Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-01
Muscle Shoals
Attracting, Many
in Search Wealth

Florence, Ala. March 31--With
the interest of the nation fixed for
months on Muscle Shoals, an influx of
people to the district has constituted
q problem that has taxed the ingenu-
ity of town and civic authorities.
Agitation of the potential strength
of ''the South's Niagara" and the pos
sibilities that were expected to be
speedily fulfilled in event Of develop
ment of the latent war project,
turned veritable stream of human
ity in search of the il Dorado.
Folks came on foot, in horse carts, in
! motor cars, in day coaches and in
| palatial drawing rooms. There were
men with money seeking invest
| mcnts; men in overalls hunting work.
| There were Adventures looking for
anything they might find. Some
spent money lavishly; others We're
wards of the community and had to
| be fed.
The problem at once became so
grave that the town authorities of
Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbia
municipalities composing the dis
liItt tli-tlllt'S --StHt oui ii Ndill-
ing: stay away from Muscle Shoals
/ unless YOU como on legitimate bus
mess and have an engagement in adj
! vance"
This stopped some of the fortune
! hunters, but yet they came.
The first offer for the governments
property caused a complete meta
mOrrhOsis of the district. The COM
, munity was stunned when war work
was stopped the day the armistice
was signed. Putting machinery in
stand by condition was q symbol of
dissipated hopes. But the resultant
somnolent condition was reawakened
overnight when the word went forth:
Muscle Shoals is to be developed"
Everybody in the district believed
that a bid meant other bids and that
competitors in the field would result
in acknowledgment by the govern
ment that Muscle Shoals would not
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 realty prices should not ascend
beyond unreasonable levels. These
boards, it is stated, have largely con-
trolled prices of real estate. A few
spectators edged in, however, and
small tracts of undesirable land have
been optioned and sold at figures not
within bounds set by the realty
associations. 1t is asserted, though,
that actual cheating and taking has
trapped but few persons. There arc
no swamp or :1wIands in the region,
the realtors declare, but some Of the
property offered is situated many
miles from the Tennessee river and
the nitrate projects.
Much property is said to have
changed hands over a stretch of ter
ritory along the river for a 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 lots
have sold at from few hundred
dollars to $4,000. Farm land con-
tiguous to the towns has brought
from $50 to $125 an acre. Many of
those nearby farm tracts have been
optioned or purchased with a view Of
suhdividing in event OF looked-for
developments.
Authorities of the tri-cities say
the three municipalities will consti-
tutc the hub from which will radiate
one of the industrial miracles Of the
age, no matter who the successful
bidder may be for the government
property.
Extravagant stories circulated con-
| corning conditions in the district
brought out THE Muscle Shoals
| Book" Endorsed by town and civic or
CARNATIONS and edited by one OF the
community's leading ministers. 1t
| sets forth authentic data for 'stl2Ose
who have the vision and couragest to
build themselves into the certain de-
velopment Of the Muscle Shoals terri
/ tory"
The municipal woodpile at Shelf
! field has afforded scores of adven-
turers the opportunity OF square
meal.
So burdensome became the task
| Of feeding the jobless that the town
| in cooperation with the Red Cross
i'hit upon the no-work. no-soup plan
and it worked. Every man who
wanted food and shelter chopped
| wood. AS q result many household
ers burned wood and scores OF