The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-27
MUSCLE SHOALS
 IS CENTURy-OLD
 FEDERAL PROBLEM
First Effort to Improve Began In 1898, When Government Began Construction of
 Series of Canals
By WAITER E. MILLER

Tuscumbia February 26.--(Special)- Since Congress has seen fit to turn down the slO,ooo,oO0 appropriation for Muscle Shoals, one f the greatest projects of it's kind in history, it will nevertheless not be amiss to give an interesting bit of the past leading to the development or beginning of development. of this vast water power on the Tennessee river, two , miles from this city.
 Muscle Shoals section of the Tennessee river extends from the head of Browns Island to the river bridge connecting Col bert and Lauderdale counties, a distance of 36 miles, in which distance the river has fall of 131 feet. It is a succession of reefs and shoals that has formed prac- tically complete barrier to through nav igation. The slope in places is as much as 15 feet to the mile, and there are currents in excess of 10 miles per hour. This section includes Elk river shoals, Nancy's Reef, Big Muscle Shoals and Little Muscle Shoals. The greater DOT ton of the fall is concentrated in length of about IA miles, nearly midway of the section This portion, locally known as Big Muscle Shoals, was entirely unnav- igable.
 BEGAN IN 1928
 The first effort to improve this section was by colonization. In the act of Con- gress of 1928 a grant was made to the state of Alabama of 100000 acres of public land, to be sold and the proceeds to pe' applied to the improvement of the navi- gation of the Muscle Shoals and the Col bert Shoals in the Tennessee river
 The original plan of improvement con templated the construction of a lateral canal on the right bank of the river cov- ering the entire Muscle Shoals section. The depth of the canal was to be feet, it's bottom width 42 feet and the locks, ENoA 1c,c !, feet wide, and of 5-feet lift, with feet of water on sills. This canal was com pleted by the state of Alabama in 1854 so as to cover the length of Big Muscle Shoals, but it left unmproved length of river both above and below the canal wherein the navigation was difficult, dan ~erous and often impractcable. As re- suit the canal was not used for commer- cal purposes It fell into decay and soon became entirely unservicable.
 THE 1873 TRY
 In 1873 Congress made provision for the restoration and reconstruction of this canal. A larger canal than at first pro- posed. The locks were to be 900 feet long and 70 feet wide and the canal 100 feet wide on the bottom and the navi- gable depth to be feet.
 Three canals were proposed all along the north bank of the river Gas in the for mer project), one around Elk river Shoals
 
 Shoals, ending in deep water near Flor ence. The first was designed to have three lift locks and two guard locks; the, next or Big Muscle Shoals division, l7 locks and the third, past Little Muscle Shoals, 8 lift locks and guard locks.
 This was the project submitted in 1872 by Mai Walter Mcfarland corps of en- gireers, at an estimated cost of abouti s4000,000 and work was commenced in 1875.
 S600, ,O00 ANNUALLY
 In 1877 this project was modified by report of Maj. w. R. King, corps of en- gineers proposing the improvement of Little Muscle Shoals by spur dams and rock excavation in the channel of the canal past these Instructions; reducing the number of locks in the Big Muscle Shoals division from 17 to 9. These changes were suggested with a view to diminishing the cost of the work and facilitating navigation by reducng the number of lockages.
 The plan of improvement was adopted and the work of construction was carried on under various contracts. The canal was completed in 1890 at a total cost of $3191.72 50 Since then the maintenance of the canal has cost an average of $600- 600 per year. This is the canal at present time in operation in the Muscle Shoals district.
 STILL LIMITED
 The canal, although fully able to pass vessels drawing five feet or less, was still limited in capacity by the lack of depth at Little Muscle Shoals and at Nance'S Reef, which is between the two sections of the canal.
 Under special order s, issued by the war department on 1889. board of en- gineers was directed to make an exam nation and report on the improvement of the Little Muscle Shoals The board rec commended canal from near Locke g to the city of Florence, at total estimated cost of about $3,000,000
 The recommendations were approved, but the canal was not constructed. and nothing further was done until 1907, when by another special order board of en- gineers was directed to examine ''the present condition of the improvement sss with view to permitting the im- provement of this section of the river by private or corporate agency in conjunc- tion with development of water power by means of not more than three locks and dams"
 NEEDS THREE LOCKS
 The board reported that this reach of the river cannot advisedly be improved by means of not more than three locks and dams"
 On May g, 1908, the chief of engineers reccnvened the board for the purpose of securing additional information with re- gard to the natural features of Muscle Shoals section, and 'to make further ex-s animation of the works proposed by the private corporations known as the Muscle Shoals Hydro Electric Power company" This board found that the offer of this corporation was not acceptable. g In 1911 another board of engineers made an investigation of the Muscle Shoals as to it's improvement as to navigation and water power. Nothing was done as to this investigation and report.
 NITRATE PLANTS In 1917 the United States entered the great war, and two nitrate plants were constructed near Sheffield and Tuscum- bia. under section 124 of the national de- fense act, by which act go, ,000,0 900 had been appropriated for this purpose. Nitrate plant No was never operated owing to failure, it has been stated, of having the machinery installed properly. The nitrate plant No. ? was constructed for the man. :. ufacture of ammonium nitrate by the synaimid process. Plant No. was com plete and started operation in 1918, few weeks before the armistice.
 THE WILSON DAMP
 President Wilson. under authority of sAction 124 of the defence act. in his let- m TInGEC IJYE TuCCC