The age-herald., 1897-08-11
 HAE ARNOR PLATE PLANT rSenator Morgan Writes to Mr.
 Underwood RESTS ON THE QUALITY Of the Steel When Produced in Large Quan- titles, Says the Senator in Regard to Birmngham's Chances.

The meeting of the ordnance board of the navy Monday in Washington has oc- casioned more discussion in regard to. the probability of Birmingham securing the United States government armor plate plant. The board simply met and organ ized, and as yet the Commercial Club committee has received no definite infor- nation as to the steps necessary to place Birmingham before the board as com pettor for the armor plate plant.
 Representative Underwood stated yes terday that he had received no informa- tion bearing on the subject, other than letter from Senator John T. Morgan. That portion of the letter relating to the armor plate plant is as follows:
 T find that you are still in hopeful activity as to the great matter of getting the United States to build an armor plate plant at Birmingham. The firSr real step in that direction is to have the basic steel made at Birmingham exam ined by the ordnance bureauX Of the ar my and navy Then it will have to be Harveyized and tssted before we can nope to 1ldkt any real pINSI6oS. oSSh tary Long is not here and have Wrlt- ten him a very earnest letter on this subject. I expect to visit Hawai- and I may not be in Birmingham until my return. l advise that you press for tnls official expert examination. Without 1t nothing of value will be done. The only question of great importance is whether the requisite uniformity of the essential qualities of steel for making armor plate can be produced in the manufacture or very large quantities. As to the cost and as to the making of the right quality, as to hardness, elasticity and tsnslle strength there can be but little doubt, If any. But the expert officials will look closely into every thing, as they should, and their report will about settla the question. This is our real opportunity as to the steel problem, and we must press it for all 1t is worth, which is great deal"
 MT. Underwood said that it was pos sible that the Commercial Club commft- tee would have to go to Washington and appear before the ordnance board. The board will be invited to Birmingham to investigate for itself.
 ''The impression has gotten abroad" said MT. Underwood, that the iron of this region will not produces steel ade- quate for armor plate use. I have con- versed with men experienced In iron and steel making and they readily refute such argument. We are making the identical steel that has been required by the government for its armor plate Bes- semer steel will not be accepted, steel turned out by the basic process being specified by the government Steel made by this method is being turned out every day in Birmingham. That we can fur nish the required grade of steel, I feel perfectly confident"
 Vice-President James Bowron, of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad com pany was approached on this subject: "Such an argument is nonsensical, de- clared MT. Bowron "A pure grade of steel is just as good made in one locality as another. Steel is steel and the fact has been demonstrated that as pure steel can be made in Birmingham as any where in the United States"
 In regard to the process, Mr. Bowron stated that the metal. made by one pro- cess was as good as another President Nat Baxter, Jr., of the same company, reiterated the above statement
 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company has frequently sold pig iron to 1e Carnegie people, and once filled a large order while the Homestead plant was in rush turning out armor plate. From this, it is not unlikely that Ala bama pig iron has already passed through the transformation into armor plate and is now ploughng the high seas on some of Uncle Sam's war vessels
 The Commercial club committee stands ready to fulfill it's obligations Said MT. T. II. Aldrich, who is a member of that body. "I am perfectly willing at any time to sacrifice my time in the interest of Birmingham. If it is necessary to go to Washington will cheerfully make the trip" The same solicitation for Bir- mingila ms welfare is expressed by other members of the committee.
 q don't see but one. possible argument that can be brought against our getting the aTmor plate plant" continued MT.
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