Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-30
MOBILE IS AFTER IT.
And She Asks Andrew Carnegie to
Build Steel Works on the Gulf.
no LABOR TROUBLES FELT THERE.
Many Advantages, Such as Cheap Fuel and
Freight Are Iimned.
CUBAN ORES MAY BE UTILIZED TO MIX

Aqmau writing in the name Of the Cham
her of Commerce of Mobile, Ala, to An
drew Carnegie, of this city, gives a glowing
account of the possible future of that sec
tiou in the steel producing line. The letter
makes a column and half in the Mobile
Dailv Register. 1t contains strong invi-
tatiou to Mr.. Carnegie to establish works in
that vicinity, stating that it is the most
suitable place in the South for the erection
of a steel plant. Some of the stronger
points are here given:
Mobile has tributary to IL over q 900 miles OF
navigable rivers. penetrating the very heart OF
the coal, iron ore and limestone region of Ala
bama. These rivers have been, and are now
being Improved by the national government, SO
the whole year round for the transportation of the
eoal, COKE, ore ETC., BY barge lines between the
The rate at which these materials can be
laid down at Mobile is but little more than the
expense of moving the same materials from
mines and ore heads to the furnaces. as located
In the iron regions.
ALABAMA AND HER RAILWAYS.
"Aside from river transportation OF the mine
prcducts, there three railroads (the Louisville
and Nashville East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia, and Mobile and ohio) entering Mobile,
passing through the iron region, over any Ofwhich
extremely low rates for transporting this prod
uct could be obtained. If am correctly Informed,
the Alabama ores run too high in phosphorus and
sulphur for the production, from them, Of steel
under the Bessemer process but II mingled win
ores similar In character 70 the Hessemer ores,
ufacture of steel. this combination would produce
steel in Alabama, Experts and cnemlsts nave
pronounced the Cuban ores very similar to or even
of better quality than the Bessemer ores. This
being fact, would not a combination of the Cuban
steeig The Cuban ores lie in inexhaustible guam
titles and of easy access within but a few hundred
miles southeast of Mobile. These Cuban ores can
be imported at Mobile, including duty, at cost
not 70 exceed e SO to s. 20 per ton, and perhaps
Influence of large capital. understand that the
Cuban Government has already made large grants
and that one small shipment has already been re-
ceived at one Of our Southern ports Tor expert
ments."
The writer continues to enumerate advant-
ages as follows: The harbor is one of the safest
on the Gulf Thework of the National Gov
eminent has increased the depth inside the bar
to IL feet, and the work is to be continued un-
til q feet depth is gotten. On the outer bar
there are "a feet, and the depth has been in
cressing an inch year for more than a CEN
tury.
GOOD DISTRIBUTING POINT.
1t is estimated that as soon as the locks on the
Warrior river are completed coal can be laid
down in Mobile at 81 IS per ton. The geograph-
ical position of Mobile with reference to Mex
leo, Central and South America, the proposed
Nicaragua and Panama canals. the Pacific
coast and Western, Northwestern and South.
ern States is shown 20 be the best possible
adapted to the distribution of goods, and it is
pointed out that she will be the nearest distri-
button point for steel and iron products to the
Pacific coast
Mr.. Carnegie's attention is also called to the
proposition of the United States Government
70 establish large navy yard on the gulf, and
70 the report of naval examiners who found
Mobile and New Orleans the most suitable sites
for it. He thinks that if steel plant were
established at Mobile it would influence the
Government to select that city as the site for
the navy yard, and whether or no the yard
were established at Mobile a steel plant there
erected would get the contract for furnishing
the steel required for vessels on the gulf.
The writer says wood is near, in fact all
around, Mobile in inexhaustible supply and
charcoal can be had at the minimum cost
But, perhaps, his last argument was intended
as a clincher. 1t is: Labor is abundant and
cheap, and do not think there are any labor
organizations existing here now"