Illinois: Near the Tree

It was, snorted one Congressman, "the Government's biggest free offer to all comers since the opening of the Cherokee strip to the homesteaders in 1893." Indeed, when the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission started searching for a site for its new $375 million atom-smashing accelerator 21 months ago, 200 or so communities in 45 states came forward with a pitch. No wonder. The competition was for an installation that would mean 3,000 new scientific and technical jobs, 9,000 new residents and a $21 million-a-year payroll.

Last week the long suspense ended. The world's most powerful atom smasher, which will generate 200 billion...

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