The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-08-24
Good For The South.


The recent great advance in thu
prices of iron and steel means muci
| for the south. Never before was TIT
demand for these materials so great
and it is likely to increase rather thar
diminish because of the industrial de-
velopment OF Japan, China, Central
ard South American countries and
others.
The greater nations are also using
more iron and steel than ever before
Great Britain and Ireland alone
will turn out this year at least .
100000 tons of new mercantile YES
sells, and the British warships already
begun or to be begun this year will
have an aggregate displacement of
100000 tons. The great railway
schemes of Russia in Siberia, of
England in Africa, and of the Aus
tralian government will involve the
construction of 10000 miles of rail
road, or more. There will be large
increase of railroad mileage in this
country and in Europe.
We may therefore expect that the
production of iron and steel which
last year surpassed all records, will
be even greater this year. The
worlds production Of pig iron in 1898
is put at 100000 tons, about
$500, 600 tons more than the produc-
ton in 1897. The United States IS
the greatest producer of iron and
steel and contributed more than any
other nation to the increase Of last
years product. There is no danger
that this country will fall back in
this great industry, and the south,
which produces mere cheaply than
any other region Of the world, will
increase its production Of the product
of the whole country.
Mr.. James 2. Witheroe, Of Pitts
burg, in the last number of the Man.
WacturerS' Record, shows how the
iron industry of the south has adj
vanced and reached out into all parts
OF the world.
Mr.. Witheroe attributes the rapid
rise of this industry in the south to
the business depression, which began
in 1893, and continued several years.
This is rather surprising state
ment, but Mr.. Witheroe gives strong
reasons to sustain it. He says that
on the advance of the panic the
southern iron makers Eat once began
to reduce their cost of production by
improving their plants, making a
superior coke and forcing their man
agement to higher and better prac-
tice, resulting in the lowest cost of
production which has ever been at
tanned in any part of the world. In
addition, thereto, when the southern
iron-masters found that their north
ern market was blocked or limited,
they heSitated not, but at once con.
cluded on new departure in the iron
and steel business of America, which
was destined to be the pioneer and
forerunner of the mighty future of
American supremacy, viz, the ex-
portation of American iron to the
very centers Of European trade. AT
first the presumption only amused the
British and continental markets, and
they had no thought of it having any
commercial Importance; but when the
southern men persisted in their ship
ments and they began to feel their
force, they undertook by every pre-
text that ingenuity and selfshness
could devise to drive them out, under
rating the quality of southern pig
metal as unfit for their requirements.
But all in vain; the south had made
a good commencement, established a
new departure and was determined to
maintain it at all hazards. This was
the beginning of our iron and steel
export trade, over which all Ameri-
cans are rejoicing, the credit and
glory OF which belong to the south. |
Thus the southern iron industry held |
It's position against great odds"
This is a high but deserved tribute
to the south, and the south will 90
steadily forward in the greatest of all |
Industries. for in it she has advan-
tages over all competitors.-Atlanta |
Journal. |