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Story
November 22, 1921
The Topeka State Journal
Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
What is this article about?
Thomas Edison endorses Henry Ford's ambitious plan to develop the Muscle Shoals water power project in the South, predicting it will produce a million horsepower, employ a million men, and inspire nationwide water power utilization. Edison will join Ford to inspect the site and provide expert advice on completion costs and processes.
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Edison Will Help H. Ford Develop Muscle Shoals Power Plant, He Declares
Detroit, Nov. 22. - Henry Ford plans to inspect the Muscle Shoals nitrate plant the latter part of next week, accompanied by Thomas Edison, who will join him here, it was learned today.
By ALAN BENSON.
Copyright, 1921, by the International News Service.
Orange, N. J., Nov. 22. - Thomas A. Edison is sure that Henry Ford will do a big thing for the south and for the country in the development of the Muscle Shoals water project. Muscle Shoals will produce a million horsepower and employ a million men, but Mr. Edison is not sure the object lesson to the nation will not be the biggest thing about it.
"The development of Muscle Shoals," said Mr. Edison to me in his laboratory today, "should cause others to develop water power in other parts of the country. There is enormous power going to waste, not only in the south but all over the country. A water power at work is real wealth. Wheat is not wealth. We may raise two billion dollars worth this year and a year hence it will have been destroyed. But a water power goes on forever.
Can Make Niagaras.
"There are no more Niagaras in the country, but there are a great many smaller powers that, in the aggregate, are of great national importance.
"Henry Ford is the first man in the country who has had sufficient imagination to see the opportunity and take advantage of it.
"Think of the enormous increase of the manpower of the country that would result from the giving to farmers of an opportunity to work twelve months a year instead of four. Farmers now don't do much except chores in the seasons when they are not sowing or reaping. They could increase their earnings a great deal if they were able to work in factories when they are not farming.
Big Boon to South.
"The development of the industries that Henry Ford purposes to establish at Muscle Shoals will not only give employment to hundreds of thousands of men, but it will increase the wages of everybody else in the south.
"I never saw anything like Ford's restless activity. I told him when I saw him Saturday that if there were 500 men like him in this country we should all have St. Vitus dance. He's a wonder. He's that rare combination of natural mechanic and business man.
"What Ford sets out to do he will do. He permits nothing to stop him.
Edison Will Help Ford.
"I shall be very interested in visiting Muscle Shoals with Mr. Ford. He told me the other day that he would be along with his private car after Thanksgiving. I shall be ready whenever he comes.
Mr. Edison is going to Muscle Shoals for two purposes - to give an expert opinion with regard to the cost of completing the work on the project that the government has begun, and to advise Mr. Ford with regard to the many electrical and chemical processes he will employ.
Detroit, Nov. 22. - Henry Ford plans to inspect the Muscle Shoals nitrate plant the latter part of next week, accompanied by Thomas Edison, who will join him here, it was learned today.
By ALAN BENSON.
Copyright, 1921, by the International News Service.
Orange, N. J., Nov. 22. - Thomas A. Edison is sure that Henry Ford will do a big thing for the south and for the country in the development of the Muscle Shoals water project. Muscle Shoals will produce a million horsepower and employ a million men, but Mr. Edison is not sure the object lesson to the nation will not be the biggest thing about it.
"The development of Muscle Shoals," said Mr. Edison to me in his laboratory today, "should cause others to develop water power in other parts of the country. There is enormous power going to waste, not only in the south but all over the country. A water power at work is real wealth. Wheat is not wealth. We may raise two billion dollars worth this year and a year hence it will have been destroyed. But a water power goes on forever.
Can Make Niagaras.
"There are no more Niagaras in the country, but there are a great many smaller powers that, in the aggregate, are of great national importance.
"Henry Ford is the first man in the country who has had sufficient imagination to see the opportunity and take advantage of it.
"Think of the enormous increase of the manpower of the country that would result from the giving to farmers of an opportunity to work twelve months a year instead of four. Farmers now don't do much except chores in the seasons when they are not sowing or reaping. They could increase their earnings a great deal if they were able to work in factories when they are not farming.
Big Boon to South.
"The development of the industries that Henry Ford purposes to establish at Muscle Shoals will not only give employment to hundreds of thousands of men, but it will increase the wages of everybody else in the south.
"I never saw anything like Ford's restless activity. I told him when I saw him Saturday that if there were 500 men like him in this country we should all have St. Vitus dance. He's a wonder. He's that rare combination of natural mechanic and business man.
"What Ford sets out to do he will do. He permits nothing to stop him.
Edison Will Help Ford.
"I shall be very interested in visiting Muscle Shoals with Mr. Ford. He told me the other day that he would be along with his private car after Thanksgiving. I shall be ready whenever he comes.
Mr. Edison is going to Muscle Shoals for two purposes - to give an expert opinion with regard to the cost of completing the work on the project that the government has begun, and to advise Mr. Ford with regard to the many electrical and chemical processes he will employ.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Biography
What themes does it cover?
Exploration
Triumph
What keywords are associated?
Muscle Shoals
Water Power
Henry Ford
Thomas Edison
Industrial Development
Southern Economy
What entities or persons were involved?
Thomas A. Edison
Henry Ford
Alan Benson
Where did it happen?
Muscle Shoals; Orange, N. J.; Detroit
Story Details
Key Persons
Thomas A. Edison
Henry Ford
Alan Benson
Location
Muscle Shoals; Orange, N. J.; Detroit
Event Date
Nov. 22, 1921
Story Details
Thomas Edison praises Henry Ford's vision for developing the Muscle Shoals water power project, which will generate a million horsepower, employ a million men, and boost the Southern economy by enabling year-round work for farmers. Edison plans to accompany Ford to the site to advise on costs and processes.