Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-04
DATE OT>YET SET
FOR OFFICIAL TRIP
To MUSCLE SHOALS
President of Alabama Power
Company Indicates I'm
provenents Would Follow
Acceptance of Offer

WASHINGTON, March 3.-Men-
bers Of the house military affairs
committee who have been Investigate
ing various proposals for private OPP
Grafton and lease Of the govern
nent's properties at Muscle Shoals
Ala. decided Thursday in an execu-
tive session in favor of making an
inspection trip to Muscle Shoals.
Chairman Kahn announced after
the meeting that the sentiment fav.
ored a trip, but the committee was
then unable to determine upon a date
at the present time. He explained
that the house leaders would be
consulted and their views ascertained
before a date for the proposed visit
was determined.
The committee yielded to the pleas
Of minority members in deciding on
the prospective visit to Muscle
Shoals. The majority had previous
ly opposed a trip at the present
time, but several members, includ
ing Representatives Miller, of Wash
ington, and Hull, Of Ohio, joined
with the Democrats in favoring the
trip.
Chairman Kahn said he did not
anticipate the date to be determined
would be in the immediate future,
but probably would follow the con
clusion of the comrNttee's investi-
cations on the offers before it.
Some members indicated a~desire to
make the trip after the committee
had made it's report to the house,
and before the house began con
sideration of the question.
Investigation Resumed
Investigation of the Alabama Pow.
er company's offer for purchase and
lease of the power projects was re
sumed by the committee, after the
executive session, with Thomas w
Martin, president of the company
on the witness stand.
Representative Hill, Republican, OF
Maryland, was the first to inferno
gate the witness. He referred to the
| 100, 00\horsepower the company of
fered to give free to the government
during the fifty years lease on the
| Wilson dam for operation Of the nj
trate plants.
| Mr.. Martin said the power hat
commercial value of $753 per horse
power a year, and would be equiva
lent to a gift to the government an
nually. of $753,000 or of $37, ZOO
for the fifty-year period.
The power company head asserted
that analysis Of his proposal would
show that it paid the government
more interest on it's investment a
the Shoals than anybody else had: OF
tered He said business condition.
would develop in ten wears in thu
Shoals territory, under the offer
J which would justify the compan!
in agreeing to finance the compile
ton Of the project by use OF private
finance,
eve are so confident of that" h
exclaimed, "that we are making thu
offer Of private finance now-whe1
conditions do not justify it." H,
added that the scheme of improve
ment would be completed in tel
years.
Promises Changes
Completion of the Wilson dam, Mr.
Martin continued, would improve
navigation conditions so that pri
Vate capital would be willing t.
finance the construction of a dan
| dUONO lI1S w 1ASOiA pAOJONSS GAAiA 40 w
lieved, in time would continue dan
building and navigation improve
ments to Hale's Bar, near Chatta
nooga.
w. B. Mayo, engineer for Mr.
Ford, returned today from Detroi
with "a statement from Mr.. Fore
which heA planned to give the com
mittee, While he declined to discus
the statement, Mr.. Mayo said it ex
planned the alterations Mr.. For
had approved in his offer for pur
chase and lease cf the shoals pro.
ects.
| Representative Quin, Democrat
mississippi, ased if the, Alabama OF
fer would "skim all the cream of
and leave the thin milk" for tn
government when the fifty-year leas
expired. 80.
Mr.. Martin replied that under tn
federal water power act, all tn
cream" would be returned to TIL
government and only the origina
Lor net investment of the compan.
could be collected when the prop
critics were recovered by the gov
eminent.
The Mississippi member then de
clared> "the people 4eed fertilize
more than they do ppwer" and wa
told by the witness that under tn
Alabama proposal it, would be pos
sible "for the people OF get both,
explaining that other interests I'm
doubted1y. would undertake to pro
duce fertilizers as soon as powe
was made available by use Of thu
Wilson dam.