The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-01
FORD WILL AGREE
 ID AMEND OFFER
 FOR B|G PLANTS
South CIamors for the Ac. ceptance of Ford's Offer, But Congress Must Act
 In the Case

Washington, August .-tSpecial.) There is every reason to believe that Henry Ford will agree radically to amend his original offer for the gov aernment plants at Muscle Shoals, and that as result, the Secretary of War will feel justified in asking Con gress for authority and money by means of which to complete Wilson Dam and lease water power subse- quently to be available to the highest bidder.
 For. following the favorable action of Congress, 1t is reasonably certain that there will be other bidders
 In the meanwhile the south clamors for the acceptance of the Ford of- fer, in response to which clamor the secretary cannot act without congress sional authority. Conflicting with the insistence of the south are va rious interests, political and indus trial Still another school, of which Clifford Pinchot, the ltra-conserva- tionist. is typical, wants to be shown Pinchot declares Ford's bid tco low and too indefinite, especially touching his guarantee of cheap fer tilizer.
 Many analyses of the Ford offer have been made for the guidance of the Secretary of War. The engineers of the government have made re- ports. Andrew w. Mellon, Secretary or the Treasury, has endeavored to reach conclusion to just what Ford r0n @l,x~ Sl oeal would affect the people of the United States and the government,
 A complete analysis has been made and submitted to the secretary by the Electrical World, a scientific maga- zine, which editorally neither ir- dorses nor combats the proposal of the Detroit manufacturer.
 Included in its analysis is the fol- lowing:
 What Ford Proposes
 Mir. Ford proposes that Dam No. 2 tthe Wilson dam) shall hs complet- cd with an installation of 6o0,000 horse power at the expense of the government and turned over to him ss soon as the initial 100000 horse power is installed under a 10o-year lease agreement, renewable in per petuity.
 The estimated cost to complete this work, as shown by official es- inmates, is s33,00o,00o in addition to tho s17.000, 900 already spent, or total of s50,000o 900 For the use of this property, Mir. Ford proposes to pay per cent on s20,0o0,0o, or s33 per horse power installed, less than half the total cost. leaving the tax payers to pay the interest on the re- rnainder MT. Ford's proposed i'm terest payments amounts to s2 per horse power of installed capacity per year.
 MT. Ford also proposes that the United States build dam No 3 with an installed capacity of 250,000 horse power and turn it over to him upon completion, under a 100-year lease agreement, 2 renewable in perpetuity. This project is an entirely new one, situated IT miles above dam No. 2, According to government reports this new dam would be $500 feet long Cnearly one and one quarter miles long and 300 feet longer than dam No. p and 50 feet high, making avail able an effective head of 40 feet on the turbines. No work has been done on this project and no property rights have been acquired by the gov erBment.
 Will Flood Land
 Approximately 30,000 acres of the finest bottom land in the Tennessee valley would be flooded out or dam aged By this development. The cost of this dam and power site, com pleted, as required by the For6 pro- posal, has been variously estimated under present day costs at from $25,- oco, 900 to s35,ooo,00o. For the use of this property, Mir. Ford proposes to pay the government per cent on Ss,o00,0 900, S1.92 per horse power year.
 Since both power plants will be-