The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-04-20

SDuSfllOulC tHOTt, Dut louHu All thc
new houses unoccupied. Bessemer is
is miles away. But unless all reasonable
evidence fails, Birmingham best and
above all others, represents the highest
type of the "New South" There is no
secret about the rise and progress of
this truly wonderful city. tits comprised
in the unrivaled mineral wealth which
is centred ut this point. 1t would seem
that conditions here gathered, will make
this place the centre of the best and
greatest iron-producing industry on this
continent. II coal is power, and iron
strength, they have it at Birmingham.
Here the iron ores, coking coal, with
limestone and sand, all the elements for
the manufacture of iron, are nestled on
the same ground. The ore, the fuel and
the flux are in and around this city.
That this accumulation of mineral wealth
should have been left to this late day to
materialize is only one ofthe bars slavery
placed upon Southern development.
Just south of this city stretches ridge
of hills, hardly mountains, for about 80
miles in length, and this entire range is
rich with red hematite iron ore. The
pivotal centre of this iron range rs
Birmingham. Immediately south ofthe
city, is another range of hills, parallel
with the former, and these are underlaid
with coal, known as the great Warrior
Coal Fields, embracing in their extent
not less than 1000 square miles, of great
thickness and Oft quality that cokes
well. Long lines of coking ovens are
seen within gun-shot of iron furnaces.
l have examined these deposits with
wonder. The possibilities of the locality
are quite incredible. When development
finally did come, fortunately it fell into
bold and intelligent hands. They laid
out city worthy of its possibilities.
The streets are broad and well graded,
the avenues being 100 and the cross
streets so feet In width. The sidewalks
are well paved, fagstones being in great
abundance and all degrees of thickness
The drives about the city are very fine
and the views lovely. The buildings
are not only good as rule, mostly of
brick, but Will compare favOrably with
the business blocks of Minneapolis.
There are four hotels, but the new one
now approaching completion. is noble
structure, comparing with the Ryan in
st. Paul, and will be by far the best
hotel IN any Southern city, always
excepting that gorgeous palace, built by
New Workers, at st. Augustine, the
with its electric lights, which extend to
and illuminate all the furnaces and
rolling mills. The street car servire is
unique, embracing not less than 20 miles,
and dummies reaching the furnaces and
mines in every direction. These dummy
lines run to the hills, and following their
sinuOsities beautiful suburban residences
are built far out of the city. The schools
OF the city are III good condition for
colored children as well as white. The
Lake View Hotel, a suburban resort, on
the banks of a beautiful artificial lake,
nesting among the hills and woods,
with its walks and drives, is most
desirable retreat in almost any season in
this climate. 1t has several fine mineral
springs TO ada TO its attractions. We
enjoyed it greatly, and left there friends
who were SO welded to its beauty, that
they concluded to remain for several
weeks longer. Really this is city
unlike any other city in the South. 1t
is Northern city in Southern zone.
Southern journals, in their pride, call it
the magic City"
The foundation for all this prosperity
is based on some thirty iron furnaces
and rolling mills. These are built and
equipped with the latest improvements.
With the raw material all on the ground
they can produce iron ut a minimum of
cost. i was informed that pig iron is
here produced at a cost of from 50 to $40
per ton. A Pennsylvania IRON man told
me that neither in his state nor elsewhere
in this country can iron be produced at
less than from $l4 to SIS per ton. This
fact enables one to appreciate the
advantages of Birmingham. state these
facts cautiously, as my information all
comes from Pennsylvania iron men.
Birmingham is drawing heavily on
Pennsylvania. Much of the capital here
invested is from that state, and the
young men of energy from the Keystone
state come here to settle. The output OF
the furnaces now IN operation or being
1t is idle for any other portion of the
that the South is going to give us cheaper
iron. Transportation is improving in
the South rapidly, and all railways are
either at, or making their way to this
city. Water transit will soon be
perfected by the Warrior and Tombigbee
rivers, from this coal and iron, to the
sea. What have seen in and around
this city teaches me that Alabama will
yet control the price of iron in the
United States. Upon the heels of this,
and as logical result, other industries
are rapidly following. Heavy steel
works are nearly ready to start Stove
works, iron bridge building, car works,
steam engine, water pipes, bolt and
screw works, and all manufactures made
of iron are here or starting Cheapness
of the raw material defies competition,
and invites all such industries as
consume iron. The faith of the iron
men of this city is that they will beat all
the world in the iron industry.
Northern money and Northern energy
are hurrying this iron infant on to
amazing growth. The number of railways
here was quite surprise. No less than
forty-five trains day arrive in a union
depot which excels that at St. Paul i'm
size and convenience and as is as well
built. Still other lines of railway are
building to this point. The labor used
is chiefly that of black mee.- am told |
they do admirably. At the celebrated |
Pratt coal mines l found the miners ali |
colored. The mass of the labor is |
though the higher expert |
in the mills are white. This is |
the "New South" which is creating
with new teachings, new
and new blood. Real |
estate Is probably high, but not so high |
as in our Twin cities. You meet men
in every business from the North. The
is good all the year round. The |
water is excellent. With such facilities
it would seem as though Birmingham
would become the iron city of the world.
r. III RAKRP