The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-17

"a
NN<P The extension of the coal
&. and iron trade of Birming-
IHMH ham and of the south is the
~ theme upon which he is
most enthusiastic. He has recently re-
turned from South America, after an abb
sence of about two and half years.
Captain Kinds first went to Brazil in
1872 as consul at Rio; returned in 1874 and
the same year was sent back as consul
general, being the first consul-general ever
appointed by the government of the United
Stats to that country. He is a gentleman
of wide range of knowledge and of pleas
ant address and will shortly return to
Buenos Ayres, where his family is at pres
ent on a visit, his wife being native of
that city.
To Build Up a Trade
Before returning to South America Cap
tain Kinds will connect himself with some
of the iron and coal interests of Alabama
and will use his best efforts to open up a
trade between this section and the South
American republics. He was seen yester-
day by an Age-Herad rporter and said:
'.I am at home on business. making an
effort to extend our commerce with the
South American republics, and more es-
pecially for the introduction of Alabama
coal and iron--with view of building up a
larger trade in those great countries
which have been so long neglected by our
people Up to the present time Great Brit
ain has monopolized the market in these
countries with their Cardiff and New Cas-
tie mines. The time is now at hand when
those conditions should be changed.
II am recently from Washington and ap-
peared before the river and barber commit
asking aDDrODriatiOn Tor the
Wa Sor river and canal improvements.
Although we cannot hope for an appropra-
ton at this session of congress, the dis
tnguished gentlemen appointed by the
governor of Alabama were promised that
the appropriation would certainly be made
at the next session. 1t has been my good
fortune to meet and discuss with the ma
jority of the members of that committee,
the important questions involved. They
told individually and collectively that the
appropriation would be made which would
enable barges to be fioated to tide water
at Mobile through canal and Warrior river.
with the accomplishment of this long
desired attainment the South American
demand for the mineral products of this
vast region would be increased ten fold.
Almost Beyond Conception
1.-THE resources of these great countries
are far beyond the conception of our peo-
pie, indeed they are so vast that but a
small proportion OIL their OWN ptOplc ICd-
lie their extent. Brazil is by far the great
est coffee producer in the world, and yet
a very small proportion of that country,
comparatively speaking is planted. The
average American is astounded when in
formed that Brazil has fifty thousand
square miles more than the United States.
Yet this is a fact-Alaska not being in
cluded in this comparison. Coffee is her
greatest and most valuable product. 1t
also produces extensively sugar, rice, cot
ton, a great variety of hardwoods, such as
ebony, mahogany, rose wood, in such guam
titles as to make it impossible to compute.
India rubber in the northern states of
Amazonas and Para is next to the coffee
in San Paulo state, the most valuable.
Her northwestern states abound in trees,
from which cinchona, or peruvian bark, Is
taken, from which quinine is made. Other
states, like Mnas Geraea, bound in rich
mines, diamond gold, silver and copper,
which have been successfully operated in
the most primitive way for more than two
centuries"
Cotton In the entire region Is success
fully grown, but not to the extent pro-
duced in our southern states. The southern
states of Rio Grande and Santa GATHERINGS
are largely composed Of the richest and
most fertile of grazing lands Cattle, sheep
and horses roam in the prairles the year
round, not requiring food or shelter
Five Great Cities
'Brazil has five great cities. Para in the
north on the Amazon river and capital of
the state of that name, half a degree south
Of the equator, with population of 125OoO;
next, going south, is Pernambuco, with
100000; next, Bahia, 100000; then comes Ire
national capital, Rio de Janeiro, with 55o-
900; and still further south, San Paulo, an
inland city, with 1875 900. 1t is also the capt.
tai of the state of that name. and is forty
miles from the sea coast. Santos is the
seaport city for that state, with $4,000 pop
ulation, and is the second largest coffee
port in Brazil and the world, Rio being the
first.
"All of these cities are large consumers
of coal and manufactured iron, and import
all of the coal from Great Britain and most
of their iron and steel When Birmingham
is once connected with Mobile bay by canal
and the Warrior river, this condition of
affairs can no longer exist The various
lines of European steamers-and they are
many-keep supplies of coal at different
points In the West Indies, Azores and
Windward Island, all of which could and
should be supplied from the Alabama coal
fields. Every vessel loaded with coal at
Mobile would be able to secure return car
goes to North American ports.
Not only should we supply them with all
their coal, but with their ircu also Biz
mingham rolling mills and steel plants
could and should monopolize that market.
We should have an immense plant for
manufacturing steel rails. The railway
construction in those countries Is going
steadily ahead, and II Carnegie can sell
them at profit, Birmingham could. when
we have water transportation to the gulf,
sell the same article cheaper and get a
better profit All of this applies likewise
to Uruguay Paraguay and the Argentine
Republic.
Tho Argentine Republic Hv
II have Intentionally left the bcs. of