The age-herald., 1898-07-31
BICYCLES AND
 SPORTING GOODS Birmingham Arms and Cycle Co. Sells Victor, Crawford
 and Rambler Bicycles
Guns, Pistols, Cartridges and Loaded
 ShelIs-0ther Sporting Goods.
They Also Have a Complete Bicycle Re- pair Department-Remember the
 Place-Bargains Offered.
BIRMINGHAM ARMS AND CYCLE co.
 1916 SECOND AVENUE.

Smith, who wanted such men to see the industrial development of the south, and possibly discover here an opening for their capital.
 In conversation with MT. Babcock we learn that owners and managers of north ern industrial plants are cognizant of the enormous growth of the Atdustrial south and that the wise man is cSSstantly on the outlook for his advantage. Fhere is much to be done, however, before some~of the talked of enterprises will be practica- ble The Birmingham people are building steel mill, and will eventually build plate mill. Their organization contem- I plates ship building as one of it's activities In that case plate mill will have to be feature of its machinery, and the gulf coast would be the nearest place for ship building plant When northern mill men examine the southern situation they find one large difficulty in the way of such an industry as ship building plant, the lack of skilled labor. We have skilled labor but not in sufficient quantity to run a ship building plant, and if such labor were brought to this place it could find no work in case the plant should for any rea- son have to shut down. The labor would be dispersed and when the work was to be resumed would have to be assembled again. This would be greatly to the loss of the enterprise. Therefore, it is thought that so large an industry should be located in large city, where Inere IS diWdyS supply of skilled laborers.
 This is but one view of the situation If it were the only one our prospects would be bad indeed, for we could not grow big until we got industries and we could not get industries until we were big. If 1t were true, there would be today no large industrial cities in the country. Never- theless, we must still regard the lack of trained mechanics hindrance to quick up-buiding of large industry. Fortun- ately we have some advantages that are to be considered. The chiefest is that have back of us the coal and iron fields of the state, and have water communion ton to within reaching distance of those fields There is no doubt that Birmingham will make steel, and that after making 1t she must find profitable ways of disposing of it. It will seek market, and Mobile is the nearest port as well as the best To- cated port for her purpose. If we hurry forward the improvement of our rivers, we shall be able to offer such freight rates on iron and steel that Mobile will be the cheapest tidewater steel market in the world. Our advantage in the respect will surely then outweight the disadvantage mentioned above. Ships will have to be built here because they can be built here cheaper than anywhere else.
 It is possible that capitalists may find that their ideas of the disadvantages they now see here are incorrect and it is possi- ble also that we may have a ship building plant as a result of the visit of yesterday. but if we want ship building plants and all manner of other industries which are de- pendent upon the cheapness of the mate- rial for success, we must get the rivers improved, and establish a water highway between Mobile and the coal and iron fields of the state. It lies with us to com- mand an unlimited prosperity. and to make Mobile the Chicago of the gulf.