Show L IE LE BULWARK big nitrate plant a defense for future Cone generations rations INSURES liti mm 11 DEFENSE assurance of abundant american explosives Exposi ves a reason why germany quit by GARRET SMITH one ot of the chief fantt ortre aises C of abere ica as 3 new military defense defeat ti which developed out at of the orid IN or ar I 1 la the ammonium nitrate plant at muscle shoals i alabama on the ton imse se river aver or three hundred milea from the damast aea coast capable of turn it off out ont ton tons of high a ties nv it samaria assures to the united states tor for an all time an abuce abu abundance Cd of amount ton which aa at arav e la a help lest leaa encumbrance and it it lies liaa made tills thin unlimited supply of explosives ave available table without resort to raw SM ma an jerlef from outside of the tha country the essential ingredient of all 11 mod ad on rn military explosives in nitric citric acid before the world war america was mas entirely dependent upon chile for the supply of nitrate of soda the out onh china chemical lest from which nitric acid can ile be made incas in case S this country became I 1 lurched 11 ed 1 in war with any nation that flat could control central the sea am our toe foe would world nave here us of at her mercy commy tor for she ile could en cut t off fr a our essential list means of striking bo back h other nations however we were equally dependent apon the th clinical chilean nitrate supply germany 1 I Y was man pm pat ch shig on one third of it she had ex ported to tn hold the as acu ecu with tier box sub ri marines mInes but failed but a process for exit li citing vitro nitrogen gen from the air it lal 1 I her been obtained by germany DY some before from im italian lien elles chemists sUS this process had been sarec successful fu I 1 in producing I a high big grade nitrogen fertilizer fertiliser liser fro from which tn turn could rahl be b extracted off I 1 I 1 nitrate that ae ocr to manufacturing ammo ammonium m lure nitrate from the air on oil a large scale Is americans american bay bu german leeret 1 rn igor 1907 an anale american cornin company mr head 1 cl I by fr frank it S Wel washburn diber had secured the american rights to this process I 1 flow III germany mid and had bad gone goes let into roan an the he fertilizer on the cana can than dian side bide ot of the th a niagara falls ft villen hen america foe found it herself in the inar the ordnance department turned to tn mr M vi AL ashburn a company for help the air nitrates corp corporation if was formed with mr vl ashburn at ai it its lead to build the muscle shoals plant it was MIS assisted bv be several other well men k known now co corporations rp orations inch euch as 6 the west ln fu ghouse C chinch batch H katr comp my which put up RI the plant bill buildings dings it the per perma art cit cita and art I 1 bittins the file I 1 G white corporation which fich designed and con acted th the power per plant hie chem leal ICA construction action company which do de signed and built bout the nitric acid plant and the MW M W kellogg culm co company which mid furnished th the piping and built the chi chillme lume s beginning it work in Wr krembel embel 1917 the big plant and ad th new cl city fr at muscle shoals shoal we was completed within a one years time had the expected spring drive of 1919 in la this one plant alone would mould have been able to supply 13 per cent of all the file high used by all ill the allied or ar ades on no ah if free fronts during duche that drive and the lifted states was secure for all t time me to come against an tion lion she shortage r tage W when hea tile the arrangement vas sea be finally made for far building the big air nitrate plant pan work was begun on a power dam at the same point this work morl is being conducted th directly by the unit ed S lest Lagin cering corps it will not b be camp completed eted however for two or three taree more yeara it was necess there therefore ors IS IB order to insure inner imme ill diate ope operation rution wh when re the nitrate PI plant I 1 construct a w waa an completed to team steam power plant one of the JIM est ear planta plant tor for the production ill of continuous it u electric power 1 in the be world rid it ie put pointed led out all that even had th the 7 completed it dur in water pan power or plant been irmard ine big the im IS war or it fr would all hl have hava line been feces have constructed a are beeam sary or a also I 1 to rd plant I 1 to insure the a nitrate test plant war work rd ing at I 1 in full capacity nt I 1 all if tn dur ing ine the year plant worth words all it coat cast isow this entire job coat 1 the govern ment at 1 it was 11 put pat through breach at a time when ben the pr prices 1 I ces of 0 magerl materials to were it at alier s summit amil it and ad labor was built at record it bleed pill and speed the qu question if on natu naturally natum relly lly costs net money any rhoss if then I 1 as to t esth whether C uncle so sam worth tb got cot his money a tests test made ad after it l the be plant was mas in snowed that nl 1 operation tests te of S standard fifield b ledom could produced at h thi lmh d t z at a cost of p standard t fixed or one half t the he than ineat ass the gor government tor for am it by price SS P produced by it the tilde olde sods c ond e 1 y one methods fourth arth to a 0 one IS fi fifth r di M the a I 1 cost 0 a I 1 of the air strength ili of squat equal i ap explores fitins si tins b nadlyn h ili ane of older do pro groces tor far caa luiB nitrate it I 1 the see av 11 butia k a mad ad by if ali I 1 P alt wo would id hae I 1 B in I 1 ti in about be a conf I 1 sr t the I 1 a entire no I 1 plant im n aid p a ot li opo half afa one I 1 I 1 S I 1 alue f it or f I 1 L is it L so I 1 at me I 1 C th rian li lon a er 11 wa I 1 I 1 le be andele to is on u i |