CHEAP FERTILIZER
The discussion of the policy to be
adopted at Muscle Shoals is import
ant to Southeastern Alaskans be
cause of the reported use to which
the Alaska-Gastineau power plant
at Thane is to be put. We have
been told by Bart Thane and H. L
Faulkner and others that this won
der power plant was to be used for
a puip and paper mill. They told
this story for a long time until they
were finally forced to abandon it,
for there was no foundation of
truth in it. We are now told that
the power plant is to be used to
develop nitrates. We should not be
deceived.
In the discussion of this subject
in relation to Muscle Shoals, it was
conceded on all sides that even this
immense project involving 500,000
horsepower, cannot manufacture nit
rates as cheaply as it can be manu
factured at Billingham, England, the
second largest synthetic ammonia
plant in the world, or in Germany
where nitrates are developed by
steam, using the electrolytic de
composition of water, giving hydro
gen and oxygen.
A more authoritative statement
that we can give is to be found m
an editorial from the official journal
of the American Chemical Society
namely: The Industrial and Engin
eering Chemistry, as follows :
“Power costing more than $15 per
horsepower year cannot in large
plants produce hydrogen in compe
tition with either of the other pro
cesses, nor would $15 power used
for the production of hydrogen pro
duce ‘cheap fertilizer’ in connection
with the other procedures. To use
power on the basis of $15 a horse
power year anywhere in America for
any considerable period is an eco
nomic waste. It is much more val
uable for other purposes.
“As we go to press Congress ap
pears to believe that the power of
Muscle Shoals should be utilized
through private enterprise. The
Underwood bill, however, which is
before the Senate, requires that the
Secretary of War shall lease prior
to September, 1925, the power under
guaranty to fix 40,000 tons minimum
of nitrogen a year within six years:
otherwise a Government corporation
shall be formed to take over the
plants and go into the fertilizer
business. Although it is true that
for a number of years the secondary
power, or the ‘off-peak’ power, at
Muscle Shoals may be utilized eco
nomically for the electrolytic pro
duction of hydrogen, it seems cer
tain that no corporation can be
found that will agree to utilize the
primary power for this purpose un
less it is allowed to sell the balance
of the power at a price to pay a
subsidy on the economic crime to
both. Accordingly, the danger of
the continuation of Government con
trol of Muscle Shoals still faces us.
“When the General Chemical Co.,
the Mathieson Alkali Works (Inc.'i,
the Niagara Ammonia Co. (Inc ),
and the Du Pont Co. decided to es
tablish their nitrogen fixation planr.s
their directors sought and followed
the advice of competent technical
men. The directors of these com
panies were business men unaffected
by political considerations. Congress
might well take a lesson from their
example.”
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ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
“The savage inhabitants of re
mote parts of the earth are leading
the same life today as when Colum
bus landed on our shores.
“The reason is obvious—they
haven’t learned the value of organ
ized effort and organized distribu
tion.” From the Juneau Empire in
an “ad” trying to convince merchants
PETER PAN
CANDY SHOP
M. Liljestrand and Mrs. V. A.
Peterson
MAGAZINES
CANDY—ICE CREAM
CIGARS and TOBACCO
Coiner Dock and Main
Phone Black 41
_Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan Meat Co.
Next to Custom House, Ketchikan
Central Market
Newtown, Ketchikan
Dealers in
Fresh Meats and Provisions
Special Attention Paid to Boat
Orders
KETCHIKAN MEAT CO.
Phone 120 Day
Phone White 76 Night
Phone 307
CENTRAL MARKET
that its columns should be used for
more advertising.
We like the criticism and admit
the force of the advertisement. Let
us paraphrase the statement: “The
savage inhabitants (and others) of
remote parts (and parts not re
mot) of the earth have not learned
the value of organized effort and
organized distribution.”
All except the Alaska Native
Brotherhood, Mr. Juneau Empire.
The savage members of this organi
zation have learned. The other sec
tion of the laboring class of people
in Alaska, the white worker, and
those who are supported by him, the
local merchant, have not learned “the
value of organized effort.”
Just as soon as the white working
man and the local merchant realize
that we are all in the same boat and
will join together in “organized ef
fort,” Mr. John Troy will have to
go back to Clallam County where
he was honored treasurer or some
thing.
--
Hlacksmithing - - Plumbing
CHRIS GRONSETH
Sheet Metal Work
Petersburg - Alaska
v.---J
THE BOSTON CAFE
H. SAITO, Prop.
Tasty Noodles and Chop Suey
WRANGELL
t--N
Wrangell Bakery
Next to
Skating Rink
Wrangell, Alaska
j
THE DRIFT INN
L. A. OLSEN, Proprietor
Pool Hall-Cigars and Tobaccos
Furnished Rooms
Wrangell - Alaska
CANADIAN FISH & COLD STORAGE
COMPANY, Ltd.
PRINCE RUPERT, B. C., CANADA
offer to the fishermen of Alaska the means of obtaining
highest prices for their halibut and salmon.
We have recently reconstructed our ice plant and
now produce only hard transparent ice which preserves
the fish one hundred per cenf.