New-York tribune., 1922-11-26

Wnlle INTENDED primarily to furnish
time and the Tennessee River They
have been at work in ever-increasing
numbers since August of this year,
when construction, stopped in 1920 be-
cause OF Congres ssional refusal to vote
additional funds for the project, WAS
resumed. Their present race Is against
the winter foods Of the Tennessee
River, which would interrupt and de-
lay tho completion Of mn intricate JOB
OF Golfer danming and foundation ex-
cavation and laying. The foods come
usually late in December and prospects
are excellent that the foundation Sec
ton, bein. laid behind Golfer Dam No.
2 will be finished in ample time.
When this section is completed only
one foundation section remains to be
dug and poured-the engineers plan 10
put it in next summer and finish it
before highswater this time next year.
In the mean time work on the upper
portions Of the work is proce eding and
estimates are that the completed Job
will be ready In twenty seven to TWEEN
ty-eight months. The engineers say
that it Is uneconomical to work at a
faster speed and that the 100000 pei
month which they are spending repre-
serts the cheapest and best construe-
ton.
Two Branches Of Project
The Muscle Shoals project consists
Of two branches, the nitrate plants,
and the power plants. There are two
nitrate plants, both completed, and in
Standby" condition, ready for opera
tlon for extraction of the atmospheric
nitrogen, or for conversaan into nam
moth factories for otheT purposes, as
the Congress shall direct The power
plants will be two in number, Wilson
Dam, or Dam No. 2, which is a little
ever third completed, and Dam No.
8, as yet unnamed, seventeen miles
up the Tennessee from Wilson dam,
where borings have been made, but no
construction work unde rtaken. There
is third dam projected, called No. /,
which is for navigation uses exclusive,
ly, will cost only about sl,25o,ooo, and
has no power feature. This, also, Is
still on paper. There is also an
auxiliary steam plant, large marble
quarry, and the large Gorgas steam
plant.
Wilson dam is what Is usually meant
by Muscle Shoals for it is to be the
main unit of power development,
generating 100000 horsepower, TO the
100000 horsepower of No. 8. On 1t
has already been expended about $19,-
100000, and engineers estimate its
total cost at $45,500,O00; its completion
is expected to require S26,5o0,O0o addi-
tional, Of which $6 100000 Is available
rs the unexpended portion of the
$7,6oo,ooo appropriated by the prason.
Congress last spring for continuation
OF the work. In addition to this ST.
100000, a little over a half million
more was made available by Presi.
dential order transferring certain ap-
preparation balances to Muscle Shoals
construction uses. The money at pres
ent appropriated will enable construc-
tion at present rate to continue until
September, 1923, at which time addi-
tional funds will be required.
The number of men employed on the
work has not yet approached the total
set before the cessation of construc-
tion in 1920. The engineers say that
1900 is the largest number which can
be economically employed, and that
duplication of the former figures of
4,ooa and 5000 would be wasteful and
deleterious. The number is now we'll
under 1000, and rates Of wages far be-
lew those paid undeY wartime cendi-