The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
BY FREDERICK COTHMAN
United Press siaG Correspondent

NORRIS. Tenn. Feb. 20-This is
a city which reflects tangibly the
ideals behind President Roosevelts
Tennessee river development pro-
Z gram.
II has no counterpart for beauty
and sheer INABILITY. Not even the
wealthy suburbs on the gold coasts
OF New York and Chicago can offer
the advantages which the humblest
householder Of Norris takes as
matter Of course.
Two months ago Norris was a
rugged plateau between the Buff
falO creek and the Clinch river val
leys. It contained a few mountain
GERS shacks, some cut-over timber
and many train loads Of limestone
bOulders.
Shacks Have Been Raced
Today Norris is a scientifically
planned city Of winding streets and
parkWays. The shaCks have given
way to homes which bring smiles to
architect and housewife alike. The
boulders are being pulverized and
streWn on the ground TO fertilize it.
About five hundred houses VIII be
built. Some 200 already are IN proc
ess of construction. Most of the
workers on the Norris dam, around
a bend in the valley, are housed in
substantially built dormitories, with
screened porches and hand-heWn
shingles When the dam is completed
some two and a half years hence,
the dOrmitOries will be converted
into the furniture factories, the
spinning mills and the china plants
which are intended to make the
villagers self-suppOrting.
About fifteen thousand pounds Of
maple tree seeds are being set out
in nurseries to provide shade for
future generations Of Norris chill
dren. CCC and CWA workers are
putting IN flagstOne walks, curving
roads and sodding lawns. A COM
munity center for church, movie and
town hall use is nearly completed
A modern cafeteria, where a good
meal costs a quarter, is in use. Col
lege women operate it.
They see that the workers get
their vitamins when they spend
their quarters.
Life Centers About Dam
Life. of course, centers around
Morris dam, named like the city, in
honor Of Senator George w. Norris,
the Nebraskan whose dream of an
integrated modern life along the
Tennessee river a decade ago finally
is coming true.
The Golfer dam has been finished.
The main dam soon Will rise to the
height of a tWenty-StOry building
between two mountain peaks on
each side of the valley. It will form
a lake of eighty-three square miles
III the valleys of the Clinch and
Powell rivers.
Shore line Of the lake will be
nearly nine hundred miles long. The
shore line of Like Michigan is little
more than one thousand miles.
Work at the dam continues
twenty-five hours a day. The other
two hours are used for Servicing
electric shovels, drills and trucks.
The highlauderS labor in four shifts
Of a little more than five hours
each. The rest of the day is their
own. They use their spare time in
developing their farmS-and loiter-
Hg near the dam. like busmen on a
holiday.
Progress Rapid Now
The IVA experienced great diff
Guilty III obtaining the carloads of
nails and the trainloadS of lumber
necessary to build the Golfer dam
and the houses in Norris. De-
presSiOn-ridden mills and factories
simply didn't have supplies enough
in stock.
Material now is arriving in
quantities. however. so that Earle S.
Draper. director of land planning
and housing for the IVA. hopes to
have the city of Norris virtually
completed within another six
months.
Work is proceeding rapidly on the
homes. which are his special pride.
Tomorrow home in Norris.
which rents for $50 a month, in.
CIudeS a farm. and provides some
luXuricS which even President
Roosevelt does without.