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About The Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 19??-1984 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1920)
MUSCLE SHOALS NATION'S BULWARK Big $60,000,000 Nitrate Plant a Defense for Future Generations. INSURES NATIONAL DEFENSE Assurance of Abundant Ameri can Saturday, February 28, 1920 SUPPLEMENT TO THE HERMISTON HERALD No. 24 Explosives a Reason Why Germany Quit. By GARRET SMITH. year s time. Had the expected spring drive of 1919 materialized this one plant alone would have been able to supply 13 per cent of all the high explosives used by all the Allied ar mies on all fronts during that drive and the United States was secure for all time to come against an ammani don shortage. When the arrangement was finally made for building the big air nitrate plant, work was begun on a power dam at the same point. This work is being conducted directly by the Unit ed States Engineering Corps. It will not be completed, however, for two or three more years. It was necessary, therefore, in order to insure Imme diate operation when the nitrate plant was completed to construct a $10,000, 000 steam power plant, one of the larg est steam plants for the production of continuous electric power In the world. It is pointed out that even had the water-power plant been completed dur ing the war it would have been neces sary also to have constructed a steam plant to insure the nitrate plant work ing at full capacity at all times dur ing the year. One of the chief fortresses of Amer ica’s new military defense system which developed out of the World War Is the Ammonium Nitrate Plant at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, on the Tennessee River, over throe hundred Plant Worth All It Cost. miles from the seacoast, capable of Now, this entire Job cost the Govern turning out 300 tons of high explosives ment $60,000.000. It was put through a day. It assures to the United States at a time when the prices of materials for all time an abundance of ammuni and labor were at their summit. It tion without which an army Is a help was built at record speed, and speed less encumbrance and It has made costs money. The anestion naturally this unlimited supply of explosives arises, then, as to whether. Uncle Sam got Ills money's worth. available without resort to raw ma Tests made after the plant was in terial from outside of the country. operation showed that ammonium ni The essential ingredient of all mod trate of standard specifications could ern military explosives In nitric acid be produced at this plant at a cost of Before the World War. America was less than one-half the standard fixed entirely dependent upon Chile for the price paid by the Government for am monium nitrate produced by the older supply of nitrate of soda, the only methods. Tills cost is only about one chemical from which nitric acid can be made. In case this country became fourth to one-fifth the cost of other high explosives of equal strength. involved in war with any nation thaï Compared with the older process for could control the sea our foe would making ammonium nitrate, the sav have us at her mercy, for she could ings made by this plant would have cut off our essential means of striking paid for the entire plant In about one back. and one-half years of operation. The chief value of the Mus le Shoals Other nations, however, were plant, however, will be as u défense to equally dependent upon the Chilean nitrate supply. Germany was pur coming generations. chasing one-third of it She had ex PROFESSIONAL pected to hold the sen with her sub marines but failed. But a process for extracting nitrogen from the air had been obtained by Germany some Physician and Surgeon Rooms 1 and 2 Bank Bldg. years before from Italian chemists. Hours: This process had been successful in Office 10 to 12; 2 to 4; 7 to 8. * Phone 551 producing a high grade nitrogenous fertilizer from which In turn could P. be extracted ammonium nitrate. Ger Physician and Surgeon many, therefore, fell to manufacturing OFFICE PHONE, 92 ammonium nitrate from the air on a RESIDENCE PHONE, 182 large scale. CARDS DR. R. G. GALE DR. FRANCIS Americans Buy German Secret ADAMS 2* The Highest Prices Ever Known That’s What You’ll Get troni “SHUBERT” WE WANT ’EM NOW—AND WILL PAY THE PRICE TO GET ’EM NOTEXTRA LARGE N°ILARGE N?l MEDIUM EXTRA TO AVERAGE EXTRATO AVERAGE EXTRA TO AVERAGE N9 2 I N91 SMALL EXTRA TO AVERAGE AS TO SIZE & QUALITY Heavy Furred, Cased 30.00 to 25.00 1 22.00 to 18.00 16.00 to 14.00112 00 Io 9.00 12.00 to 7.00 Open or Headless 22.00 to 18.00 16.00 to 14.00 13.00 to 11.00 10.00 to 8.00 10.00 to 5.00 MUSKRAT Spring Winter 8.00 to 7.00 6.50 to 5.50 6.50 10 5.50 5.00 to 4.00 5.00 to 3.75 3.50 to 175 3.50 to 175 150 to 1.75 3.00 to 100 150 to 1.50 Fine, Dark 30.00 to 25.00 20.00 to 16.00 15.00 to 12.00 10.00 to 8.50 10.00 to 6.00 Usual Color 20.00 to 16.00 15.00 to 12.00 10.001o 8.50 8.00 to 6.50 8.00 to 5.00 Coast 15.00 to 1100 11.031o 9.00 8.00 to 7.00 6.00 to 5.00 6.00 to 4.00 These extremely high prices for Oregon Furs are based on the well- known "SHUBERT” liberal grading and are quoted for immediate ship ment. No. 3, No. 4 and otherwise inferior skins at highest market value. Ship your Furs, now—when we want ’em. You’ll get “more money” and get it “quicker” too. “SHUBERT” RETURNS WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY SHIP TODAY—AND KEEP ’EM COMING FAST SHIP ALL YOUR FURS DIRECT TO ... UABeERE&oENer S Asks AMERICAN RAW FURS 15-27 W. Austin Ave. DeptisozChicago. U.S.A} Office Hours: 9 to 12 a. m.; 2 to 6:30 p. m. In 1907 an American company, head Day or night calls answered promptly ed by Frank S. Washburn, had secured the American rights to this process from Germany and had gone Into man ufacturing the fertilizer on the Cana dian side of the Niagara Falls. When America found herself In the World War the Ordnance Department turned to Mr. Washburn's company for help. The Air Nitrates Corporation was formed, with Mr. Washburn at Its head, to build the Muscle Shoals plant It was assisted by several other well known corporations, such as the West inghouse Church Kerr Company, which put up the plant buildings, the perma nent city and utilities; the J. G. White Corporation, which designed and con structed the power plant; the Chem ical Construction Company, which de signed and built the nitric acid plant, and the M. W. Kellogg Company, which furnished the piping and built the chimneys. Foginning work In November, 1017, the big plant and new city at Muscle Shoals was completed within one — - —* DR. W. W. ILLSLEY Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon PHONE 641 Office at Residence all Hours KATHRYN SHORT Teacher of Piano and Voice Culture STUDIO HERMISTON HOTEL Telephone 161 French Restaurant UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Most up to date restaurant in Eastern Oregon Try our 36 cent dinner HOHBACH’S Bakery. Confectionery. Restaurant Pendieron BARBER SHOP Clean and Sanitary Alfalfa Hay WE SELL IN CAR LOTS Alfalfa Hay Baled or Chopped and Alfalfa Meal We are always in the market for loose hay delivered at the mill GET OUR PRICES Hot and Cold GLASSES GROUND to FIT YOUR E yes LENSES DUPLICATED on S hort NOTICE AMERICAN NAT L.BANK BUILDING, PENDLETON. Phone 609 È SHOWER BATHS . WM. SHAAR C.S.McNAUGHT CO. Subscribe for The Herald.
