It is not difficult to understand the pulling together of our citizens through t the Decatur and Morgan County area to stop this loss. We were determined more than ever to develop local work opportunities for our young men and women to keep them at home.

The record speaks for itself: Covered workers (Alabama Department of Industrial Relations) in Morgan County (Decatur) increased from 7,793 in 195 to 21,165 in 1970. Wages of covered workers in 1955 totaled $27.624,000, 255 this had increased to $144,515,000 in 1970. These figures do not include workers at Redstone Arsenal (Huntsville).

We estimate that a minimum of 50% of covered workers, shown above, live on surrounding farms of the immediate area. These workers return to the farms some $72,000,000 per year earned in the Decatur area. This sum far exceeds the value of all farm crops of the three county area.

The 1970 U.S. Census shows that Morgan County gained an in-migration of 6,025 and the North Alabama area a gain of 35,000, as compared to an outmigration of 38,000 in 1960. This means that we have over the last several years developed local work opportunities for not only our native people but 35,000 additional who migrated into the area.

It is significant that the water front of Decatur, approximately seven miles in length, is now almost completely developed. Industry has invested some $700,000,000 along this water front in facilities to provide work opportunities for our people. Before this decade has passed this investment will exceed one billion dollars. It is interesting to note that twelve of Fortune's 500 largest corporations have industrial plants in Decatur.

This outstanding growth of industrial workers and its effect on the economy of the area has made it necessary for the city and county to finance major proj ects in education, recreation, urban renewal programs, low cost housing projects. and up grading the downtown areas, all with the aid of Federal and State funds Today Decatur is on solid ground with a broad diversified industrial a: commercial complex. Gross farm income is at a peak. Land values were never so high. All of this because of an energetic people, working with their Federal Government, determined to develop work opportunities at home for its ow always keeping uppermost a healthy, invigorating environment.

Very truly yours,

T. D. JOHNSON.

Executive Director, North Alabama Industrial Development Association.

County

COVERED WORKERS-SELECTED NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES, 1955 THROUGH 1965

1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964

1 Totals only, not averaged. Above figures do not include Government workers at Redstone Arsenal (Madison Coum and the Tennessee Valley Authority (Colbert County).

Source: Statistical bulletin, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, Montgomery, Ala.

5,634

5,708

6.630

7.134

13, 989 16 391

AVERAGE MONTHLY COVERED EMPLOYMENT-NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES, 1965 THROUGH 1968

1 Figures do not include Government workers at Redstone Arsenal (Madison County) and Tennessee Valley Authority (Colbert County). Data included in State totals only.

Source: Statistical bulletins, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

WAGES FOR COVERED EMPLOYMENT-SELECTED NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES, YEARS 1955 THROUGH 1960

Source: Statistical bulletin, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, Montgomery, Ala.

WAGES FOR COVERED EMPLOYMENT-SELECTED NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES, YEARS 1961 THROUGH 1966

Source: Statistical bulletins, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, Montgomery, Ala.

ANNUAL PAYROLLS FOR COVERED EMPLOYMENT-NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES, 1965 THROUGH 1968

1 Figures do not include Government workers at Redstone Arsenal (Madison County) and Tennessee Valley A (Colbert County). Data included in State totals only.

Source: Statistical bulletins, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

1,958

8,395, 644

2, 051

9, 179, 553

2,207

2,316

754

2, 111, 025

730

2,084, 986

949

2, 446, 880

915

2, 833, 504

3.393

11, 442, 028

3,317

11, 405, 821

3,407

12,659, 775