LARGE PUBLIC WORKS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7268, 22 September 1933, Page 10

LARGE PUBLIC WORKS

Stimulating Industry in U.S.A. ENTIRELY NEW DEPARTURE MUSCLE SHOALS HYDRO SCHEME. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. YOUTHS’ AFFORESTATION CAMPS. (By T.C.L.—No 13.) The prosecution of largo utility works is ono of the means by which President Roosevelt expects to put, large bodios of men into employment j and to provido tho spending power to reinstate tho country’s industry and economy. The large sum of £660,000,000 storing is provided for the purpose. One of the largest of the schemes is that known as Muscle Shoals, in tnc Tennessee Valley. In 1917, when America entered the war, President Wilson sought a site for a great dam in order to develop power for extracting atmospheric nitrogen for the nation’s war requirements. Muscle Shoals was select e’d and work begun on tho construction of what was called the Wilson Dam, after the President. Following tne Armistice Congress refused approprations for completing the structure, which was then half finished. Henry Ford made an offer to complete the dam his idea being to supply his own worns at Detroit and others in the vicinity. Tho Government refused tho oiler.

DEVELOPMENT OF 3,000, 000 H.P The amount of power that can be developed by integrated development of tho river and its tributaries is estimated at 3,000,000 horse-power. Thus from a power standpoint the 1 Tennessee is one of America’s most important rivers. Rising high in the Appalachian Mountains the river rushes swiftly into the Ohio. In a relatively short distance it has a drop of 290 ft. and is in 700 miles of length one of C6oft. This downward rush, or ‘‘head,’’ as tho engineers describe it, of a great volume of water accounts for the immense potentialities of the river as a power generator.

The basin of t.he river has an elongated area of 40,000 squaro miles, and the works will bo located at on great distance from the centres of population and some of the largest industries of the whole United States. Along the river Jio great coal and iron ore and limestone deposits. Not only has tho President in mind the development of immense quantities of power, but his plans embrace the

efforestation of denuded areas, so as to rcstoro the watershed’s potentialities, as well as tho withdrawal from cultivation of margin and sub-marginal lands and tho Teoricutation of tho valley. A commission of three men has been set lip to construct the dams because there will be several by the timo full development occurs, the manufacture and sale of power and the production of nitrates.

New Departure Welcomed It is quite a new depature for the Government of tho United Elates to launch out in this way and develop the natural resources of tho country. In the past this field was left open to private enterprise. Not only tho railways and many of the municipal tramways, but practically all the gas and electriety supplies are in the hands of private cur positions, which perhaps naturally, have always studied the interests of their shareholders before those of the public. Like the banks the public utility companies, as they are called, just now arc not very popular with the public, which has hailed 'the completion of the Muscle Shoals scheme with considerable satifaclion if for no other reason than that it will keep the public utilities concerns in check. Neither has Uncle Sam ever before appeared in the grab of a manufacturer and seller of fertilisers, and how ho will shape in his capacity is affording many citzens coneidcrable interest and speculation. On tho whole, however, there is so much resentment against the past exactions of the trusts and combinations and their faldure to meet the new situation arising out of the economic crisis that the public welcome any move along the linos of Government intervention or participation in industry, especially in the development of great natural resources like those in the Tennessee Valley.

SMART PIECE OF WORK

Probably the smartest piece of work to bo credited tho amazing Roosevelt since ho assumed the leadership of tho nation is the placing of over 300,000 boys and young men into forest camps. This large number was enlisted, trained and transferred over 1400 camps scattered over the countryside with-in two months. The military had charge of tho work and military equipment is being used. The camps are conducted along military Ijnes, and the boys who work only about 6 to 01 hours a day The camps, one of which the writer visited in Arizona, is similar to a New Zca land military camp. The lads are clad in dungarees, and regard their work in the nature of a picnic. They only thing lacking is military drill and discipline, which would sot them up properly. Not that they arc giving trouble, for on the whole the lads are well he haved. The desertions have been remarkably few, less than ono per cent-, and that was before proper organisation had been arranged. GOOD WORK IN THE FORESTS.

Good work is being done in the forests. Undergrowth and dead wood are

being removed and fire-breaks provided, thus aiding healithy forest growth and preventing the spread of forest fires. Plant and tree pests and parasites are being controlled and destroyed. Streams arc being cleared and head waters dammed to prevent floodfloods and soil erosion. In some areas camp sites are being provided for tourists and picnic grounds improved and and cleaned. It is an important national conservation work that is being done by labour that before was doing worse than nothing. Many of tho boys were roaming and living on tho country jumping freight trains and menacing the farmers and townspeople alike. It estimated that there were, nearly a million of thm altogether, besides over 50,000 girls. In Los Angeles, for instance, the average number of arrivals from, the eastern district was 9000 boys and 1000 girls monthly Organise as many as possible, but the qiroblem grew acute, and had not tho President taken them off the roads and trains and place them in the afforestation camps a deseperatc situation would have been reached.

Considerable relief is also being afforded the homes of the lads from the remittance of 25 dollars a mouth, which makes all the difference between sufficiency and starvation. Altogether the scheme is regarded as a most successful one and likely to result in permanent national benefit as well as tiding over large numbers of lads for whom at the present there are no pospects of employment.