The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-01
DECIDE TO
CALL IN
EXPERTS
Congressional Com
mittee Desire Techi-
nical Advice in Re-
spect to NJ u S C | e
Shoals

Florence. Ala, March 2S.-The
foremost engineers Of America will
be called upon to appear in Wash
ington before the senate agricul-
tural committee to aid in solving
the Muscle Shoals problem, Sena-
tor Norris, chairman Of the COM
mittee, announced here today after
the governments nitrate plants
had been inspected.
Members of the house military
affairs committee which with the
senate committee is inspecting the
nitrate and water power projects.
expressed the view that Muscle
Shoals actually and Muscle Shoals
/ on paper looked quite unlike and
Representative Hull declared the
house committee would never con-
sent to the plants heing scrapped.
sMr. Hull said the plants might
we'll be used in time OF peace for
! making fertilizer but that they
must ever be kept in readiness in
case of emergency"
Chairman Norris did not share
the view of a few Of his colleagues
that the Muscle Shoals problem
might be speedily disposed of on
return to Washington of the COM
mitteeS. He said he would invite
the presidents OF four chemical and
technical organiZarions to appear
before the committee at once.
They are the American Society Of
Electrical Engineers. American So
ciety of Chemical Engineers. Amer
lean Society Of Civil Engineers and
the, American Society OF Mechani-
cal Engineers.
I'VE have q tremendous respon-
sibility before US" asserted the
chairman. 'and we are going 10
cndeavor TO thresh it out along
businesslike and sound scientific
lines"
In saving that the visit OF the
committees had shown many new
angles to the situation not covered
by the hearings In Washington.
Mr. Hull declared I'VE had lot OF
evidence before -us which we have
found here to he mere camouflage.
1t was his opinion. ne said, that
much OF the ground must be gone
over again.
The entire day was spent in q
tour Of the two nitrate plants
and other properties Of the reser-
vation. Data before the commit
teemen showed that the govern
ment spent $Sl,237.G56 on the NE
trate plants and that the salvage
value as scrap was estimated al
s7,S50,000. They were told that
plant No. was observed and that
$1,000. 900 would be required TO
make it modern
Members of the congressional
party ended their days program as
guests of Edward O'Neal. vice
president Of the Ala bama Farm
bureau Federation, at a barbecue
dinner at his country home near
Florence After an inspection to-
morrow Of the site for proposed
dam No. l. seventeen miles east
OF Florence the party viii leave
for Washington.
In line with the announcement
OF Frederick +. Engstrum that he
would modify his bid so as to eX-
clude the Gorgas plant. orsaniza-
ions here backing Henry Ford's
offer telegraphed him at Fort My
er, Fla. urging him to consider
modification OF his bid ITO conform
TO the federal water power act and
divorce Gorgas." They had re-
ceived no reply late today.
The Alabama Muscle Shoals AS
sociation. organized with the an
nounced purpose Of supporting the
Ford proposal. stated through its
president that a Committee appoint
cd to investigate the legal and
moral phase OF the Alabama Power
company's contract with the. gov
ernmcnt had reported that The
alleged option of The power com
pany is void The committee
making the inquiry. according TO
the presidents statement, held that
the army officer who sought 10
give this option 10 the Alabama
Power company exceeded his au-
thority.