The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-20
K|LBY TRIES ID INTEREs < x
 FORD IN LOCK 18.
Idea Is Advanced by One Who Is in Close Touch With Hy-
 uroeIectric Situation in State


 In view of the reticence of Gov Thomas E. Kilby aoout discussing his forthcoming conference with Henry Ford in Detroit an interesting sug- sestion was made yesterday as to the plan the governor has in mind.
 It is to the affect that the gover- nor hopes to interest MT. Ford In the development of Lock IS on the Coosa river. This Idea was advanced by one who Is in exceptionally closs touch with the hydro-electric situa- tion in the state and knows the tre- mendous possibilities for water power development at Lock 1s.
 This dam is by far the largest po- tential water power unit on the Coosa river and it has the added dis tinction of being controlled absolutely by the state of Alabama because of the states very large ownership of land in the vicinity of the dam.
 The dam site Is located between Wetumpka and the Mitchell dam of the Alabama Power company now under construction. S
 High Potential Capacity
 Engineers have declared that the Lock IS dam will be capable of pro@ dueing 1s0,000 primary horsepower which makes the project formida- ble rival even of the great Muscle Shoals development. Those familiar with the situation maintain that If the state of Alabama can interest MT. Ford in the development of this n Cn ro& C "a $.~tt La messing the power now going to waste it will have far reaching con sequences.
 It will be recalled that all plans had been made irf 1912 for the devel- opment of Lock Is by. the Alabama Power company. The plans which had been perfected provided for an immense nitrogen fixation plant at Montgomery. The work was to be carried out under a federal water power act which was passed by Con sress in 1912. The measure was ve- toed, however, by President Taft on the ground that the act sdid not con tain certain requirements which were incorporated in the general act which has since become law. When the act through and the. nitrogen fixation
 
 Montg omery went to Canada.
 Complications Possible
 Tn case the state should submit a proposition or invite bid from MT. Ford for development. 1t is not known nt this time whether certain com. plications might develop. The Ala barna Power company owns the land for construction of the dam but has never been able to undertake the development of the big unit be- cause of the larger land holdings of the state in the Vicinity. W Whiie own ing the land, much of which would be overflowed by construction of the dam. the state might have to take the necessary steps to acquire the actual site for the dam
 It was pointed out yesterday that 1t was possible that the Lock IS pro- ject might after all, not be what the governor had in mind in connection with his proposed conference with MT. Ford, but that it was the most plausible thirg considering all the attendant circumstances. 's NfI
 As published in The Age-Herzld yesterday 1t was reported in Birming- ham Tuesday night that Governor Kilby would go to Detroit Friday ac- companied by Victor H. Hanson, of
 
 they would not go Friday and both the governor and Mir. Hanson said they could not discuss the matter at this time. To The Age-Herald cor- tho governor again yes terday said he was still not in posi- ton to say anything on the subject. Fnr-Renching Consequences
 When Lock IS is built it win have ching consequences because of the amount of electric energy devel- oped. It would be of tremendous i'm terest not only to Alabama, but 1t IS known that New Orleans has long had an eye on Lock IS as tke future source of hydro-electric power used in that city,
 If Mir. Ford becomes interested it I would of course be possible>to make it a companion project of the Muscle Shoals development in caseshe is sue cessful there. z He could build inde- pendent transmission lines connecting the two points. On the other hand it should be borne in mind that the Alabama Power company has trans lines reaching all the way from tho lower Coosa to Muscle Shoals and some deal night be made for feeding power into these lines.
 The whole situation, it is claimed, offers very interesting possibilities and renewed source of pride that Ala bama has two such potential possi- bifities as Muscle Shoals and Lock IS. It is Interesting to note that Lock 11 on the Coosa has only 112.000 primary and Mitchell dam, will