The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-21
NO COMPETITION
IN THE SOUTH
No Other Applicants Can Compare to Biz
minSham.
HAVE NOT THE FACILITIES
Many Believe Il the Government Builds a
Plant It
WILL BE ERECTED IN BIRMINGHAM
Commodore Howell Explained the Requisites of
a Location and Spoke of the MANI Pro-
gressiye Young Men He Met Here.
HAVE NOT THE FACILITIES
WILL BE ERECTED IN BIRMINGHAM

The armor Plate board has gone and
Ut is said on every hand that Birming-
ham has done herself proud in receiving
and entertaining it.
The entertainment was business-like
throughout. The visitors were shown
the resources of the district i'm a man.
ner calculated to most forcibly impress
them.
That if the government builds an ar
NOR plate plant, it will be built in Bir-
aningifam.
This is the verdict of the visitors who
were here with the armor plate board
and of every one who was in close touch
with the members. 1t was believed from
all appearances and from what was said
by the distinguished members of the
naval department that they were more
impressed with Birmingham than any
other point visited.
Birmingham has nothing to fear from
any other southern applicant. Sheffield,
which was visited yesterday, has not the
facilities of Birmingham. Sheffield has a
water COURSE but one drawback is that
there are no coal fields in the vicinity.
In this correction Commercial Agent
Scion Jacobs of the Central Of Gecrg a
railroad said yesterday that the coal
consumed there was shipped from Bir
mingham. Another disadvantage is the
railroad facilities.
Nashville is practically out of the race.
The visitors from that city who inspect
ed the Birmingham district SO consider
It, Nashville has no coal and iron in
close reach, and, i'm fact, no city in
America has advantages over, or can
compete with Birmingham in the close
proximity of its mineral wealth.
The application of Gadsden is not look
ed on with very much seriousness, and
dts advantages are not claimed to be as
great as Birmingham's Besides" said
one of the visitors accompanying the ar
NOR plate board" the town is not large
enough and hasn't the railroad conven-
iences necessary for an armor plate
plant"
Elizabethton and Morriston are not
considered at all seriously Both places
have ore mines, but no Industrial plants
and railroad facilities.
1t is mot thought that Chattanooga is
making any great effort. The citizens
of that city know that Birmingham Is
far superior in the facilities for an arlnor
plant.
Birmingham has practically a clear
field if the plant is located in the SOUTH
In naming the requisites for the loca-
tion of an armor plate plant, Commodore
HOW'LL said: There must be iron ore
of sufficient quality to make pig iron
suitable for steel manufacturing pur-
poses. The location should have good
railroad facilities, within easy reach of
a harbor Another point to be con-
s.dered is that the plant should ba far
enough inland not to be easily destroyed
by an enemy in case of a, sea conflict
1.-The capabiilty of making good armor
plate is of much more Importance than
the question of chsapness," he continued.
''The government wants good armor
plata few dollars in cost makes little
difference"
That Birmingham is the possessor of
these advantages, the gentlemen who
were in charge of the visitors think they
have CLEARLY demonstrated. The visitors
came with the impression that Birming-
ham had nothing of interest to show
Them. They went away highly pleased.
"After the affair is over 1t is funny
10 look back and think of the change
from Indifference to wonderment that
came over Commodore Howell and the
other members of the committee" said
gentleman yesterday. "They had no
idea that Birmingham had anything to