The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-17
The Norris Will Be Headquarters. for
the Committee.
PROGRAM FOR THE TWO DAYS
What the City of Birmingham Has to Show
Industrially and Otherwise.

when the board. accompanied by the
Commercial club committee, distinguish
ed visitors and prominent citizens of
Birmingham and the district, will leave
on special over the Louisville and
Nashville
When the party returns at $50 in the
afternoon an informal dinner will be
given at the Morris, and after dinner a
reception will be rendered in the rooms
of the Southern club. Tuesday morn
ing at $50 the itinerary will be contin-
ued. The party will return to the city
at IL o'clock and at o'clock will visit
the points of interest about the city
in carriages. The board will leave Tues
day night for Sheffield.
Origin of the Board-Law Governing 1t
The creation of the armor plate board
grew out of the high prices charged
the government for armor plate by the
Carnegies.
The government set limit which it
would not transcend and the Carnegies
refused to accept it. The matter was
then the subject for much discussion in
congress, and the outcome was the pas
sage of the following resolution, under
which the armor plate board was Gre
ated:
Armor plate-That the total cost of
the armor, according to the weights
prepared for the three battleships au-
thorized by the act of June 10, 1896, shall
not exceed two million four hundred
and seven thousand five hundred dol
lars, exclusive of the cost of transporta-
ton, ballistic test plates, and tests; and
no contract for armor plate shall be
made at an average rate to exceed three
hundred dollars per ton of two thou
sand two hundred and forty pounds
And provided further, That the secre-
tary of the navy is authorized, in his
discretion. to contract with either or all
of the builders of the hulls and ma
chinery of these vessels, or with any
One or more bidders for the furnishing
of the entire amount of said armor, at a
cost not exceeding the aforesaid three
hundred dollars per ton, If he shall deem
1t for the best interests of the govern
ment
In case the secretary of this navy shall
find it Impossible to make contracts fer
said armor within the limits as to price
above fixed, he shall be, and hereby is,
authorized and dirscted to take steps to
establish a government armor factory
of sufficient capacity to make such ar
mior. In executing this authority he
shall prepare "a description and plans
and specifications of the land, buildings
arid machinery suitabIe fer the factory;
and sillal advertise for proposals to fur
ntish such hand, buildings and machinery
as whole plant, CIR separately, for the
land en- buildings or the whole or any
pant of said machinery, and report to
congress ait its next session. Tile ssc-
retary shall also appoint an armor fac
tcTy beard, to consist of competent naval
officers of suitable rank to advise and
assist him in executing the authority
hereby oonfeuuisid.
When THE board first organlzed the
applications OF many iron centers as
silitab1t locations fer the armer pate
plant wsre filed and among them was
Birminshain's claim.
1hll board visited the plant of the
Illinois Steel works and ether large in
stitutloms in the north. 1t was then
announced that no Recommendation
would be made to congress as to a
suitabis site CIR sites and consequently
no more places would be visited
THE south fet TINT its advantages
as a location fer the great plant should
be inspected. Much pressure was
brought to bear ON Secretary Long and
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt and the
beard was ordered TO Birmin CHAM and
other points below this Mason and Dix
ON line. 1t is rot now known whether
a recommendation will be made as to
lo-ation. The boards report will be
made to Secristary Long arid he in turn
will report to congress.
The members of the board are all ex-
perts and can appreciate the wonderful
mineral resources of the Birming ham
district. Their visit here viii be full
of hard work, burt everything Will be
done to make them pleasant and COM
Portable o. S a4'