The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-23
(By ROBERT TALLEY),

M uSClc kouOdlS, AID, NOV. 3D.
(NEA) = Eleven years ago, when
German submarines were sinking
allied ships laden with Chilean nj
trate, so essential for the manufac-
ture of explosives and fertilizer, an
army of 10000 workmen toiled like
beavers to build the governments
S75 100000 nitrate plants here.
Night and day their hammers
rang as three shifts hurried with
their task. foot by foot the cotton
fields receded as construction crews
advanced, inch by inch rose the great
factory buildings Of Nitrate Plant
No. until they spread out over
220O acres. They were rushing to
build one Of the greatest industrial
plants in the world for the manufac-
turc of fertilizer in peace by means
of power supplied by Wilson dam,
a mile or so away.
Ten years ago this mighty bee
hive of industry was completed just
as the war ended-and for 10 years
now it has stood as a beehive with
out any bees.
OnrOu0eu win Dust
Within the high steel fence, one
Of the largest and costlicst indus
trial plants in the world is deserted
and silent. Inside. dust lies deep on
bar and bolt, not a wheel turns, the
great furnaces are dark, all the
towering smokestacks are cold. !.
it is like a city Of the dead.
So it has been for 10 years, while
Congress has tried vainly to decide
what shall be done with it. For a
decade Congress has debated the
question and it seems no nearer a
solution now than ever before,
though the people of Muscle Shoals
area hope that something will be
done at the December session.
Nearby is the smaller Nitrate
Plant No. l, covering 100 acres,
equally deserted. cold and silent.
A guard unlocks the main gate
Of Nitrate Plant No. 2 and takes
you through its 2200 acres, crowd
ed with big buildings, many of which
are more than 1000 feet long. He
is one of the 60 men, including a
motorized fire department, that the
government keeps on duty there tc
| protect the plant and keep it ir
standby condition. And it has beer
so kept; if an emergency arose i,
could begin operations on two weeks
notice.
This building and it's equipment
cost $13,50O,000." says the guar.
as he takes key from his pocket
and unlocks the big acid plant, neal
the end of the chainlike system
ITS one Of the most expensive OF
the reservation"
Five Pounds of Nitrate
From a Undiscovered shelf he take
a large glass jar, containing abou
five pounds Of white substance tina
looks and feels like damp salt.
is labeled proudly: Ammonium
Nitrate-Produced at U. s. Nitrat
Plant No. 2, Muscle Shoals, Ala"
This five-pound jar is all Of tn
finished product that the govern
ment has to show for its $4,000, OO
investment. The 1900 tons of nj
trates that the plant produced in it
successful test period upon compile
ton 10 years ago were sold lonl
since.
| Operating at full capacity. TIL
plant could produce 800 tons eac
l24 hours and. according to claims
vastly reduce the fertilizer bill o
the American farmer. But Cor
gress. after 10 years, is still unabl
to decide on = plan Of action.
j The people Of Florence, Sheffield
and Tuscumbia-which girdle tn
great Muscle Shoals plants-car
little whether the government oper
ates tho nitrate plants itself q
. leases them to one Of the numerou
J bidders. All they want Is to nav
the plants operated; by whom make
J little difference.
The visitor is shown throug
additional acres Of building
equipped with long rows of e.