The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-27
NATURES BOUNTY
 BIG FACTOR IN SHOALS FUTURE
WOrthington Among First. To Realize Future
 Possibilities
BY FREDA AVANT

states rich Tn minerals, though 1t IS said that the only place on earth that surpasses Muscle Shoals natural wealth is the Bavarian Salt mines, but the chief attraction of the north Ala bama golgonda is its location.
 Being ideally situated on the Ten nessee river, it offers in addition tqr its natural resources, cheap water trans portation, so located as to be accessible tS all streams leading to the markets of the world.
 There is q sort of enthusiasm abound ing in the people of the Muscle Shoals district, an enthusiasm that becomes contagious when one sees and realizes the enormous possibilities of the place. This faith in the future has carried the people through periods of intense de- pression, has buoyed them up when it seemed that the development was to be delayed through alarming stretches of time. Bravely each disappointment was swallowed, and all assured them selves that the darkest hour came just before the dawn.
 A community may have the richest mineral deposits imaginable, it may of fer to investors and to developers un- limited opportunities, but it takes time to educate the public, to start the wheels turning that will eventually metamorphize a town into a city, seeth- ing with industrial activity.
 Money And Faith
 It takes money, too, and unlimited faith. No o-e who has followed close ly the history of Muscle Shoals can but admire the people of north Alabama who have put forth their best efforts in behalf of their community for many years. It may be truly said that Mus cle Shoals is a live issue today, is the exposure of all eyes, simply because a handful of people kept their faith against all odds.
 Review a moment if you will the history of Muscle Shoals. Many years ago when J. W. Worthington was young man just out of college, he and q small group of men in north Alabama became wildly enthusiastic over the fu ture of the place. They knew the rich ores that were hidden in the hills and they realized the value of water trans portation, which would be available when the river was properly damned.
 They tell an interesting story of those days, how Warrington, believing in the future of Muscle Shoals, artfully traded with Frank s. Washburn, then interested in Birmingham coal mines.
 Worthington, though young, had made q name for himself as a geologist and Mir. Washburn sent for him to visit some coal mines located in the Bir- mingham district, to ascertain the value and chance for development.
 After his exhaustive study of the coal mines was completed, and his report rendered, it is told how Mir. Washburn asked Mir Worthington what he con- sidered his services worth. sv MT. Worthington replied:
 You, sir, are a gentleman, and will { doubtless give like for like. I ask nothing in return for my services ex- cept a like service. I know coal mines, you know rivers and electrical matters. l wantu,au to examine the Tennessee river aSdl'tell me what the possibilities are there"
 Electricity was fast becoming a pow erful factor, and Mir. Washburn, after accepting MT. Worthington's invita- ton to visit Muscle Shoals, told the latter the future of the north Alabama region lay, not so much in iron and minerals as in power.
 It is Interesting to know that the dams that are today being built on the river are placed where MT. Washburn said they must be to obtain the maxi mum amount of power.
 WOrthingtOn's Fight
 It is also well known that during the recent war when the government was sorely in need of nitrates and was plan ming to erect plants to produce this inn portant war material, that Mir. Worth ington and the Alabama senators and congressman fought and won the fight to have these plants erected in Muscle Shoals.
 It was pointed out to the govern ment that located on the Tennessee river the plants would be so placed as to afford quick transportation to the ports, but would be in a measure inac- cessible to the enemy. .-.
 The boom that followed the building of the plants is now ancient history and also the history of the terrible de- precision that followed afterward.
 But never for a moment did the peo- pie of the place lose hope, their faith never wavered. They felt that some time, somehow prosperity would make her abode in Muscle Shoals.
 Talk of scrapping the whole project, selling it for junk, and abandoning the Wilson Dam, only partially constructed, was heard in Washington. To those who had worked so hard for the de- velopmant this sounded as a death knell pO nOPeS BuC tuo 40uueSSeo NAuey 1m- prcvement association marshalled their forces and bent every effort to frustrat- ing the serapping plan.
 Senator Oscar w. Underwood rave Colonel Worthington a letter to Henry Ford and the Colonel, still dreaming of a great development, went to the De troit manufacturer and ''sold" him on the idea of Muscle Shoals. The gov ernment invited MT. Ford to. bid for the properties and 1t Is due to his in- tsrest that Muscle Shoals became not a dead issue, but the paramount thing in the nations eyes.
 All Alabama will profit by the de- velopment at Muscle Shoals, 1t Is in- evitable that this must be true, and all Alabama is interested in seeing the development take place. Tribute should be paid the little group of men who have worked tirelessly to bring it about, without them the river might have cades, wasting her million horse power, defeating with her shoals dream of transportation.
 Just what is there at Muscle Shoals to make 1t important?
 First, of course, there is the river, which will supply power to turn the wheels of hundreds of industries, and then to take their finished products to markets.
 Two Nitrate Plants
 Then there are the two nitrate plants built by the government, it is said, will be utilized to make cheap fertilizers for the farmers. It is known that the fertilizer made by the nitrate process is powerfully potent and quadruples the ordinary crops. Government experi- mentors have proven by actual demon