after every
thing from the mending of lock -
the remodeling of groups OF buildings
or laying sewers or steam mains Fer
the bachelor contingent a commiSsAFY
department was necessary.
The business department managed
the stores, canteenS, motion picture
theaters. pool parlors. tailor shops.
dry cleaning establishments, barber
shops, newsstands, hotel, a vegetable
farm and a hog farm where ], 600 hogs
were raised on the wastes from eat
ing places. 1t maintained q slaughter
house where these hogs were Dug
through the regular packing house
course 1t operated laundry which
cleaned 7,493 pieces a day. Then
there wa~ a real estate department.
that rented and managed the family
quarters and housing departments
which assigned to quarters everybody
excepting the families.
Under separate Jurisdiction from it,
community director were the police.
The health department, ia charge ~
a physician from New York city,
started with q small Office Ia one Of
the temporary buildings, aud was
soon full grown and splendidlT
equipped. Conditions were favorable
to disease. The winter was tia
seyerest on record ia northern Ala
bama The men were compelled tG
work either In deep snow or mud above
their knees. As result d pneumonia
epidemic developed among the Negroes
that spring. Later in the year .
typhoid epidemic was Threatened
Moreover. the site of the plant was In
the heart of the malaria district But
th0 CHI ID
the typhoid threat nipped In the bud,
and malaria stamped out.
A Health Record Established
The little first-aid hospital present
ly grew to a complete modern insuta-
ton with a nurses home and 4 sep
arate dispensary for dental, eye. ear,
nose, throat. genito-urinary clinics and
4 surgical dlspensary for Hrst-&id
work.
During the eight months when the
death rate WAS not affected b. the In
fluenza and pneumonia epidemics tos
general health rate was ia per thoH-
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 THAI
In most army environments.
Much of the success OF the health
administration is due TO the establish
ment of the Muscle Shoals sanitary
district by the United States Public
Health Service
The education and welfare depart
ment also had vital work TO perform
There WAS a school population OF 0Fsr
| 600 The Secretary of-War created
the community organization branch
1f the Ordnance Department which,
with advice and aid Of some OF 0s
greatest school men OF the coR1Hy,
Cd h.. IL - I'D