The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-17
SAYS REPORT 0F POWER SCARCITY
 IS PROPAGANDA
Andrews Declares Cor poration Can Produce
 More Than Needed
REFUTES TRANSFORMATIONS SPREAD THROUGH SOUTH
Sheffield Capitalist Shows That Power Company Doesn't
 Need Shoals 4-as

panies' prOpa ga ndists are spreading the information throughout the southern states, and even here in Alabama. that if Ford gets Muscle Shoals. there will be shortage of power for industrial needs of the south.- and even a shortage Of power here in Alabama.
 The letter. which is printed below. cites. that the Alabama Power company is already equipped to produce ''an amount of power greatly in excess of Alabama's needs" and adds further, that it has never been properly understood, either at Washington or in Alabama, that excluding Muscle Shoals, there is . super u bundance of undeyelopeds power in this state already under control of the Alabama Power company.
 Andrews Letter
 Mir. Andrews letter follows:
 The Birmingham Age-Herald,
 Birmingham, Ala.
 The people throughout the Tennessee valley are deeply appreciative of the magnificent fight which The Birming- ham AgeHerald is making for the ac- ceptance of the Ford offer. 5o
 There is one phase of the power site uation. which. in my opinion, has never been properly understood either at Washington or in Alabama. and that is, that excluding Muscle Shoals, there is super-abundaRce of undevelOped power in this state already under the control of the Alabama Power company.
 The power companies prOpogandists are spreading the information through out the southern states, and even hero in Alabama that if Ford gets Muscle Shoals, thereswill be shortage of pow CT for industrial needs of the south. and even a shortage of power here in Alabama. Owns tndevelOped Sites Up to the time that Ford made his bid for Muscle Shoals. the Alabama Power company only had one dam in this state. although it owned and con- trolled perhaps d dozen undeveloped water powers. Since the Ford bid was made, the Alabama Power company has built the Mitchell Dam on the Coosa river. and is now preparing to build q great dam at Cherokee Bluffs, on the Tallapoosa river. These three dams, when completed. will supply at least 200 900 constant horse power, an amount of power greatly in excess of Alabamas present needs. This same company has at least six or eight un- developed power sites, which they own and control, which if developed, would | uOu at least two or tuTtt tuOu- sand horse power to the above amount, making q total of four or five hundred thousand potential horsepower owned and controlled by the Alabama Power company in Alabama. which they. can develop whenever they get ready, with POO 900 thousand of it already either developed or in process of development. Having cOrraled all of Alabama's potential power, except Muscle Shoals, this company is spreading the misinfor- nation at Washington, and even here in Alabama, that if Ford gets Muscle Shoals. the south will face power famine Such misrepresentation from great public utility, in the face of easily ascertainable facts, is an out rage.
 Ford's Plans Outlined
 If Ford gets Muscle Shoals, he will ultimately develop at Dams and 3, by the creat ati0n of reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Tennessee, French Broad, Clinch, Holston and other tributaries of the Tennessee river. about six hun- dred thousand constant horse power. It will require about eighty thousand horse poweu to operate the nitrate plants, and only one hundred and sixty thousand horse power if the capacity of the nitrate plants is doubled, leay- ing about four hundred and forty thou- sand horsepower undispOsed of. Assum- ing that he uses one hundred and forty thousand horse power in his own fac tories. which is an almost inconceiyable amount of power for one man to use, he would still ultimately have some three hundred thousand horse power for distribution, as he says, "To the terri tory for 200 miles on all sides of Muscle Shoals" | It is this excess power which Ford would transmit to the surrounding ter ritOry which excites the Alabama Pow CT company. The Tower company is not bothered al all for fear that there may be shortage of power. but they are very much troubled because they fear that with 300,0O0, or more excess power from Muscle Shoals, in the hands of Henry Ford. the power companies would have to meet Ford's competition in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and elsewhere.
 As intelligent manufacturers are ac- tually falling for the propaganda above discussed, think that the public ought to be told the facts. I know of no other medium equal to your papers, so l am addressing this communication to you. You can publish it or any part of it if you wish to do so. Yours truly J. l.. ANDREWS.
 Power COmpany's Capacity According to figures on record at Montgomery. the Alabama Power com- pany has been since 1914 developing a power business of 200.000 horsepow- CT in Alabama. They have developed water power plants on the Coosa river and tributaries with a capacity of 1S0,. GOO horse power. These plants have a steam reserve capacity sOf 100000 horse power. Their undeveloped sites on the Coosa and tributaries have an ap- proximate estimated capacity of 200. GOO horsepower. With the development of storage reservoirs the possibilities of these sites will be greatly increased. On page 376 of Water Powers of Ala. bama; second report. it is stated that if. the EtOwah storage dam lis built and utilized for eQualizing the water flow as proposed. it will add probably 90 per cent to the power available be- tween Lcck 4, and Wetumpka on the | COOsa.'
 The undevelOped sites on the Talla- poOSa river have an approximate p0- tentiality of 100000 horsepower. It is the opinion of engineers who have care. fully studied the water power on the two rivers mentioned above, on which the Alabama Power company now has it's ior operations, that storage and add an important amount to the pow |