The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-08-06


we have iron Missouri, Wisconsin and Lake
Superior. The coal, which for forging
blasting and smelling purposes, we have
looked to To, East for, must be obtainabie
at nearer pint, in order that the flow be
successful.
In the lootion Of bis rolling mill aDa
furnaces, at billet, Mr.. A. B. Meeker claims
to have SOLVED the problem in That half Of
1t heretofore u doubt,-as to fral-by the
use of Illinois Coal. This lies beneath the
soil in unlimied quantity. By bis newly
erected Bel gum ovens, the first built on
American soil he reduces this coal to coke,
making the best material for bis furnaces,
and SO, adapted to all other Ike uses. Re,
garding the result of bis experiment If sue
cesstul, as complete answer to all objections
hitherto urged IS to the use Of Illinois Coal,
We .haves taket the trouble to 60 down to
J oliet for careful inspection of the premises.
In all that pertains to advantages of location
as distributing point it is unsurpassed; at
the depth Of few inches lies the stratifed
rock Of the section, 50 much used here as
building material, and which, for founda-
ton and superstructure is all that could be
asked for; bore of FIVE hundred feet
brought water Of the best quality, with a
head Of thirty-6ve feet and in quantity an
uninterrupted discharge Of gallons per hour.
ten times the quantity needed for all contem-
plated purposes. Thus the first plant of the
works is under most advantageous circum-
stances, the mill combines all the known
improvements, and in its first product of
metal has been complete success. Desir-
able fuel for foundry purposes stands in this
order in its relative value charcoal, coke,
anthracite and bituminous. The expense
and limited supply of the first makes other
fuel necessary. Good coke is not easily
Obtainable, and anthracite coming from
Pennsylvania is expensiv1 Illinois coal has
such an amount Of sulphur, as to greatly
injure it for foundry purposes. But the ex-
perlments of MIR. Meeker prove it will coke
in pure compact form, and SO is produced
fuel that is unsurpassed in quality and
cost. The old and ordinary processes Of
preparation are slow and expensive, and
when the coke is thus produced the result
is not always satisfactory. But from these
foreign ovens there comes a material for
fuel, expeditions in manufacture, and unex.
celled in its qualities Of economy, purity
and combustion.
The value ofthis discovery to Chicago and
vicinity as a point for future manufacture.
is inoalculable-; Pittsburgh has the coal il
her anthracite, but to maintain her reputa
ton in iron, the ore or metal must come
from Lake Superior. But here, we have
within easy reach on the one hand fuel, and
on the other iron.
To the splendid future of Chicago as the
natural centre Of the lumber, grain, and
live stock interests eff the Union, We NAV
now add the enormous manufacturing in
dustries that will surely find location
where there is, as at this point, the best
facilities for coal, iron and market.
THE free trade papers are fond Of
quoting Mr.. Wells statement, that we
could better afford to destroy the steel
rail manufIctur in this country than
to aid it by protective tariffs. This is
only frank statement of the inherent
vindictiveness Of the free traders TO-
ward one branch of industrye But as
the same arguments exactly, which ap-
ply to steel rails apply as well to iron
rails, and to cotton and WOODEN manu-
features, and to all other articles in
whose industries the two countries
Great Britain and the United States
compete, it follows, las the night the
day." that in free traders mind i
would be better to destroy them al
than protect them by tariffs. Moreover
their complete destruction involves the
eqAalIy complete destruction OF Amer
lean agriculture, whose prosperity de
ponds upon its ability to get higher
prices in America than it can get
abroad for its crops 1t is idle to sup
pose American farmers can be driver
to compete with Russian serfs iii rails
ing wheat for European markets, unles,
they are willing to accept as small g
compensation as the serts require fol
their support. So, in the long run, the
logic Of free trade is, that it is better
to break down all American industries
agricultural, mining, mechanical, man.
ufacturing and professional, than tc
sustain them by protection.