Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-03-01
RIVAL Of FORD
WANTS SHOALS
FOR INDUSTRY
Alabama Power Co.
Plans to Develop Area
800 Miles in Diameter.

Washington. Feb. 2S.--Deyelopment
of hydro-eleetric power sufficient to
industrialize a territory 500 miles in
diameter with the center based on
Muscle Shoals, Ala, was promised the
house military committee Tuesday by
Thomas w. Martin. president of the
Alabama Power company, in the event
congress approves of that company $
bid for purchase and development of
the government owned stream and wa
ter power projects at the shoals.
Thorough studies had been made of
power markets within a radius of 400
miles of Muscle Shoals, Mr.. Martin
said. and applications for energy al
ready filed with the power company
convinced him there was need for de-
veloping the Muscle Shoals and dis
tributing the power throughout that
was prepared to serve the public, func-
as a public utility regulated by
federal and state laws, he added. and
to deliver power in emergency cases
to greater distance by relay systems.
Public Service Is Test
Representative Greene, republican,
Vermont. contrasted the power com
proposals with the offer sub
mitted by Henry Ford. Under the lat
ter, Mr. Greene believed much of the
power created at the shoals would be
used in the manufacture of fertilizer.
parts for automobiles and other com
modities by private concern. The
question was. he said. whether the
Ford or Alabama offers would best
serve the public policy, adding that the
power company did not make any pro-
Al Il
Chief among the provisions of the
offer emphasized by the Alabama Pow
er company heard were those pledging
the operation Of Muscle Shoals for
public service under regulations of the
federal water power act, the secretary
of war and the federal power com
mission in addition to state laws. Other
features of the proposal included the
ID-year lease agreement; the payment
of S5.OOO.OOO to the government for
purcbsse of the Warrior steam plant,
line and steam plant at
nitrate plant No. 2. less amount nee
essary for the completion of locks 1t
dam No. .; the giving of 100000 horse
power free to the government for op-
Grafton of the nitrate plants and com
pletion by the company of dam No. =.
Sub-Lessees Seek Nitrate Plant
Mr.. Martin also told the committee
his concern had been approached by
persons interested in fertilizer manu-
facture who. he believed. were able
and ready to operate the nitrate plants
for that purpose in the event the 1OO,-
coo horsepower was supplied by the
power company.
Chairman Kahn said he expected Mr..
Martin would complete his testimony
Wednesday or Thursday and as soon
as that was done, the committee would
call ". b. Mayo. chief engineer for
Mr.. Ford, and clear up certain ques-
tons respecting alterations in the Ford
proposal which already have been ap-
proved by Mr.. Ford but not revealed
to the committee.
One Of the additions understood to
have been agreed upon by Mr.. Ford
and his advisers. was to write into
the proposed contract q clause fixing
the minimum capitalization of the
to be created to operate
Muscle Shoals at $10,0OO.OOO. Secre-
tary Weeks suggesting adding such a
provision to the Ford offer when he
submitted it to congress.