Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-04
Wednesday, February 4, 1855.

FORTUNATE ALABAMA.
Colonel Mcclure; the editot Of, the .Phila-
delphia Times, has been travelling in the
South, and he thinks he has found fcrmid-
able rival in Alabama to Pennsylvania's vast
coal and iron interests. What he has to say
about this matter is of interest to the whole
country, for he is careful and experienced
observance.
Colonel Mcclure calls attention to the fact
that twelve ago the coal product of Alabama
was 10000 tons d year: Now, nearly half
that amount is sent to market eachday; the
total tonnage of 1884 being 1,50O,00O
Twelve years ago the total pig-iron product
of tbs State was $4,000 tons. Now it is
100000. And he goes OH to say: These two
sentences speak volumes to the iron and coal
interests of the whole country. Remember
that while the increase noted in the iron and
coal product covers period of twelve years,
to date the sluggish product Of ante -bellum
times, the chief growth has been in one-third
of that period, and during season of con-
tinued and steadily increasing depression in
the iron and coal trade of the country. This
marvellous growth has come in Alabama,
when the Philadelphia and Reading railroad
company has been bankrupted by the pros
tration of the iron and coal Industries of
Pennsylvania; there has been uninterrupted
prosperity here, while large proportion of
our Pennsylvania furnaces have been driven
20 idleness and those that continued have, as
a rule, been fortunate if they escaped actual
loss. In like manner, the coal trade of this
region has been reasonably prosperous, while
many of our Pennsylvania operators have
been bankrupted, aud others have escaped
bankruptcy by closing their mines.
1t has been said that iron can be produced
in Alabama for 80 per ton,. but Colonel Nc
Clure does not believe this is possible. He
has no doubt, however, that iron can and
will be produced much cheaper in Alabama
than in Pennsylvania. Ani the same is true
Of coal. Says the Colonel Nova Scotia will
soon learn to fear Alabama more than the
small tariff now imposed upon her imported
coal, and instead of extorting double prices |
for bituminous coal, as she did in the early |
lays of the late war, before protection had
developed our northern mines, she will find |
Alabama crowding both herself and Pennsyl- |
1ania in the New England factories, and with |
ne WdJeTWuyS OF Tile OGaUe peTl6cC6Q even |
England will have to look to her laurels in |
he Central and South American States. |
These lessons come upon us plain as the |
loonday sun, and it is midsummer madness
lot to read them understandingly. We can
lot war with destiny; we cannot efface the
oeneficent gifts of Him who leads the waters
10 the seas and sends them back in the |
LEWIS and rains of heaven. Alabama has been
,ifted even far beyond our boasted empire
If Pennsylvania, and only the southern slug
,ard has hitherto given the race to the
North. Now there is a new South, with new
new opportunities, new energies
md manifestly new destiny, and the time
s at hand when a large portion of the great
ron and coal products of the country which
,nter competing centers will be supplied
cheaper from Alabama than from any State
n the North.
There is no doubt that there is soon going
20 be great change in Alabama and some of
he other southern States whose resources are
lot yet developed. This change will have a
powerful effect upon the South and indeed,
lpon the whole country.