Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-16
ANOTHER BID IS
SUbMITT TED FOR
MUSCLE SHOALS
Alabama Power Company
Regarded as Formidable
Rival d Ford Tor Gov
ernment'S Properties.
tBy The Asyoclnied Press.

Washington, Feb. 15,-Entry of
the Alabama Power company to-
day in the lists of private bidders
! for the governments properties at
Muscle Shoals, Ala, was regarded
by officials as offering formidable
rivalry to Henry Ford's proposal
now before congress for final de-
cision.
Secretary Weeks probably will
expedite delivery of the new offer
to congress 50 that consideration
of the Alabama and Ford proposals
can be undertaken simultaneously
and their respective merits dis
Icussed before linal action is taken
on the Muscle Shoals question.
The Alabama company offer is
for purchase of the Warrior Power
plant and transmission line and
lease for fifty years of the other
properties under provisions Of the
FEDERAL water power act.
To Study All Offers.
Members of the house military
committee investigating the Ford
offer learned with interest of the
Alabama company's proposal but
said they would not delay action on
that already before them pending
receipt from the war secretary Of
the other. Chairman Kahn eX-
planned that it was the duty of the
committee, acting in behalf of the
governments interests to make
careful study of all offers alike in
an effort to determine which was
the best from the governments
point of view.
Secretary Weeks did not person.
ally receive the proposal today, as
he was confined to his home by a
slight cold. 1t was delivered to his
private secretary by Thomas w.
Martin, president of the company,
and held for Mr.. Weeks attention
when he returned to the department
which, it was expected, would be
tomorrow.
Witnesses To Be Heard.
Chairman Kahn was uncertain
how long the military committee
would continue the hearings on Mr.,
Ford's offer. Witnesses yet to be
heard include q number Of the
most important on the docket, such |
as Hugh Cooper, consulting en-
gineer for the government, on the |
of the Muscle Shoals |
attorneys for the Air Nj
trates corporation and the Alabama |
Power company, both of which |
claim optional privileges for prop
critics at Muscle Shoals which they |
have declared their intention to eX-
ercise before the government de- |
cided upon a disposal of them TO |
private interests: and Theodore |
Swami, of Aniston, Ala, an ell
gineer of the Muscle Shoals Con- |
works. After they arc |
heard, Mr.. Kahn said the commit |
tee will face its task of reporting to I,
the house the result of its delibera- |
tons on the Ford offer.
1t appeared probable, in view Of |
these circumstances, said the chair
man, that the committee would be |
fore it would be able to refer the |
proposal back to the house. In the |
event Mr.. Weeks submits the Ala
bama companys proposal within |
that time, the two offers would be |
simultaneously in the hands of the
same house committee.
Governor Tcstifies.
Todays meeting was devoted to
hearing testimony Of Governor Al
fred Taylor. of Tennessee. in addi-
ion to that submitted by Professor
Milton Whitney, chief of the soils
bureau, department of agriculture.
First hearings to be held on the
Ford offer by the senate agricul-
.ure committee was scheduled to |
1egin tomorrow with the Tennessee
governor and Major General Beach,
,hief of army engineers. on the
list of witnesses.