Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-15
SHOALS COMMITTEE
PROBES OFFERS

2 WASHINGTON, April 13.-Inves-
tigation Of private offer for devel-
Cp-nent of the governments power
and nitrate projects at Muscle
Shoals, Ala, was directed today by
Chairman Norris, Of the senate agrl-
cultural committee into the contrac-
tual relations existing between the
government and the American Cya-
namid company.
Major J. H. Burns, of the ordnance
bureau, war department, testified
that the company claimed exclusive
right to purchase nitrate plant No.
2 in the event it was ever sold. His
testimony was similar on that point
and in reference to details of agree
ment to the prolonged statements he
made recently on the same subjects
when before the house military COM
mittee.
Senator Norris announced that in
vitations to appear before the COM
mittee during it's sessions On Muscle
Shoals had been extended to William
Mcclellan, president of the Amer
lean Institute of Electrical Engin-
GERS, New York City; Acheson Smith,
president American Elecro-Chemical
society, Niagara Falls, N. Y; Henry
Howard, president American Society
Of Chemical Engineers, Cleveland,
O.; Edgar Smith, president American
Chemical society, Philadelphia; John
r. Freeman, president American So
ciety of Civil Engineers, Providence.
r. T., and Dexter H. Kimball, presi-
dent American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, Ithaca, N. Y.
The house military committee also
continued today its executive ses-
sion at which members discussed
their individual views of the private
offer of Muscle Shoals. Chairman
Kahn said no agreement was yet in
sight on which a report could be
based for submission to the house.
Wednesday Hearing
Arguments Wednesday were di-
rected today to subjects of power
and transportation.
Colonel w. j. Barden, army en-
gineer in charge of the Sheffield dis
trict, testified that the government S
engineers had recommended an ap-
preparation of $8,570,000 to improve
navigation on the Tennessee river
and that amount, he said, could be
deducted from estimates made for
the creation Of power projects in
connection with general develop,
ment of Muscle Shoals.
Senator Helm, of Alabama, told
the committee that barges on the
river were being used to carry cot
ton, iron ores and other products to
markets and if the Wilson dam were
completed it would make possible a
tremendous movement of cargo ship
ments by water.
Chairman Norris asserted it was
his belief that navigation should be
opened to Chattanooga, and Colonel
Barden subscribed to that belief.
The officer declined, however, to
estimate to what extent commerce
now moved by rail would be shipped
by water when the river was made
navigable.
| st can only say" he added, that
the government engineers, after sur
veys and examinations of the river,
recommended that $S,570,000 be eX-
pended for improving navigation"
In reply to Senator McNary, Re.
publican, Oregon, the colonel said
army engineers believed the eXpendi.
ture of that amount of money would
be justified on the ground Of trans.
portation improvement.
Colonel Barden was temporarily
excused and the committee called
Major J. H. Burns, of the ordnance
bureau, as it's second witness. The
house military committee continued
today it's executive sessions in which
members discussed their personal