POWERGRAMS

James Mitchell arrived in Tom Martin's Montgomery law office in November 1911 to inquire about possible dam sites in Alabama. He had seen the surveys and studied the maps, heard about the rivers and the fall line, the many excellent sites to build hydroelectric dams. Mitchell had selected the right person to represent him and direct the legal aspects of his power company development. Martin was young, energetic, well-connected and knowledgeable about the state of Alabama and both state and federal laws on hydro and power development. Everything began moving at a fast pace. Companies were purchased, assets merged, boards created and plans made. In the fall of 1912, Alabama Power Company moved its corporate offices from Montgomery to the Brown- Marx Building in Birmingham. This placed the company in a stronger commercial, business and industrial city. By December 28, 1913, the gates were closed on the newly constructed Lock 12 (Lay) Dam on the Coosa River and, by April 1, 1914, the powerhouse was generating electricity. Except for the small amount of power coming from the Jackson Shoals Dam, the Lock 12 hydroelectricity and the backup generation of the coal-fired Gadsden Steam Plant were the beginning of the large amount of electricity that Alabama Power was soon able to sell. In the next few years more assets were added to the company's holdings, and Alabama Power continued to grow. As the company's operations expanded, management first relied on mail, railroads and telegraph lines to communicate with its growing number of employees and the facilities they directed. With the technology of radios and telephones, they were able to reach superintendents and managers. But as Alabama Power grew and spread geographically, Martin worried about how the quick communication and working friendships of the early company might be maintained when there were employees scattered across central and northern Alabama, as well as in many rural areas. Martin was aware that large national corporations with multistate operations were establishing company newsletters. He discussed his idea of beginning a company newsletter with Mitchell, as well as with several other Alabama Power leaders and employees. In early 1920, Martin set in motion plans for an Alabama Power publication that would give employees current news and information on their company. The newsletter would share the corporate culture that was being developed, could announce initiatives, introduce new employees, solicit opinion through surveys, convey information about the status of construction projects, and pass along other news about employees and programs. Spreading the word about the latest safety technologies was important. After several months of planning, the first issue of Powergrams appeared in April 1920 and was delivered to employees free of charge. People outside Alabama Power could subscribe for $2 a year. The name had been selected in a companywide contest. The winning idea combined using the Greek "grams" (meaning writing and also history) with "power." It was the perfect name. Today the publication provides a significant historical record of the company and the activities of employees. Although Mitchell had suffered a stroke at his home on Long Island in June 1914, he was well enough by the winter of 1920 to write a message to Alabama Power employees for the first issue of Powergrams. But as his health deteriorated, Mitchell resigned as president of Alabama Power on Feb. 16, 1920, and Martin assumed those responsibilities. Mitchell lived long enough to include a valuable message to his employees and to read the first issue of Powergrams. He received the publication's positive reception from employees before he died on July 20, 1920. Powergrams has been informing Alabama Power employees, management, families and communities about the activities of the company and its people for 97 years. Although corporate board minutes, business journals and company correspondence are very significant to documenting the history of Alabama Power, the complete run of Powergrams presents the most valuable historical resource to understand and track the history and the people of Alabama Power Company. by Leah Rawls Atkins 43 HISTORY

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