The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-29
POINTS OUT THAT POAD WOULD
PAY NOTHING FOR WATER
POWER AND WOULD
PAY NO TAKES.
Government Would Have to PAy Dc
probation CostS-Th1nks oner
Should Be Changed.

pTOC1ntlOn No1tS-Ip4nkb SUoE
Should Be Changed.
philadelphia. Pa. August %.
Editor. Tho Intell!Gencer
Wheeling. w. Va.
Dear Sir:
Tho recent o~cr OF Mr. Ford 10 take
os"v government property at Muscle
shoals on tho Tennessee river Is SO I'M
l,riau: that l take the liberty OF lay
Iug certain essential facts before you.
The FIRST part OF the Ford Offer Is TO
case 'he Wilson Dam and Dam No. :
FOR 100 years. with indefinite renewals.
provided the government will complete
thorl and install machinery to produce
$4,000 horse power. Mr.. Ford offers 10
pay per cent on tho S9S.G0O,OO0 which
no estimates will be necessary TO COM
plrte this work. or 40 per cent on
SIS. O00. 900. Mr. Ford's own estimate ot
tn" whole government investment ~
dams. locks. and power houses. Even IT
we add all other annual payments I'he
so-called amortization payments anu
payments for the repair. mathematics
and operation OF dams, 6ates ana !otHS)'
the total would DO equivalent ~ inter-
ext st tho rate OF only 6-lh per cent
Mr.. Ford otievs also 10 given tho GoN-
eminent 800 horse power 10 operate the
locks.
Please note that for the water power
itself Mr.. Ford would pay nothing. anu
that he would lie free from all taxes on
the property. other lcssees o. wafer
power rights from the government not
only bear the tota. cost or building
their own dams and power houses an"
nay taxes on them. bat theT also pay
for the water power in addition. Inc
Ford offer Is like Offering man 6'lV
ner cent on the cost OF his factory as
rent, and then asking him to throw IN
a coal mine 20 supply fuel for the en-
zines for nothing.
No Depreciation Allowance.
There Is no allowance FOR deprecia-
ton and tho government would beyond
question have TO pay the cost OF Injury
70 the dams or locks from floods or
other causes. Moreover, there IS noth-
INK in tho offer 10 indicate that the gov
eminent, In order 10 protect its own
property. would not have to bear IN" en-
psnss OF replacing enormously costly
machinery when II had been worn out
In Mr.. FoTd's service.
Tho second part OF I'll" Ford offer IS
70 buy Nitrate Plant N |. which COST
the Eovernmen; in rourH numbers SlA.-
oOo, 900. Nitrate Plant 30. .. which cost
the government In re- nd numbers Wv
900, 900, and other J: operty which bTngs
the total cos, to 100000. and 10 pay
IS. 900 for 1t all. The property Tor
which TIL, offer Is made Includes steam
machinery TO produce 10000 horse
power which alone Is worth FAR more
than Mr. Ford's offer for the whole. In
addition, tho government 10 TO ouy
from tho Alabama Power company tho
land upon which certain OF the fore
going structures were built, and to turn
that over to Mr.. Ford also.
In return for the lease. for tho pur-
chased property. and for tho water
power without charge, Mr.. Ford orers
In addition to the payments mentioned
above. TO do three principal things:
First. "to maintain Nitrate Plant NO
3 ready to be operated In time OF
war for tho production OF explosivesS
md IN the event ur war 10 turn IL over
70 the government FOR that purpose.
Second. TO operate Nitrate Plant No.
to nr1-oximate present capacity In
tho nrnduc'!on Of nitrogen and other
fcrt.llZo. compounds" and in this bus!-
ness TO limit his net prohts from tho
manufacture and sale OF fertilizer pro-
ducts to eight per cent.
Third the offer as written suggests
producing, but contains no direct pro-
posal to produce. fertilizer for the benc-
A. Of American farmers. That could. o:
course, DO corrected in the flnal con-
tract. for have no doube that Mr.. Ford
desires to make fertilizer n total net
nroo, OF etEht per cent. Nitrate Plant
No. 2. however. Is rot adapted to MAX
Ing fertilizer. but only cyanimid' one
Of several material used for tho produc-
ron Of fertilizer. and not one OF the
best at that.
Tho fact IS that the Ford offer Is not
mainly a fertilizer proposition. 1t Is
seven parts water power TO ono part
fertilizer. even II the fertilizer part
should work out. For. II Nitrate Plant
No. were TO be permanently employed
in tho manufacture Of fertiliIer II
would consume but 100000 horse power
out Of tho $50. 900 installation. This Is
m. heart Of tho whole matter.
As water power proposition. tho
Ford offer Il In every important point
directly contrary to the Roosevelt water
mower policy, which after IS years OF
struggle was finally enacted into law
last year.
Tho Roosevelt policy provides that all
water power leases shall be limited TO
20 wears Tho Ford Offer asks for 100
wars with indefinite renewals.
Tho Roosevelt policy provides for re-
turn Of tho government works at tho
end Of fifty years. Tho Ford offer pro-
vide, for indefinite private possession
Of the government works.
NO Chsok on Prices.
Tho Roosevelt policy provides for
regulation Of tho price to tho power
consumer. The Ford otrer asks for many
hundred thousand horse power for MOTH
ing.
mo amount Of power Mr.. Ford could
develop. under his offer. is greater by
half than all that - now being do
veloped by Niagara Falls. II Mr.. Ford
were TO pay for It At tho rates charged
By tho government to other companies