The Washington times., 1923-11-05
MADDEN OFFERS
NE W SHOALS
PLAN
Illinois Congressman Hopes
Proposal VIII Interest
Ford in Purchase.
BY international News Service

Congressman Martin Madden Of
Illinois, the Republican chairman
of the House Appropriations Com
nittee, today presented to President
Coolidge a plan for making IT,
Governments nitrate and power
project at Muscle Shoals. Ala, more
attractive to Henry Ford.
Madden will submit his PROPOSE
ton to Congress next month and /.
urge its adoption.
Madden,s plan, which he believes
would cause Henry Ford to modify
his contract and reconsider the pun
chase of Muscle Shoals" provides
for the reproduction OF the Gorgas
Steam Plant, about ten miles south
west of its present location, near
Dams is, 16 and IT, and the build
Ing Of new transmission line up
e the steam plant at Dams No.
Offset Gorgas Plant Sale.
Because of the sale Of the Gorgas
steam plant, part Of the Muscle
Shoals project. to the Alabama
Power Company. Fords principal
rival at Muscle Shoals, 1t has been
the general belief here that Ford
had no further interest in name
featuring nitrates or electric power
at Muscle Shoals. The sale of the
Gorgas plant by Secretary OF VIZ
Weeks has been attacked by Sch
ators and Congressman from South
ern States on the ground that For;
should have been given more tiTne
and greater opportunities Of estais
| fishing himself sat Muscle Shoals.
The $S,500,000 derived by tn
az
/ GOrgas plant to the Alabama Powei
Company, by Madden's proposal
would be applied to the buildinr
Of the new plant, together Wit
other money If that sum should lls
be sufficient
Urges Early Action.
The Muscle Shoals matter Shout
be one of the first things taken iii
by Congress-, Madden declared
IF by the disposal OF the grea
power and nitrate project we can
make the southern States more pro
ductive, we win have added ms
that much to the richness of til.
United States. and think that vha
the Government has expended cal
well be appropriated to that end. Dis
position of Muscle Shoals is inn
perative, not only because Of thr
benefit to be derived by The peopN
OF the South, but to stop the drain
on the Federal Treasury as we'll
Madden predicted that President
Coolidge and Congress alike wouIe
recognize the need of prompt &C
ton at the coming session. He
said there was disposition IN thu
House to take immediate action
and further declared that it wouif
not be a partisan issue.
Made Own Investigation
The chairman of the House Ap
preparations committee has made Il
personal investigation of the en-
tire project. He foresees Muscle
Shoals as the greatest power plant
in the world and has several sug-
gestions to offer to that end.
''Under. existing conditions only
fe0, 900 primary horsepower can be
produced" he said. by expend
ing $4,000. 900 or $4,000, 900 In the
building of reservoirs all OF the
secondary power could be converted
into primary power and we would
have the biggest power plant in
the world
Another waste has been noted by
the Illinois Congressmen in f3e
present lOcdLIOH Oh the SISdIl pldHLS 3
at Dams 2 and 8. All of the coal
produced in Alabama comes from
region much farther south and
in the vicinity of the Gorgas plant.
Approximately $4,000 a day now
spent in hauling coal over that
distance could he saved by moving
these steam plants down to the
coal regions, he said.
To Extend Lease.
Secretary of War Weeks am
nounced today that the War Depart
ment will probably extend the lease
on the No. steam plant at Muscle
Shoals. which is held by the Ala.
hama Power Company and which Is
soon to expire.
The Government receives appr0xi-
mately $250.000 yearly rental from
the plant and it is understood that
the Alabama Power Company has
been in negotiation with the war
Department to continue the lease.
The lease is revokable at any time
and would not affect any final dis
position Of the Muscle Shoals prop.
erey that Congress may make.