Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-23
THE RACE IS NECK AND NECK Between the Birmingham and
 Be9E1er Steel Plants. SOME EAST IRON EVIDENCE That $ Projects Have Passed Into the
 2 Realm of Reality
 w $ TO BEGIN WITHIN THIRTY DAYS
$ TO BEGIN WITHIN THIRTY DAYS
On the Concern at the Marvel City and the Boilers for the Birmingham Plant Have Been Contracted for.
 Other Cheering News
Well. here. is the steel plant.


 The board of directors of the Resse- mcr Land and Improvement company, of which MT. II. r. DeBardeleben is pres- ident and H. M. MeNutt secretary and treasurer, was in session in room at the Morris all of Tuesday. The con- sultation was prolonged until far in the night, and when the board finally ad- journed yesterday morning it was officially announced that the company had voted $300,000 to be devoted to the construction of a steel plant at Besse- mer, work to begin within thirty days. The plant is to be erected in the Vicn- ity of the Howard Hal rison Pipe works, near the functions of the tracks of the Louisville and Nashville, the Southern and the Kansas City, Memphis and Bir- mingham railways. The plant will con- sist of ten open-hearth furnaces, with a capacity of twenty-five tons of soft or basic steel each, the total output ag- gregating 250 tons daily. They will also put In a blooming train to break the in- gots into slabs and billets, thereby mak- Ing the steel immediately available for the rolling mills.
 The steel made in this plant will be what is known as the open hearth or basic process. This is said to produce an excellent quality of fine, soft steel, and is especially adapted to boiler plate, ship plate, all kinds of bolts, cotton ties, nails, wire and it's products, bridge and construction work. For heavy and deep stamping it has no superior, and is, therefore, especially adapted for orna- mental architectural work. By carbon izing 1t can be made into fine crucible tool and spring steel. The bassic pro- cess has been thoroughly tested, and has proved satisfactory in all respects.
 The iron used in the manufacture of thia steel Is a low slicon and the change from the brittle pig to the tough steel, though simple, is marvellous.
 The company has already begun the erection of 100 dwellings near the Belle Ellen mines, about four miles from Blocton, where they own a vein of fine, clean coal, which they will use for coke , grate and steam purposes for their own consumption and for the markets at large. The capacity of the mines will be- 1500 tons daily.
 The company will erect simultaneously with the steel plant not less than 100 coke ovens, where they will coke their own coal, using the gas for power and melting purposes.
 The mines will be equipped with elec- tric haulage or cables, which will pene- trate every opening and bring the cars to one common tipple. All other modern scientific mining appliances will be used in the development of these mines.
 The steel plant proper will employ dUOul OOU HdHuS ana the mines fully as many more, which will make daily payj roll of about $2000.
 Since the construction of the steel plant is certainty positive assurance has been given by the largest stock holders of the Bessemer rolling mills that they would begin at once to over haul and repair this valuable plant, which has been idle for over two years. This mill has on its pay roll, when in running order, over 1000 men al a good rate of wages
 As stated, work on the steel plant will be begun in less than thirty days, or as soon as the plans can be drawn
 In the meantime the work of making bricks and digging, clearing and hauling will be begun and hundreds of idle men will secure employment.
 The compa will pay in cash and run no commissary, making at most a month- ly and probably semi-monthly pay day. The pay roll, when the mill and steel plant are both in full operation, will be not less than $5000 daily
 The plant is expected to be in full blast in less than six months. and with MT. DeBardelebens well-known push and vim 1t will be carried to the earliest possible completion.
 The company has money of their own for the completion of the work, and will not be under the necessity of borrowing a cent.