The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-22
THE ARMOR FACTORY BOARD
Representative Underwood Will
Invite It to Birmingham.
HAS GONE TO WASHINGTON
And Will Remain Until He Can Have Confer
ence With the Board-Gate City
Land Company's Offer.

Another step has been taken toward
securing the government armor plate
plant for Birmingham.
Representative o. w. Underwood left
yesterday afternoon at 4:10 for Wash
ington. His visit is for the purpose of
getting the armor factory board to visit
Birmingham. He will reach the federal
capitol tonight and has an appointment
to meet Representative Bankhead tomof-
row and the influence of both will be used
for Birmingham.
my main effort will be directS1. .sGsS
Mr.. Underwood, toward getting the ar
NOR factory board to visit Birmingham.
If so, at what time 1t will likely come.
There is nothing like getting The members
among us and letting them see our adj
yantages in reality instead of on paper.
l will first call of Secretary of the Navy
Long, and then the armor factory board.
If the members are not in the city will
wait until they return and present Bir-
minghams invitation in person. l am
confident they will come and the impress
sion made on the committee will decide
the case.
"Other applicants are pushing their
claims and Birmingham should be among
the first. 1t may be that the matter will
not be settled at the next session Of con-
gress Carnegie may in some way fight
the matter off, but we should have our
claim in good shape, for some action
might be taken.
Some believe that Carnegie will be
able in the end to defeat the movement
to establish government plant. Those
who believe this would do well to inform
themselves that there is a strong sentl-
ment in congress which would be averse
to anything Carnegie could attempt. If
the question of a location is decided
strictly on the merits of this localities
submitting applications, there Is no
doubt about Birmingham's success. There
is also strong element in congress of the
opinion that the east has had enough
favors from the government and it is
time something was given the west and
south. This will be in Birmingham's
favor. If it should narrow down to
party question of course the south would
be at great disadvantage, but then 1t
may not be decided at the next session
and democratic congress may be elect
ed before tie converting of the Fifty
SIXTH"
Considerable speculation has been in
dulged in among the land companies as
to whether the donation of site for
the proposed factory would be necessary.
Touching this phase of this question
Mr.. Underwood said: This depands,
think, very much upon the inducements
offered by other applicants. If they
offer sites it would be well for Birming-
ham to prepare to follow suit. This offer
of such an Involvement might have some
weight with congress, but whether the
committee will consider this 1 cannot
say"
If this is required, Birmingham will be
prepared 10 make the offsr. The Gate
City Land company will donate 100 acres
for a. site, with 100 acres of coal land and
a half mile of Red mountain ore land to
have the plartt located herr. Other land
companies are chilly waiting to see what
will be required.
Representa- tive Underwood said that he
expedited to return the latter part of uhis
week. When he RETURNS som ething def
mite is expected.
The members of the armor plate COM
mittea are Comm dore j. A. Howell, Capt.
]. H Mccormack. Chief Engineer J. H.
Perry, Civil Engineer M. T. Endicoitt
Lieut. Frank F. Fletcher, Lieut.. w. L.
Chambers.
The clause under which they Were APP
pointed is as follows:
In case The secretary ii the navy shall
find Ii impossible to make contract for
said arqnor Within the limit 10 price
above fixed $4,000, he shall be and is here
by authorized and directed to take steps
to establish q government armor factory
of sufficient capacity to make such arfnor.
In executing this authority he shall pre-
pare a description, plan and plans and
specifications of land, buildings and ma
ohinery for the factory and shall adver-
tse for proposals to furnish such land.
building arid machinery, as a whole plant
or separately, for the land or building,
CIR the whole or amy rart of the machin-
cry, and report TO congress at ffs mkt
session The secretary shall also appoint
an armor factory beard, to consist of
compo ent naval officers of suitable rank
to advise and ass3t him in executing the
authority hereby cd.lfsrred.'