Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-11
THAT BRIDGE.
sensible Thoughts cu PstrOnizing
Home Industry.
From the Chattanooga Time

From the Chattanooga Times
A few days ago was celebrated the COM
pletion of Kings Bridge. The structure is
a credit to the county, and the Inauguration
of its use was pleasant occasion. With
symmetrical parts and graceful curve it spans
the stream, "a thing Of beauty" and we
trust it may remain "a Joy forever"
But not withstanding the aesthetic feel
ings that structure awakened, and the coz
vivialities enjoyed on the occasion of its
completion, there was mingled with all a
regret which still fingers in our mind. We
regret that the bridge was not mgnufac.
tured in Chattanooga.
There is a smaller bridge, built by the
same company that constructed Kings
Bridge, spanning Chattanooga Creek, be-
tween the city and Lookout Mountain.
Upon the bridge is placed sign, which is
read alike by citizen and stranger. This
sign is not guide board, or a mile post,
nor does it give any regulations in regard to
passing the bridge. It conveys the infor-
nation that the bridge loas built IN Canton,
Ohio. Such notice is suggestive. Does
it awaken thoughts complimentary to the
pride and energy Of our people?
Canton, Ohio, is six hundred miles from
Chattanooga. But the iron Of which the
bridge is made is not manufactured in Can
ton. The iron ore is taken from the mines
of Missouri and Lake Superior to Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, and there transformed into
pig iron. 1t costs not less than SIS per ton
to make pig iron in Pittsburgh. Pig iron is
made here for less than SIS. This makes
difference of $40 per ton. The weight of
this bridge is twenty-five tons, consequently
about twenty-four and one ha.f tons Of pig
iron was used in manufacturing the plate
iron for the bridge.
The freight on the material from Pitts
burgh to Canton amounted to about $50,
and from Canton to Chattanooga to $iO0.
The county paid for the superstructure,
complete, s., 100. The wood work and
painting cost about 500, which leaves 81, ;
900 for the sum paid for the iron Of the
superstructure.
The Bridge Company may reasonably be
supposed to have made ten per cent. profit,
which is S490. Add to this the freight
from Pittsburgh to Canton and from Can
ton to Chattanooga, $50; also the differ
ence in cost of twenty-four and one half
tons of pig iron produced here, and we
have 81, 1S5.
The sum paid for the iron part Of the
superstructure is $4,000, less the assumed
profit $500, leaves $4,4l0. The above
amount Of 81, 1S5 is about twenty-seven per
cent. of this sum, which ig the profit to any
company that will mine their own ore and
manufacture iron structures here. TWEEN
ty-five per cent net profit is generally con-
sidered a good thing. Chattanooga pre-
sents many such standing offers to the
world.
It will be seen also in this instance that
profits would be increased seventeen per
cent by manufacturing in Chattanooga in
stead of in Canton and Pittsburgh, owing
to theidiference in freight and the dimin-
ished cost ofprodueiDg iron at this point.
The same is true in all departments Of bus
mess in which the cost of producing iron is
an flement Of expense. Iron is produced
cheaper in this vicinity than anywhere else
in the world. Capitalists and manufsctu-
rers will do well to make note of this and
come and see for themselves.
II. n. SNYDER.