The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-05-31
new PROPOSAL
TO. COMPLETE
MUSCLE SHOALS
House Military Com
mittee Follows Plan
Closely Laid Out by
the Ford Offer

for the development Of the Muscle"
Shoals properties was agreed upon
by the house military committee.
The Gorgas steam plant it is under
stood to have been eliminated but
in other respects the plan followed
closely the terms offered by Henry
Ford. The proposal represents the
IpIan to be submitted by the commit
tee to all persons Interested regard
hess of whether they have made an
offer for the properties. The Ford
representative left for Detroit TO
submit the plan to Ford.
Washington, May 26 (By the AS
seciated Press).-A plan for de-
yelopment of the governments nj
trate and power projects at Muscle
Shoals, Ala, was virtually com
pleted today by the house military
committee In many respects It
conforms to that submitted by
Henry Ford, but contains certain
notifications of the Ford proposals
which, in the opinion OF sonae
members, makes the scheme the
work of the committee.
One important alteration Of the
Ford offer, it was understood, elm
inatesa the steam power plant at
Gorgas, Ala, from the projects
enumerated as belonging properly
to the Muscle Shoals group. Who
ever may ultimately acquire con-
troll OF the shoals projects, nitrate
plants, water power sites, lnclud-
ing the Wilson dam, the subpoWer
stations and other properties. 1t
was said. would not have posses
sion OF the Gorgas plant.
Another committee provision
would compel the purchaser or
lessee to manufacture fertilizer
and sell to the public throughout
the period of the contract. whefh-
ser for so or 100 years. The mini
mum production would be calculat-
ed on 10000 tons Of ammonium nj
trates, the estimated maximum
capacity of plant No. 2 per year.
This was represented as being
equivalent to 100000 tons OF
finished fertilizers annuallyA
Chairman Kahn called represen-
tatives Of the bidders into confer
ence today, advised Of the COM
m~ittee,s. plan and requested that
they inform, the committee as
quickly as possible whether the de-
tails were acceptable to their prin-
cipals.
+ Those invited included spohes-
men for Henry Ford. Thomas W.
Martin, president of the Alabama
Power company; Frederick r.
Engstrugl and Marion Butler, who
| represented the offer of Mr.. Eng
strum, and Charles l.. Parsons.
Three requirements had been
approved by the committee which
would have to be accepted by any
purchaser, lessee or user Of the
| shoals properties before the COM
mittee consented to advocate the
| final agreement, it was said. Also
it was explained the committee
plan could be accepted by any in
| dividuaI or interest which COM
piled with the terms fixed upon and
! was not subject to acceptance by
| the Bidders to the rejection Of 9TH
| ers who might come forward with
propositions more favorable to the
| government.
+ The three essential requirements
| were that the properties at Mus
| Gle Shoals should be subject to the
absolute right and control Of the
! government at all times for the
production of nitrates or other
ammunition components or mu-
nitions Of war and that nitrate
| plant No. . must be kept available
for such usage.
That the bidders obligate them
selves under strict terms to man.
| ufacture and sell fertilizers in time
OF peace to the public.
That the Gorgas steam plant be
excepted from the properties at
Muscle Shoals which should be de-
veloped collectively.
The Ford and Engsrtum pro-
posals, it was pointed out, were
the only two which provided for
development of all the projects.