New Britain herald., 1922-03-31
MUSCLE SHOALS IS
 NOW VERY POPULAR
Many Visitors Are Flocking to
 Southern City

Florence, Ala, March 3t,-With the interest Of the nation fixed for months on Muscle Shoals, an influx of people to the district has constituted problem that has taxed the in- genuity Of town and civic authorities. Agitation of the potential strength of the Souths Niagara" and the pos abilities that were expected to be speedily fulfilled in event of develop ment Of the latent war project, turn ed veritabe stream of humanity in search of the Fl Dorado, Folks came on foot, in horse carts, in motor cars, in day coaches and in palatial draw ings rooms There were men with money seeking investments; men in overalls hunting work. There were ad- venturers looking for anything they might find Some spent money lavishy; others were wards Of the community and had to be fed.
 The problem at once became so grave that the town authorities of Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbia- municipalities composing the dis trict's ''tri-citios s"-sent out a warning Stay away from Muscle Shoals unless you come on legitimate business and have an engagement in advance
 This stopped some of the fortune hunters, but yet they came.
 The first offer for the governments property caused complete metamor- phosis of the district. The community was stunned when war work was stopped the day the armistice was signed. Putting machinery in stand by" condition was q symbol of dis sipated hopes. But the resultant som nolent condition was awakened over night when the world went forth: Muscle Shoals is to be dcveloped.' ' Everybody in the district believed that q biI meant other bids and that competitors in the field would result in acknowledgement by the govern ment that Muscle Shoals would not be scrdpped.
 The people of the district formed the policy of extending a welcoming hand to builders and the real estate boards of the three cities declared that realty prices should not ascend beyond unreasonable levels These boards, it is stated, have largely con- trolled prices of real estate. A few spectators edged in. however, and small tracts of undesirable land have been optioned and sold at figures not within bounds set by the realty asso- ciations. It is asserted, though, that actual cheating and faking has trap ped but few persons. There are no 1,n the realtors declare, but some of the property offered is situated many miles from the Tennessee river and the nitrate projects.
 Much property is said to have changed hands over a stretch of ter ritory along the river for distance of twenty-five miles. The state of Michi- gan, it is said, has furnished more buyers than all other states combined, with the possible exception of Ala bama. Town lots have sold at from a few hundred dollars to S10,000. Farm land contiguous to the towns has brought from $50 to $125 an acre. Many of these nearby farm tracts have been optioned or purchased with a view of subdviding in event Of looked-oyer developments.
 Authorities of the tri-cities say the three municipalities will constitute the hub from which will radiate one of the industrial miracles of the age, no matter who the successful bidder may he for the government property.
 E,Xtravagent stories circulated con- corning conditions in the district brought out "The Muscle Shoals Book" indorsed by town and civic or ganizations and edited by one of the communty's leading ministers. It sets forth authentic data for those who have the vision and courage to build themselves into the certain de- velopmcnt of the Muscle Shoals ter ritOry."
 The municipal woodpile at Shelf field has afforded scores of advcntur- CTS the opportunity of a square meal.
 So burdensome became the task of feeding the jobless that the town in cooperation with the Red Cross hit upon the no-work, no-Soup plan and it worked. Every man who wanted food and shelter chopped wood. As result many householders burned wood and scores of hungry men were fed.
 The new population furnished work for the police. Sharks and t1imham- mers came with the honest folks, the