The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-31
viii Come TO Birmingham, Says
Mr.. Underwood.
NOW INVESTIGATING COST
Secretary of the Navy Says He Cannot Order
The Committee Here, But VIII
Urge It to Come So

pointed at the laSu session or congress
to make necessary Investigations in re-
gard to the location and construction of
an arnlor plate plant by The government
is composed OF
COMMODORE J. "A. HOWELL. >
UAFIiATN J. II. MCCORMACK,
CHIEF ENGINEER, j. H. PERRY,
CIVIL ENGINEER M. T. ENDICOTT,
LIEUT.. FRANK F. FLETCHER,
LIEUT.. w. J. CHAMBERS.
The armor plate factory committee win
visit Birmingham. Speaking on this sub
ject, Representative %. w. Underwood.
who returned from Washington Sunday
evening, Ealid mir. Bankhead ami myself
called upon the secretary of the navy
Sunday morning. From the conversation
had with him. have no doubt about the
committee coming to Birmingham and
making a personal investigation. ann
perefeoAy satisfied it will come.
1.-THE secretary of the navy informed
me that about one hundred places had
made application for the armor plate
factory, but that Birmingham's appli-
Gallon was the only one received from
a southern point of any Importance. He
questioned us very particularly as to
whether our iron and S.eal were suitable
and of Sufficient quantity for the making
of armor plate. He laid much stress upon
this point, and when 1 told him .Ihat iron
from this district had already been ship
ped Ito Carnegie to go in armor plate
and That Russian war vessels were now
in an probability armored with some Of
fol IN ua c; 3Znd HI
asked me to write him letter requesting
the committee to come and one cf the last
things he told me was Ito set forth our
advantages clearly, and especially the
fact THAI our iron had been sold to Mr..
Carnegie and was used in making steel
for armor plate. The secretary said he
could not order the board to come 70 Biz
mingham, but would request and urge
them to do so before making their re-
port.
''The commj tee is now in West Penn
sylvanfa exa mining the armor plate plant
| of Mr.. Carnegie, and figuring ON the cost
| The expense win be summed UP first and
| ,lhe locality settled afterwards. 1t VIII
| probably he month or six weeks before
| the committee comes south, but that 1t is
coming l have not the least doubt.
at spent a week In Washington and
talked with many people on this sulbjecs.
There is a strong feeling against Car
negie and a strong element that will fight
for the cree ion of an armor plate factory
by the government 1t seems to be the
prevailing idea that the locality possessed
of the greatest advantages will secure
! the fs-lJory. Everybody is talking about
| Birmingham, and L still believe II Lhe
| government builis ar armor plate fac.ory
| and the question eff a loca ton is decided
upon the merits of the applicant, Bir-
mingham win be the winner"
The committee appointed by the Com
| mercial club to look sfdier this matter viii
| now go to work in earned.. One of the
| main things to be done is to prepare for
| the entertainment of the visitors. Some
| l5ttle information win have to be col
| lected ready to present to them, but Bir-
| minghamas advantages are apparent to
the eye, and it will take little more ito con-
vince .fle armor plate committee.
| Represen. al tive Underwood has been in
| Washington for a week. He vent with
| the insertion OF staying there until the
armor plate committee returned to Wa-h-
ington but his Interview with The secre-
tary OF The navy was SO sa satisfactory that
| he did not consider it necessary TO re-
main. Representative Bankhead left
| Washington wednesday 20 join the rivers
and haalbors committee in San Fran
cisco.
The agitatiep fer the erection of an
arnlor plate plant by the government
began with the refusal of Carnegie to
furnish armor pShte within the prescrib-
ed limit of 5000 per ton. Representative
Underwood offered bill in congress for
40
and the question ended as far as the
extra session was concerned by the APP
pointnlent of an armor plate factory COM
m5ttee to inverIt.gate and report at the
next session. The provision under which
the committee is acting is as follows:
I'm case the secretary of the navy shall
find 1t impossible to make contract for
said armor within the limit as to price
above fixed $4,000, he shall be and Is
hereby authorized and directed 10 take
steps to esta bliSh q. government armor
factory of sufficient capacity to make
such armor. In executing this authority
he shall prepare a description, plan and
plans and specifications of land, buildings
and machinery for the factory, and shall
advertise fer proposals to furnish such
land, building and machinery. as q whole
plant or separately. for the land or build
ing or the whole or any part of the ma
chinery, and report to congress at it's
appoint an armor factory board, 10 con-
sisit of competent naval officers of suita-
BILE rank, 30 advise and assist him in exc
cutting the authority hereby conferred"
When THE committee organized in
Washington the application of Birming-
ham was placed in its hands along with
others. The commercial club appointed
a committee composed of the following
well known gentleman: Rufus.N. Rhodes
chairman; Sol Haas, A. M. Shook. James
G. Caldwell, w. T. Underwood, T.. H.
Aldrich, w. B. Phillips.
The duty of this committee Is to pre-
sent Birmingham's advantages TO the
vsrnmert committee. This body has
organized and will go actively to work
TO prepare fer the entertainment Of the
visitors
Sunday Crap Game