The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-11
TEMPORARY LEASE.
OF SHEFF|ELDPL
IS MADE BY WEEKS.
Permanent Disposal of Plant
Not ftected-Arrangement
With Power Co. Revokable
at Secretary's Discretion

Temporary lease of the federal
steam power plant at Sheffield,
terminable at will of Secretary
Weeks on 80 days notice, was grant
ed yesterday to the Alabama Power
company.
This action was induced by power
need of cotton mills and other indus
tries in Georgia and the Carolinas
owing to low water and non-opera-
ton of water power plants. Relief
has been extended in limited way
by the Alabama Power company
through connection of its power lines
with those OF Georgia, which. in turn,
are connected with those of the Caro-
linas.
Power generated in steam plants at
Gadsden and on the Warrior river is
operating cotton mills and utilities
in the Carolinas 400 miles from point
OF generation.
Temporary Lease
The temporary lease does not con-
flict with permanent disposal of the
Muscle Shoals plant to Henry Ford.
Terms of the lease especially pro-
vide against that.
The Associated Press account OF
the action of Secretary Weeks fol-
lows:
washington. November 1o.-Tem-
porary lease of power plant No. of
the Muscle Shoals project has been
made to the Alabama Power com
pany. Secretary Weeks announced to-
day. The lease was made in order
that the Alabama Power company
might supply power principally to
the mills in Georgia and the Caro-
linas, which have been forced to close
down because of drought in those
states.
Although plant No. 2 is part of
the Muscle Shoals project for which
the secretary is negotiating with
Henry Ford for permanent disposal
by the government, 1t was said the
report submitted by an Investigating
board strongly recommended its inn
mediate leasing to the Alabama Pow
er company.
Terms of Lease
Under the terms of the lease the
company will pay the government
$4,000 a month and two cents a
kilowatt hour. The lease may be
terminated in the discretion of the
secretary by 80 days notice to the
holding company"
The plant was built during the
World war as part of the Wilson dam
and nitrate project at a cost of S14.-
600, 900, and is capable OF generating
10000 horse power. IL was of this
plant that Secretary We ks, on the
occasion of his recent visit to Shelf
field, said: 1T is the finest power
plant have ever seen"
Coal for operation of the plant Will
probably come from the. Walker
county field.
Mr.. Martins Statement
Thomas w Martin. president of the
Alabama Power company, who Is in
Washington, transmitted the follow
ing statement to The Age Herald:
THE Secretary of War last May
was requested by the Alabama Power
company to release the governments
Sheffield steam plant fof use In fur
nishing power to consumers in Ala
bama and other southern states which
could be, served. Consent was at that
time given for such use, but the
power was not needed until October.
We then made another applica-
ton to the Secretary of War to Sc
cure temporary use OF the plant to
enable US to meet an emergency that
exists in this and other southern
states. particularly acute in Georgia
and the Carolinas, and to enable our
company to meet increased demands
for power which otherwise could no,
be taken care of until the completion
iCanfinue6 ~. ~. n