The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-20

Tho leading exponent of the IRON ih''i'9'7
ofthe United States is the Iron Age jour
nal that enjoys the highest reputation l''
,horouoh information. for ability and for
and cautious views. ln sp'le
Of strong leaning towards the North
which give. al times a more or less sec''o"-
al HAS 10 its comments. It has been disposed
IN look nj the industrial acti,iiyof the south
I'm a fair and encouraging spirit. I'm every
numbcr IL is in the habit Of deNoiins spe-
cial department 10 the latest industrial oe-
,elopments i'm the Southern States ana IL
has followed the course Of these develop
ments with am intelligence that imparis ui'-
usual weight 10 its views.
In am article that appeared in this period
ical ms late as April l7tl. 10 presents i's
General conclusions as 10 the result SO iar
Of the enterpri-ing spirit that is being eN-
hibiied in the south. II warmly deprccaies
the association Of the industrial reViNaloi
the south with reckless gambling in land,
although IL admits that it is inevitable
This however. is an evil that is likely To-
work its own cure. and IL cannot do per-
manent harm. as the industrial growth is
due 10 more substantial reasons than mere
speculation.
The Iron Age quotes the Northern manu-
faciurcrs who assert their disbelief in the
future Of the South rs an iron producer on
account Of the relatively small amount OBJ
Be-semcr ores. and these Of lean charac-
ter. that have been found hitherto in the
southern STATES, the moderate southern
consumption of manufactured iron. the
distance from market and the tendency to
substitute steel for iron In opposition
10 this. it points out rhsi ihe new
production Of the South in pig iron
!. not necessarily an addition 90 the supply
of the country. $50 considerable extent.
il declares. "the new plants are substitute
for older works north of the Potomac and the
Ohio which have been robbed Of their rai-
son d'etre bv changed conditions. In some
cases the cause for their evident destiny i-
the exhaustion Of cheap ore supplies or ine
increase i'm the cost of fuel, or final
~ the departure of local industries
npon which they depended for their
market. 10 some extent too. iL'
southern plants are needed to meet The
growing wants of am increased population
throughout the whole country, some of Tho
older regions having failed % respond, ol
even receded i'm magnitude"
The most hopeful sign connected with ih'
development going ON i'm the South, is thl
disposition of those engaged in this deNcl
opment 90 diversity indusiries. The RECORD
for the last year was very remarkable in th.'
respect, there being am enormous increas'
in.the number of pipe foundries, rollin.
mills. car works. machine Shops and hard
ware manufactures that have been erected
and put i'm operation. Every year viii 500
"a still further increase, until. as The Iron
Age very Justly states. "the local require
monts Of the ~outhwill Doc found inadequate
10 supply these works with orders for thei
fun capacity" When this condition of ai
fairs is reached. the certain result viii l
that Southern manufactured material wil
be brought into close competition VIII
Northern manufactured material. just as
the case now with the crude iron Of tine tw
sections.
The Iron AGE WARNS the South against Oh
building of too many blast furnaces. "lhe
are not needed now. the capacity in ih
south to-day being ample for the particula
grades of iron produced there. nor are ihe
called for in the near future. The concern
now I'm the business. large and small. ma
be relied upon 10 supply amy requirement
for additional capacity as their husine'
EXPANDS. I'm fact. il is somewhat curiol
that they have not protested more Nieo
ously i'm public, than some of them do
private. against furthur expansion in ih
direction"