Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-13
NEED PITTSBURG IRON.
People of the United States of
Colombia Are Willing 10 Pay
GOOD PRICES FOR GOOD GOODS.
Golden Opportunities offered by Water
Transportation.
ASKING FOR A RIVER COMMISSION

At meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Chamber of Commerce yesterday after
noon Colonel j. II. Pennington, formerly
States Of Colombia, South America, ex-
planned some of the resources of the coun-
! try.
The Colonel said there was no doubt but
what it was the coming country. ITS
wealth is almost boundless," he continued.
'tOne of the principal reasons for appear
ing before you is this-the people of that
country are turning to the United States
for supplies In the next year Colombia
will need zoo, 900 tons of iron, and there is
| no reason why Pittsburg should not reach
out for it. The great trouble is transporta-
tion facilities, as the only direct line to the
capital is under control of a British
syndicate. Pittsburg should have its own
line of steamers from New Orleans. The
people of Colombia have The greatest re-
spect for Pittsburg, and if the business
men of this city only tried there is no
doubt that within the next year they could
put million dollars worth of goods there.
Don't Like Being swindled.
''The best plan would be to establish a
large commission house to handle all the
products. The people are tired of being
swindled with poor material and are willing
to paw more for American goods There
are Is boats built in Pittsburg running on
| the Magdalene river that give such satis-
faction that the people re willing to pay
| SIC, 900 more for Pittsburg boat than any
| other. The Pittsburg locomotive also
| has quite hold The American rail is in
demand. L will pay IS ton more for the
| American rail than any other because 1t Is
the best You can take an American rail
and break q piece off and make tool to
cut with. You cannot do that with the
| English or German rail. As a sample of
how the other countries have hold, I
who were offered $4,000 by an
English syndicate not to sign the
contract. Before left for Pittsburg put
in So days on a mule visiting people and
taking orders for goods manufactured here.
| In regard to the glass business, there is
! money in it. Why, I broke a common
table goblet accidentally one dav and was
assessed IS cents for it. An ordinary chan
delier costs 500, but the people pay it
willingly-they are wealthy and don't seem
| to care.
An Easy and Cheap Route.
"The only means of transportation at
present is by water. 1t is $50 miles from
the mouth Of the MagdaIene river to Bogata,
| the Capital, which will very soon be ira
versed by a railroad. All the supplies can
| be furnished by Pttsburg, and If the busi-
ness men will organize and adopt some plan
| to secure this trade there is.no doubt it can
be done. Liverpool is 8, 300 miles and New
| Orleans but l, 400 and with your river
facilities here there is no reason why you
should not compete with other countries
| for the trade"
Colonel T P. Roberts offered the follow
ing resolution:
WHEREAS, The Ohio river is the chief COM
mercial tributary to the Mississippi river;
and,
Whereas, Important works for improve.
ment are being made annually, it is
Resolved. That this Chamber urges upon
the attention of Congress the desfrability
and Importance of placing the direction of
these improvements of this important
stream in the hands of & commission au-
thorized. to care for the interests of the
Mississippi and Missouri rivers respectively.
j. B. Scott, of the Committee on Rail-
roads and Transportation, reported that
the committee had gathered mass of ma
terial on the question of freight discrimina-
tion, and submitted it to the different rail-
road officials Of this city; reply could be
expected at the next meeting.