Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-03-02
JAPAN WANTS MILLS.
A Chicago Man on His Way to the
MikadO to Give Estimates.


MikadO to Give Estimates.
One of the passesgers on the North
western Railway through train to the
Pacific coast recently, says the Chicago
Record, was Edward G. Potter, the son
of o. w. Potter, for many years the
president of the Illinois Steel Company
and the present vice president of the
Commercial National Bank. The des-
tination of e. c. Potter is Japan.
The events that occasioned this trip
have been gathering for a long time.
Mr.. Potter goes to Japan in response
to an invitation by cablegram received
last week from the government of that
country. His mission while there is to
determine the most suitable location
for a mammoth steel-rail and aFnor-
plate mill, prepare the plans. for the
buildings and the necessary machin-
cry. All of this he expects to accom-
pliSh before his return to this country
in April.
The Japanese government has for
years been studying the advisability
and feasibility of establishing steel
rail and armor-plate mills of it's own.
The experiment of the United States
government in fostering the armor-
plate industry has had no more inter
ested observer than the Mikado. The
success of the experiment of this coun-
try satisfied him that Japan could pro-
duce equally as good results, provid-
ing that ore of the requisite quality
could be found and coal and limestone
in sufficient quantities and accessible
enough to warrant the construction of
works.
The item of steel rails also is impor-
tant to Japan. The country has about
200 miles Of railway, owned and ope-
rated by the government. The rails
and equipment were furnished by Eng
lish and German firms, and, owing to
the long voyage and cost of transporta-
ton, have proved expensive.
"a crying need of the empire is more
railway lines" said O. w. Potter ''But
these the government will not construct
until it can furnish its own rails. In
all probability it will be able within
two years not only to do this for itself
but for all the countries in its imme-
diate vicinity. This war with China
has evidently shown the government
that it has got to have these mills. The
nation has magnificent navy, yet if a
plate on it's armored vessels is injured
it has to send TO England or Germany
for one to take it's place. Cost! Of
course it will cost; bear in mind that
the Japanese are a wealthy nation.
Besides, they are going to exact a
swinging big cash indemnity from
China, and at the close of their war will
have an overlooking treasury. 1 esti-
mate the cost of the works they con-
template at from $2,500,000 to $1OO00,-
900. 1t will be this latter figure if they
decide to put in a boiler-plate mill,
pipemill, ETC., as they have been talk
ing of doing.
''These things will all be decided up
on when my son arrives in Japan. The
orders for the necessary machinery
will, no doubt, all be placed in this
country. The United States beats the
world in steelmaking machinery and
methods. The contracts will undoubt-
edly be let by competition, and if Chi
cago can make and deliver the goods at
tidewater. as cheaply as other sections
can it will probably get the work"