The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-27

true with the Northern coke and lime
stone, and coupled with all these natural
and artificial advantages, we have to pay
enormous freight charges. maintain
that Northern people
GREATLY UNDEEEsTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE SOUTH.
They have some Of the finest blast fur
naccs in the world in Alabama and Ten
nSsscc, and | tell you they are making
themselves felt and will continue to do so
here in the north. At various Offices the
sentiments expressed are similar to these
above given. There seemed Il unit of
opinion that the southern furnaces are
working wonderful harm TO the northern
furnaces and kindred interests, and that
thorough reconstruction of ali the in
tcrcsts connected in any way with the
manufacturing and shipping Of iron would
be necessary 20 regain all that the south
has stolen from them, or even TO hold
their own against such giant competitor.
OF the three blast furnace stacks located
in this city, only one is now in operation.
These furnaces are not within ,llc juris-
diction Of the Mahoniug and Shenango
Valley Iron Manufacturers association
A., the Office of the Cleveland Rolling
Mills company, Mr.. Chisholm stated that
oae stack was in operation and the other
idle
The coke strike in the Conncllsviilc re-
gion shut of the supply at one Of the
stacks and made il necessary 10 shut down
They had sufficient coke on hand at the
other furnace TO run them for some time
L., L.. 3 In Inf
he is of The opinion that it was blessing
in disguise. The production Of pig iron
in the valleys during the last few years
was altogether ont Of proportion, and this,
coupled with the gradual inroads southern
furnaces have been making on the mar
kets, produced q state Of affairs which
could bc remcdied only by y forced sus
pension OF operations. 1t was his opin-
ION that the south was in the field to stay,
and would hcMceforih prove Il factor in
thc northern iron markets.
SOUTHERN COKE IL THE NORTH.
At the Union Rolling Mill company's
office Il member Of the firm stated that
they are operating their Emmc stack with
West Virginia coke, and that they would
continue to do so, as they found it as
good. all things considered, as other coke.
This is probably the first instance
where southern coke has been brought
into these markets, and ii only demon
strates what 4 grand opportunity the
present is for southern industries to gain
hold on the northern markets.
During my trip through the Mahoning
Valley and this district have convcrsed
with nearly all the prominent merchants
engaged in the various industries connect
ed with the making OF iron, and find the
conccnsuS of opinion 10 be that the south,
owing TO her natural and superior adYan
tamcs, is destined to hcc0mc a factor in
the making of iron and steel. and that the
present invasion of the Eorthcrn markets
hv the southern merchants is the forerun
ncr Of what may be expected: that there
is no doubt Of the south's ability TO make
iron cheaper and deliver it in northern
markets at Il less price than what il can
be made here, and that the i'll sentiment
against the quality Of southern iron is the
result Of ignorance or prejudice. Even
though its quality is not quite so good as
northern IRON it will be used as Il mix to
the proportion Of - to 30 per cent, ac-
cording TO the order.
Further, that owing to the competition
that will always be from southern furnaces
the possibility Of prices advancing to an
abnormal level in the future Is very re-
mote.