The age-herald., 1898-05-25
STEEL MILL SEEMSH ID BE 4 CERTAINTY President Baxter ContemplateS Beginning Construction. IN SPACE OF NINETY DAYS He Gives First Official Information to
 The Age-Herald. IS HERE TO ARRANGE DETAILS Col. Shook Leaves This Morning to
 Complete Financial End. CARRIES THE PAPERS TO BE SIGNED Plant Will Be As Large As Any in tho Couutry-wiH Be Located at Ems ley, in Close Proximity to
 Blast Furnaces.
Col. Shook Leaves This Morning to
 Complete Financial End.
CARRIES THE PAPERS TO BE SIGNED

Not cloud nor an obstruction appears in the way of the erection of a million dollar steel plant in Birmingham. Work on this now enterprise, which has so long been in mind by the heads of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, will likely be- gin in ninety days.
 The first information to be given out off, cially was communicated to an Age-Herald reporter by President Nat Baxter, Jr., of the Tennessee company last night:
 'sYes, l contemplate actual work to begin in ninety days" said he. sI am here now to complete arrangements at this end. There appears to be nothing to forestali cur plans at present. As the matter stands now feel absolutely certain the steel plant Is soon to be reality"
 Mir. Baxter was seen at his residence and talked pleasantly of the enterprise for which he and his associates have so long labored to accomplish.
 All Plans Mapped Out
 'I was just thinking of that subject" he remarked, when approached "Of course, we have all our plans mapped out. These. however, will not be made public until the matter is definitely settled. This will be done in few days Everybody recognizes that the steel plant with it's attendant ad- vantages will work great stride for Bir- mingham. But no one will rejoice more over its successful accomplishment than myself"
 For weeks President Baxter and Colonel Shook have been in New York making ar- engagements for the financial end of the scheme. President Baxter is here now completing the details at this end before the construction of the plant begins.
 The Papers Have Been Drawn
 The necessary papers to be signed by the financiers have been drawn up in proper shape. Attorneys have been working on them for several days, and, this morning Colonel A. M Shook will board the train for New York with the important docu- ments safely stored in his grip.
 Colonel Shook is also quite sanguine of Ine SUCCESS Ol lnS ploH. hC Si5HiiS Oi thO papers is the last detail to be arranged. This will probably be done in ten days and then Birmingham's million-dollar steel plant will be heraIded to the world as an absolute reality.
 1T don't care to say that the plant is certain until the last ditch has been crossed" said Colonel Shook. 'but I see nothing In the way now"
 The officials of the Tennessee company have been working toward the end which now seems in sight for years. Something now when negotiations have assumed an acute stage.
 The Manifold Advantages
 The mill to be constructed by the Tennes- see, company will compare favorably in size with any in the country. sThere will be eighteen furnaces which will run day and night, turning out steel in proper shape for the manufacture of all character of mer- cantlle wares.
 It will be constructed at Ensley on the land donated by the Ensley Land company. The Tennessee company has four blast furnaces In operation at this place and the largest bi-product coke oven plant in the world operated under the Semet-Solvay system.
 One pretty feature of the blast furnace being so close by Is that the pig iron will go into the steel furnaces before 1t gets cool There Is a system of machinery by which the iron Is molded and carried straight to the steel plant. One mode is to run the molten metal into the furnaces. but the entire practicability of this latter method has not been demonstrated, al- though it may be in the near future.
 A steel rail mill will De the only industry to consume the steel. which will be put in by the Tennessee company, at present. But a steel mill of this capacity, It Is said by men experienced in such matters, will draw hundreds of enterprises requiring the prod uct. One of these is plant for the manu- facture of wire nails. The old nall has al- most become obsolete. and there is not a wire nah rnanufactory south of the Ohio