Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-13
eoMPARIsoN on ApvkNrAaEs.

AAAE v dHQtIDllI iron anu Oleel COHlpdn5g
operating for some years the blast fur
mace near East Birmingham, and who
some two years ago took a position as
manager of the only blast furnace con-
Germ in Nova Scotia. From an exhaust
i've paper prepared and read by Mr.
Meissner, to explain the situation in the
matter of production there of pig iron,
in which he calls attention to the differ
enee in favor of Alabama in pig iron
production, we note that he has learned
that his country really needs that alleged
panacea called protection" if they are
to continue in the.business. Mr.. Meissner
calls attention to the fact that Birming-
ham furnaces obtain their supply of red
ores at rs cents per ton in the furnace
stock pile as against $1.S5 to 50 per ton
at furnaces in Nova Scotia. Mr. Meiss-
ner states the cost of coke in Nova Scotia
to be slightly more than in the Birming-
ham district, and sizes up the cost of our
pig iron as "a to So less than that of Nova
Scotia pig iron. AS much of the ore used
in Nova Scotia COSTS $1.10 to $1.5O per ton
freight, Mr.. Meissner values the red hem
attic as costing 50 to $780, or $1.25 to
S1.S5 more per ton than that of Red noun
tain here, but is a slightly richer ore. Mr..
AhClSSiSI IL dHhlJ dQAillto thfe - NO9eS y
to IS per ton more in Nova Scotia than in
Alabama to produce pig iron, basing same
upon the commissary system in vogue,
the naturally more favorable conditions
of climate and cheap colored labor, COM
bined with the great advantages in the
way of cheaper coal, coke and ore sup
plies here in the Birmingham district.
Mr.. Meissner finds serious obstacle
~ - .ahn ,lnrt 20
ried by much of their Canadian iron ore,
and going as high as 150 per cent, rang
ing from 1 to 150 per cent. With mod
ern basic steel plant, their iron carrying
such high percentages of phophorus
would be unexcelled, but those high per-
centages are very much against it for
regular foundry and general use. So that
the State Herald judges there is nothing
to fear in the way Of competition from
Nova Scotia pig iron; in fact, it is plain
that they, like Birmingham England,
etc., are in great fear of the competition
of pig iron from this district and state.
But it is not alone the iron producing
regions of England Germany, Canada,
etc. that fear the natural supremacy of
Birmingham and her tremendously rich
coal, iron ore and limestone territory as
Chattanooga Times:
Birmingham is moving ahead. Her
bank cIearings show decided and
steady gain. Her mercantile trade IS
growing. She is assured steel plant,
of large capital, out of debt, and that
has, in the past, been great success
as an iron mill. A large cotton mill
is projected. In fact, the town Is
resuming some of the old life that
used to characterize her, in her best
days of substantial enterprise, before
her people went boom crazy. The
people down there are going the right
way about, to make their town grow
healthy, and they are going to do at
least a good part Of what they under
take, for they have a solid and strong
foundation. from which the boom rub
bish has been pretty well cleared.
Chattanooga is, in all respects,
better and it is also larger and
stronger city, than Birmingham. We
have larger basis here for diversity
ing industries. We have a perfect /.
site for large cotton mill industry,
which Birmingham is i'll adapted to
but seems willing to try.
There is not in the United States a
more perfectly located city for the
manufacture of fine and medium
grade furniture, than this one, since
we are near fine and almost unlimited
hardwood, cherry, oak, ash and other
varieties. We already have from
10 III per cent. better freight rates
than Birmingham, and the time is not
distant when water competition will
widen the difference materially, in our
favor. We have great river which
the health, no less than the growth,
of a city requires, as a prime factor.
Our death rate is the lowest in the
south; our death rate for whites is the
lowest in the United States. We are
surrounded by fine farming coun-
try; our vegetables and berries are
g.. 1@of, Ill.,
north and east We have convenient
summer residence sites, on mountains
and foothills, to accommodate tens
of thousands, who can do business in
town all summer. and sleep under
blankets every night.
In point of scenery sanitary advan-
tages, variety of cheap raw material,
and transportation facilities, this
town has few equals and no superior,
Our people used to pride themselves
on their ability to make their opportu-
mites tell on the fortunes of them
selves and their city. The pride was
just and noble one 1t was founded
in truth, for the people have done
wonders here
And now they should not allow that I
Birmingham, an essentially coal and i
iron town and nothing else. shall pass
Chattanooga in the race. We can
not believe that our people will be so
remiss and laggard. but they must be
turn up will not do. We must each
and all of us turn something up-or
try to.
Our wide-awake contemporary up at
Chattanooga is certainly whistlng loud
and deep TO keep up the courage of the
citizens of Chattanooga, and gives them
some most excellent advice, but we differ
with him in several of his statements.
First. Chattanooga is not larger city
than Birmingham. Second. our immense
and rich mineral resources naturally
make Birmingham a stronger city than
Chattanooga.
Second, Birmingham has more than
half dozen sites for cotton mills, which
cotton mill owners from elsewhere who
have carefully Investigated pronounce the
equal of any to be found anywhere for
mammoth, large, medium or small cotton
mills.