Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-22
Muscle Shoals Gigantic
Development Of Power
NATIONAL ASSET OF NATURAL
REoURcEs is coNcIsELY
EXPLAINED HERE


horsepower
A vital factor in our national de-
Tense
The hope of American agriculture
The key to the navigation of the
Tennessee River
An engineering achievement second
only to the Panama Canal
Such is Muscle Shoals.
The threat Of war called 1t into ex-
istence. TO fight, we must have explo-
sives, and to make explosives we must
have nitrates. But our normal sources
of supply do not furnish enough nit
rates to fill half our needs in times
of peace nor a tenth in times of war.
In 1915 we were absolutely dependent
upon Chile for the balance Chile,
from which we could be completely
cut off by pair Of hostile submarines
The solution Of this very serious
problem is to tap the inexhaustible re-
servoir Of the air, and force the reluc
tant element nitrogen into some com
bination with other elements from
which nitrates can be formed. To do
this, on an adequate scale, requires
immense. facilities and large amounts
of power, and nowhere in the country
was either available for this purpose
in 1915. Hence the Government decid
ed to build nitrate plant of its own;
and because there were at Muscle
Shoals, on the Tennessee River in the
northern part of Alabama, ample
water power, convenient supplies of
raw materials and location of the
highest security from military stand
point, it was selected as the site for
the undertaking.
Work was started in July, 1918. The
immediate plans called for the con-
struction of "a nitrate plant (lnoWn as
Nitrate plant No. p with capacity
of $50 tons of nitrogen compounds a
day, and the largest dam in the world
(called Wilson Dam), capable of gem
Grating from 100000 to 100000 horse
power of electrical energy BY the
time the Armistice was signed, the nit
rate plant was substantially conplet
ed, although work on the dam was
barely started. Congress decided to
finish the latter, however, and it viii
be ready to deliver power some time
in 1926.
A $f6O,00O,000 Development
The strictly wartime works do not,
however, represent al Of the under
talings, existing and proposed, at
Muscle Shoals. If present plans are
carried out in full, the complete deyel-
opment will comprise the following
structures:
Dam No. IA small navigation dam
to be located two miles below Wilson
Dam. It's estimation cost is $1,40O,000
It's construction is not yet approved.
Dam No. 2-This is the Wilson Dam
now nearly completed. 1t will develop
power and is provided with navigation
locks. Its final cost is estimated at
$51, 100000.
Dam No. 3-A proposed power and
navigation dam, located Is miles
above Wilson Dam. It's estimated cost
is $25,000,0O0 It's construction is not
yet approved.
Nitrate Plant No. 2-The large nj
trate plant built to supply nitrates
for explosives during the war It's
total cost, including 100000 horse
power steam plant and limestone
quarry at Waco, was $55,OOO,OOO
ViIlages--In connection with Nitrate
plants No. / and No. 2, complete vii
lagos for the workers have been erect
ed, including houses, schools, hotels,
a hospital, roads, streets, sewers
water and electric systems telephones,
and other modern improvements. The
cost of these villages and > bile works
was $16,000,000
To Be Put to Useful Work
In striking contrast to almost all
of the other great wartime undertake
ings, Muscle Shoals did not become
useless as soon as the Armistice was
signed, but possessed great peace
time possibilities 1t was wise de
cision to complete at least the. essen
tial portions and to place them into
capable hands to develop these posi-
bilities. 1t thus becomes a permanent
addition to our national resources, an
enduring memorial to our great War
President. Being source Of two of
the most important factors in our civil
lization electricity and nitrogen com
pounds it is capable Of benefiting the
American people in innumerable ways
but for the present, special attention
is being given to four phases of its
usefulness fertilizer. power nayiga-
ton, and explosives.
Fertilizer and explosives
diverse as these substances are, have
this in common both consist of
compounds Of nitrogen. The prelimi-
nary stages in the manufacture Of both
are the same, and any plant that can
make one of these from atmospheric
nitrogen can be readily adapted to
make the other