The Nevada County picayune., 1921-12-29

project saw their opportunity. They pressed their case harder than ever l Finally they got government action, and the building of the great project was begun.
 The river at this point Is trihe less than mile wide In the river are two islands, Patton's island, directly op- poste the city of Florence, and Jack sons island, farther upstream. The government planned not only to dam the river and get abundant power, but also to provide for navigation past the power works. The plans called for three dams No. 1, from the western tip of Patton's island to the mainland No. 2, straight across the river about the middle of Jackson's island, and No. 2, across the rivers full width about 1G miles above dam No. ?. Dam No. 1, with a lock and cut through the rocky cliff at the northern end of dam No. 2, make canal through which boats may pass up or down the rlVcr around the power works. Dan No ? now called Wilson dam-is to be the great work of the project
 It dams the river developing 9S- foot head of water. The power house at it's southern end will have IS gigan- tic water turbines developing 30000 horse power each. Next to the Assuan dam. across the Nile in Egypt, the Wilson dam is the greatest in the world. There is nothing else even ap- nroaching if on the North American continent Dam No. 3 is also for power purposes and will have head of water e feet deep. The two dams will develop more than .000,O horse power. Dam No. 1 is built; dam No. ? is ahout two.thirds built. The spill way to care for surplus water rests. for the most part. on Jackson island, It is completed The foundations for the powerhouse at the Sheffield end or
 
 dam. holding back the water to make the laying of the foundations. stiil stands waiting for someone to come and rear the powerhouse on the foun- dations, The unit from the northern side of Jackson's island to the florence Side of the river also is unfinished. When this and the powcrhousc and its retaining walls are built the water will hack up behind the dam to about S1 feet above it's present level and the whole eastern two-thirds ofg Jackson's island will be submerged.
 Though the government was not able to complete the dam before the war ended. 1t did complete two great plants for making nitrates. one hy chemical process and the other by air fiXation, and big steam power plant. Plant No 1. the air process, stands on tract of 1.700 acres on the south side of the river just below Sheffield Plant No. .. the cyanide process. IS on tract of 2.Oo0 acres on the south side of the river directly opposite Florence Al both ends of the Wilson dam are government reservations which, com Ihucd include 900 acres more under government use
 That brings us to the difficult ques- ton immediately before the govern mcnt. Here k project on which, un- der stress of war, nearly Sloo,oooooo of the American peoples money was spent. It is still incomplete un- tiI # is complete, it k practically use less. The government. of course. will not even consider letting the plant be come utterly worthless through failure to complete it. But to complete it will cost about SEQ 100000.
 The government k trying to find someone who. when the dams are com pleted and power can be developed, will take over the whole project and oicrate it. That is where Henry Ford comes in He is the only party or interest which. to date, has offered the government constructive proposition proposition offering to pay something for the project There have been other offers, but all were on the basis thai the work. as it stands now, incomplete, is worthless and asking the govern mcnt to turn over the property for