Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1922-04-12
HORD1S HAVE INVADED
MUSCLF SHOALS SECTION
Much Property Has Changed Hands
Along Twenty five Mile Stretch
of River Front.

OF NIVST front.
With the interest of the nation fixed
for months on Muscle Shoals, an in
hux OF people to the district has con-
stituted a problem that has taxed the
. ingenuity of town and civic authorities
! Agitation of the potential strength
of "the South's Niagra," and the pos
sbilities htat were expected to be
speedily fulfilled in event of develop
ment of the latent war project, turned
a vertable stream OF humanity IN
search of FL Dorado. Folks came
on foot, in horse carts, i'll motor cars,
| in day coaches and i'll palatial drawing
rooms. There were men with money
! seeking Investments men in overalls
hunting work There were adventures
looking for anything they might hnd.
Some spent money lavishly; others
were wards of the community and had
to be fed.
The problems at once became SO
grave that the town authorities of
| Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumba-
municipalities composing the districts
"tri-cities sent out a warning. Stay
away from Muscles shoals unless you
come on legitimate business and have
an engagementsin advance.
This stopped some of the fortune
hunters but yet they came. The vrst
offer for the governments property
caused complete metamorphis OF the
district The community was stunned
when war work was stopped the day
the armis tice was signed. Putting ma
chinery in "bandby' condition was
symbol of dissipated hopes. But the
resultant somnolent condition was re-
awakened over night when the word
went forth Muscle Shoals is to be
developed" Everybody in the district
believed that a bid meant other bids,
4 and that competitors in the field
would resiilt in acknowledgement by
1.-The government that Muscle Shoals
would rot be scrapped.
The people of the district formed
the policy of extending a welcoming
hand to builders and the real estate
boards of the three cities declared
that reality prices should not ascend
beyond reasonable levels. These
boards, it is stated, have largely con-
trolled the prices of real estate. A
few Spectators edged in, however,
and small tracts of undesirable land
have been optioned and sold at fig
ures not within the bounds set by the
realty association. 1t is asserted, tho
that actual cheating and taking has
trapped bu. few persons. There are
no swamps or low lands in the region
the realtors declare, bnt some OF the
property offered is situated many
, miles from the Tenne 'see River and
. the nitrate plant.
Much property is said to have
changed hands over stretch OF ter
=. rifory along the river for distance
of twenty-five miles. The State OF
Michigan, it is said, has furnished
| more buyers than all the other states
combined with the possible exception
of Alabama. Town los have sold at
from a few hundred dollars to $1,000
Farm land contiguous to the towns
, has brought from $50 to SIPS an acre
: Many of these nearby farm tracts
/ have been op.ioned or purchased with
view to subdividing in event oi
ilOOktQ ICl uCNClOplllS
Authorities of the tri-cities say the
t three municipalities will constitute
= the hub from which will radiate one
= of the industrial mircleas of the age
no matter who the successful bidder
1 may be for the government property
t Extravagant stories circulated con
cerning conditions in the diStrlc
{; brought out The Muscle Shoals Bool
n indorsed by town and civic organlza
). tions and edited by one OF the com
!. munitie's leading ministers. 1t set
+ forth authentic data for those wht
have the visoin and courage to bu1lt
o themselves into the certain develop
= ment of the Muscle Shoals territory
The municipal woodpile at Sheffield
It has affored scores OF adventurer
the opportunity of a square meal.
o SO burdensome became the task o
II feeding the jobless that the town II
e cooperation with the Red Cross hi
S upon the no-work, no-soup plan ant
: u. worked. Every man who wanted
: food and shelter chopped wood. AS
result many hous eholders burne'
Il wood and scores of hungry men wer'
fed.