Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-06
THE SOUTHERN ICON INTEREST. S


come to grief.
THE SOUTHERN IRON INTERESTS
Since emancipation, the material inter
ests of the South, and manufactures of
various kinds have been developed to an
extent not only surprising, but of mag
nitude of the most hopeful promise for
the future growth and wealth of that por-
ton of the country. Plantation interests
and cotton growing do not now absorb the
leading idea in that section as formerly.
but enterprise is driving on in other direc-
tions. new business impulse and grasp is
inspiring the people, and the vast, mineral
and other resources of that region are be-
ing brought to light. Manufacturing en-
terprises are yet in their infancy, but are
assuming an encouraging growth. North
ern and English capital, to considerable
extent, is being attracted in that direction,
and it is safe to predict
that the material wealth of
the South in the futures nearby develops
ment will make no mean item in the aug
mented aggregate of the nations indus
tries.
Take the iron interest alone, which is
being brought to the front, and which is
only one of the many industrial
and manufacturing interests strug
Cling into existence, and the South has
emphatically the prophecy of great and
prosperous future. Alabama, Tennessee,
Virginia and West Virginia are already
having great if not controlling influence
in the western iron trade. Sloss iron from
Birmingham, Alabama, and South Pitts
burgh, Tennessee, and Sewanee iron from
Tennessee are being transported from 600
to 800 miles and laid down
at the Pittsburgh mills with lib
eral profit to the furnaces. The
West can use a great deal more Southern
iron at fair prices, if general trade condi-
tions remain undisturbed, without giving
up entirely its supplies from the East.
A correspondent quite familiar with the
details of the Southern iron interest, says:
1t will interest iron makers and consumers
everywhere, no doubt, to review the latest de-
velopments in the growth of this vigorous in
dustry in the South. For while past the cen
ter of activity has been Alabama. In April the
large Sloss furnace at Birmingham was nearing
completion. NOw.it has been in successful OPP
Grafton for several months, and has its second
stack, of still greater capacity, nearly completed
Alice furnace, also at Birmingham, has another
stack far advanced, its capacity to be 100 tons
per day. little below Birmingham, the Wood
wards, Late the owners of the LabelIe Iron works.
Wheeling, w. Va, have established a new
Wheeling" the center of which is the Wood
| ward furnace, nearly completed, 75x17 feet, with
three Whitwell stoves. At Oxmoor, the Eureka
| company, now making 100 tons per day, is
making Improvements that will nearly double
| its capacity. The Mary Pratt furnace at Biz
| mingham, intended for charcoal iron, is nearing
completion. 1t will make fifty tons of car
wheel iron per day. At Jonesboro, in the same
district, MIR. H. +. Debardaleben, the foremost
spirit In Alabama iron and coal enterprises, has
selected the site and Is preparing plaas for tn
largest furnace of all. 1t will be Of the same
order and dimensions as the famous Lucy and
Isabella furnaces of Pennsylvania.
In addition to this there are other SIM
liar enterprises completed or under way.
developing healthy growth. The most
important organization is the Tennessee
Coal, Iron & Railroad company. This
has absorbed by purchase the Southern
States Coal, Iron & Land company's works
at South Pittsburgh, on which English
capitalists have expended s., 100000. 1t has
100000 capital and owns three fur
naces, with an average daily capacity of
200 tons. It also owns the Tracy City
coal mines. from which its own furnaces
and some others in the district are SUD.
piled with coke.
In old and West Virginia the most i'm
portant enterprise is the Victoria furnace.
now nearly ready for blowing, at Goshen.
near Staunton, on the line of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio railroad. This is
being built by the Iron and Steel associa-
citation of Virginia, composed of English
capitalists, and is by considerable the lar
gest furnace in the United States, if not in
the world.
The foregoing is but limited and i'm
perfect view of the vast and increasing
interest growing up in this branch of in
dustry at the South. 1t is mat
ter of great encouragement, that
the South is interesting English, as we'll as
Northern and Northwestern capital to de-
velop its immense resources. While the
iron interest is thus rapidly growing, other
lines of industry and manufacture are
springing up, the not least considerable of
which is, and is to be the manufacture of
cotton into fabrics on the soil where it is
raised. In view of these rapidly unfolding
projects and prospects, the New South has
far greater promise Of material wealth,
prosperity grandeur and greatness than the
old could ever have had under its impev-
erishing system of servile labor.
Any article bought at l45 East Third street
has saved the purchaser % to 80 per cent. A
greater saving can be made now.
Personal.