The Republican journal., 1922-08-10
OUR MUSCLE SHOALS
INVESTMENT

When we entered the war it was ap-
parent that vast quantities of nitrates
would be needed for the manufacture of
explosives. We could not produce any
considerable quantity ourselves because
we were s'unprepared. But with the
energy and extravagance characteristic
of our people when reused to action by
an emergency, it was decided to provide
the country with nitrate plants which
would have sufficient capacity to supply
all possible needs. A site for operations
was selected at Muscle Shoals and we
doubt if better site could be found any,
where. Two tracts of land, one contain
ing 1900 acres and the other little
more than 1000 acres, were provided,
both being contiguous to the Tennessee
river and near Muscle Shoals. The first
plant No. /, the other is known as nitrate
plant No. 2. On each of these tracts
huge buildings were erected for the man.
ufacture of nitrates and these buildings
were equipped with machinery of every
kind needed and of the best quality. Nj
trate plant No. 1 has a steam power
plant capable of furnishing 5000 horse
power and plant No. has steam power
plant capable of furnishing 10000 horse
mower. Miles of first class railroads
were built on each of these great tracts
of land, equipped With the best locomo-
t,yes obtainable and with the best steel
freight cars made There are concrete
mixers and machinery tools and imple-
mepts of all sorts which could possibly
be used in outside work. There are hun
dreds of houses, some of them modern
and expensive, some are moderate IN cost
but ample and suitable for workmen and
their families. Plant No. cost the gov
eminent S12 887, ,94i, and plant No. 2
cost s66, 256, 1893. In the immediate vi
cinity of these plants the government
purchased another tract of land known
as the Waco quarry. There are 500 acres
in this tract and here is an abundant sup
ply of stone such as is needed for the fix
alton of nitrates. The Waco quarry cost
the government 81. 302, 962-
At Gorgas, 88 miles from Muscle
Shoals, the Alabama Power Company
had steam power plant which furnish
ed electric light and power to more than
60 cities and towns. Our government
built and equipped a very large addition
to this plant and established transmission
lines to bring the power developed there
10 Muscle Shoals. The cost of this was
: S4. 600. 600.
While all this was going on SIT, 900, 600
were spent in partially constructing
sDam No. g." These various sums of
expenditure in connection with the Mus
Gle Shoals project, make total of Sl02,-
24S. .269. This is more than one-fourth
she cost of the Panama Canal Not a
I'VE have there an acreage of real estate
which is one-eighth the size of an aver
age Name township, two or three times
as much as would be needed under any
C1IcumSldICcs, VIC nave q poWCi piahe oo
miles away which was never needed fol
n moment; we have Dam No. which
can never be of use until $4,000, 00(
more have been expended for its com.
pletion; we have nitrate plants, steam
power plants, railroads, ETC., etc, al
standing as elsring examples of business
imbecihty, or something worse; we art
paying more than 81. 200, 900 interest ev-
cry year on the cost of these things, ane
now:-What shall be done with this
property is one of the big questions con-
fronting Congress.
Several months ago Mr.. Henry Fore
offered to lease this property for IN
years and this proposal was properly re-
feYred to the National House Committe'
ON Military Affairs. A sub-committe'
visited Muscle Shoals and reported. Th'
House committee held hearings ant
aeard testimony both for and against th'
acceptance of MI Ford's offer, and re-
y2EZ CHI RI AIMS