Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-15
The Huskin Letter ., . : @sss
PROGRESS AT MUSCLE SHOALS

Washington, d. c., Dec. 12.-The
general public may not be aware OF it,
but the great power project at Muscle
Shoals has not be abandoned while
congress bickers and dickers over the
question of accepting Henry Fords
proposal to take it over and complete
it as a private enterprise. Work IS
going steadily forward IN the con
struetion Of the big Wilson dam under
the direction of government engineers
and reports received in Washington
show that rapid progress is being
made.
Government funds are being ex-
pended at the rate Of 100000 a
month and mere than 1900 men are
now engaged in a race against time
and the Tennessee river. The race
is to complete a complicated JOB OF
Golfer dam1ming and foundation exca-
that would seriously interfere with
the task. and prospects are said to
be excellent that the elements Will
be circu1nyented.
When this section is finished only
one foundation section will remain to
be dug and poured and the engineers
plan to put it in next summer ana
complete it before flood time next
December. Meanwhile work is being
rushed on the upper portions OF the
dam and it is estimated that the
completed job will be ready in q
little over two years.
OF ever greater Importance and IN
terest to the public is the assurance
that the work now being done repre-
sents the cheapest and best construc-
linn that hos haan ~rponhnHSha since
the project was started. Wages are far
below those paid under wartime
conditions and the number OF men
employed is being limited by the
strictest consideration Of economy and
efficiency. Originally, it is said, there
were SO many men on the job that
they got in each others way. and
wage rates. were little short Of sean
dalous. That labor costs are now at
a minimum is indicated by the fact
that common labor is being paid only
received substantially more than tina
when the war emergency was on.
Work Stopped Two Years Ago
Work was stopped at Muscle Shoals
more than two years ago when con,
gress refused to provide additional
funds. but last spring this decision
! was fGlS Sd hAd IA
operations was made possible by an
appropriation of S7.500,000. To this
sum an additional half million was
made available by a presidential or,
DER transferring certain unexpected
appropriation balances to Muscle
Shoals construction uses. Approx
Imately $4,000. 900 of these funds arc
left and it is expected that tins VIII
suffice TO carry on the work at the
present rate of expenditure until next
September. BY that time congress
will probably have made further pro
vision for the project.
On July 80 last when the construc-
ton work was renewed the engineers
estimated that the Wilson dam was 3
per cent completed. that 30 per cent
of the necessary materials had been pur-
chased and that 40 per cent of the cos
of the whole job had been laid out
This dam is the big feature OF the
Muscle Shoals power project and Is
expected to develop 6OO.00o horse
power. There has now been expend.
ed Oh it S19,00O,0O0 out Of a tota
estimated cost Of S45, 500, 900. and be.
fore it is finished it will be necessary
for congress 90 provide something
over 500. 900. 900 in addition TO the
funds now available.
There are two other dams IN the
operation. but No. l will be for navi'
CATION only and will -cos'
only a million and a quarter. Dan
No. 3. seven miles up the Tennessee
from Wilson dam. which is officially
No. .. has not been started as yet
1t is expected to develop 2Uo,ool
horsepower. =,
When Wilson dam is finished it vii
be one of the engineering wonders OF
A. x-@-1i If1un nny1Hr3fn lE Hpinp
poured in its construction than was re-
auired in building the famous Assuar
dam on the River Nile. and 1.260.oVt
cubic wards of masonry will be required
as compared with t,179.00O for Assuan
The work Is divided into sections ant
!, of the foundation sections. 81 out Of
: SO IRE done. while half of the remain
der will be finished this year. Three
blocks out of q total Of 81 in the spill
way section are finished to the river
crest of 1873 feet. and on the large
island in the middle of the river. which
:. is crossed by the dam. ID blocks are
: completed to a height Of 400 feet.
, The foundation level is at 404 fee
: and the superstructures will rise III
: feet above that. so that the roadwa!
I, on the top Of the completed dam vii
be 525 feet,
, "The Land of If"
The Muscle Shoals region might vel
; be called The Land Of If at thii
time. for the people there are livini
in a haze in which everything they sa,
and plan is predicated on the magi'
word of two letters that is p~regnan
Of all Of hope and fear. Their recov
cry from the slough Of despond int
which they were plunged a year age
and their future prosperity. as they SCI
y it. all depend on IF" the great projec
is complrted. but more essentially o.