The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-27
A STEEL PLANT
FOR RICHMOND.
Mr.. WelIman Here to See About One
for Locomotive Works.
GREAT PRAISE OF ALABAMA.
The Engineer Says the Section About
Birmingham is Destined To Become
Famous the World Over for its
Iron and Steel Industry.

Mr. Charles II. Welman. OF the Well
man-seaver Engineering Company OF
Cleveland. Ohio. which has the contract
for the engineering work on the great
steel plant near Birmingham. Ala, is in
the city
The immediate cause Of his visit here
was the demand for the establishment
of a steel casting plant at the Rich
mond Locomotive Works. So much con-
struction that was formerly made in cast
iron is now being made in cas--steel that
no thoroughly equipped machine works
should bo without such facilities and Mr..
Weuman has been looking over the
ground at the Locomotive Works with a
view Co such plant.
PRAISE OF BIRMINGHAM.
Mr. Weliman has spent some time I'm
Alabama and says the Birmingham sec
ton is destined 20 become famous the
world over for ITS iron and steel indus
tries.
"A great change is taking place down
there On the methods OF preparing iron
ore for the various usos.' said be-. 1.-THE
pig iron has heretofore been put on the
market and the most of 10 shipped TO the
north. Since the process of making basic
steel has been perfected 10 enables the
use OF this ore in the manufacture OF
pig into basic opcn-hoarth Steel The Biz
mingham district is the largest producer
Of pig iron for the open market in the
world The Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company is Interested in the building OF
The great million dollar steel plant This
plant wiu produce 1000 tons OF oilIets and
rails per day. Work upon the plant has
berun and b. will be completed in one
year.
An OBSTACLE OVERCOME.
1.-THE great obstacle boz the way of tho
establishment Of great steel plants In the
South has been the solution Of the prob
'crn of how 20 take care of tho products.
gag o. was impossible t0 ship the material
North and compete with the Northern
manufacturers. Now. the cheap rates %
foreign ports enable shipments 10 ne
made TO Europe This new company has
every reason t0 hope FOR "a great foreign
trade. You viii. perhaps. be surprised 10
f,.r, that contracts have already been
r'rcod for large amounts of hIilets 10 Doe
nut into finished product I'm the south.
"From 10000 to 1000 tons of cotton tires
arc used in tho South every year Ihey
are made north OF the Ohio river ana
they ought TO bo manufactured I'm the
south As soon AS the new plant ls hn-
ishod most of these tires viii Doe made ln
Alabama There is mo- section BOO the
whole world that has such natural ad-
wntaces as the country about birm'ns-
ham. There IS coal OF the very best
quality. iron ore of casy-work.ne quai-
TIES and all I'm incXhaustible quantity. The
limestone ls Of the best quality and the
dou0mite unsurpassed for its purposes.
The cheapest pig iron in tho world can
Doe made right here in this section. The
improved machinery has made the cost
~ production very much less than it was
formerly.
no LAND SCHEME INVOLVED.
"This plant I tcn you of is the hrst
lqrg. one t0 Doe built in the South that
had mo- land scheme behind IT, II IS To-
be modern and up-t0-dato in every par-
ucuIar. with all the labor-saving devices
embodied. The iron viii Doe taken in rs
Uquid state from the blast furnaces and
carried directly TO tine open hearth. which
Will very greatly reduce the cost of COM
version from the old practice of re-
melting the pig iron. The iron tnaL Us
being made in the South is Of the best
for basic open-hearth process. wherever
SHIPPED abroad &c is SD well liked that
many manufacturers are specifying Ala
bama iron. The Germans especially are
specifying it MS the best. Tho Tennessee
Company this month sold 5000 tons 90 go
abroad. All the blast furnaces Do the
district have sold tho'r entire products
for the next four or five months. With
am these things in its favor the district
win cut a very important figure In the
iron and steel markets In the future