The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-04
THE WATCHMAN AND SOUTHRON. FEBRUARY 4, 1922

OF the leases for the two above
dap:>. their power houses. etc
! Tho effect Of this provision was
10 bind lhc United States TO u re-
ncual OF tho lc;lsc for one hundred
lltoo years on such terms as
SHOULD i,c determined TO be Just
bv :, board ol' arbitration. Under
Tic new proposal the rcncwa! cause
is contained in paragraph u,
which reads Us follows:
"ln order that said company
may be supplied with electric pow
cr and the farmers with fertilizers
after the termination Of the said
one hundred G09p year leases.
should the United States elect not
to operate said power plant$. but
determine to lease or dispOs" OF
same. the company shall have the
preferred right 20 negotiate with
the United States for such lease or
purchase and upon such terms as
may tlcn be agreed upon.
This paragraph does not bind
the United States TO a renewal OF
tho lease and is in no way an at
tempt 10 control the policy OF con-
Srcss beyond the onc-hundrcd Year
period Of the present lease. except
10 preserve TO Nh. Ford'S COM
pany "thc preferred right TO re-
cotiatc with the United States Tor
such lease or purchase and upon
such terms as may then be agreed
upon
There should bc some assurance
that the contracts made by the
proposed company will be carried
out or some penalty imposed tor
failure to perform.
In the event Nh. Ford's propos-
al is accepted. the government
must make new appropriations
amounting to $40.000,Q00 TO $50
100000. of which Mr.. Ford will
have the benefit for Approximately
100 years ut per cent. The COM
pany is. OF course, bound 10 keep
Nitrate Plant No in a condition
to produce explosive which. as y
matter Of preparedness. is of great
value TO the government. Never
thclcss. Mr.. Ford is Offering but
s5.nO0.O0o for ;hc title TO the tWo
nitrate plants. the Waco quarry.
the GorGas- Warrior >.ca:n plant.
transmission lines ara appurtc,l-
ancrs. Tha; YOU inaH tho better
understand the value Of the prop
crty for which NJ. Ford is offering
:his $4,000 900. I am attaching TO
this letter. q bricf statement pre-
pared by chief OF ordnance. show
f, ing the cost and estimated salvage
value Of these properties. From
the tahl., conta;ncd in this state
mcnt it viii be seen that these
properties cost the United States
f; approximately $S3.000.090 and that
! as scrap thc!' arc estimated TO be
worth $S.Si2.000 However, the
I last col,;En OF the table in Exhibit
~" indicates ti}at tho chief o.
: ordnance believes The war depart
mcnt can dispose OF III" property
! for $751; 1000. Nh Ford is
! bound By his proposal TO operate
! Nitrate Plant No. >. brt tncr" is nc
! legal cbsla@l" to prevent his dis
posing OF THO other properties tt
! which he gets title. Should he b.
able 10 obtain what the chief o:
ordnance estimates that the govern
mcrt can secure for the various
=, itrms. namely. $1,000 geo for tho
Warrior plants. which have aD :l:.
stoliation of 10000 horsepower
/ and $6n0.0Up for Nitrate Plant No
+, and dispose Of the Warrior Mus
clio Shoals transmission line. as d
(; transmission line and not as scrap
for $4,000. and should he obtain
$337 900 for the Waco quarry. h'
would have left the Nitrate Plan1
4. No with It's $1,000 horsepower
steam plan: at a cost 10 him OF loss
than $40o.G01 The interest on III,
I proceeds of such posSihl" sale:
wodld amount 10 4 very large sun
during the term OF The proposed
contract. Th" present revenue
from rental of the power plant a
Nitrate Plant 40. is q tniuimun
! Of 100000 per annum with Il pos
Sibility that. in event OF operation
il may run 10 $260.Uo0. The cos
of maintenance Of Nitrate Plant
] No. > WAS approximately 100000
during the fiscal Year la2l. TIL,
total horsepower developed by Tho
three steam pants. to which Mr.
Ford will get title. is 3,Yn0. which
practically doubles the all-Sca>on
o. primary horsepower to be dc.
vclopcd ut Dana No. (approxi.
mately 800 ,0o0 of the horsepower
that is to be developed at Dam No
> Will not be available SO day.
/ in the ycar)
T. p. A. Committee