The age-herald., 1899-07-08

united effort the business men would be able to secure the coveted prize, and though he was perfectly willing to do what he could it was impossible for him to succeed with out the assistance of the citizezns of Bir- mlngham. MT. Underwood said that the bill establishing a government armor plate plant had been defeated in the last con gress, but since the government had been at the mercy of the Carnegies and other manufacturers at the outbreak of the Span ish-Ameriean war. he had no doubt that the bill would be passed at the next session of congress.
 ''The question which we will have to con- front, however, is the location of the plant after it's establishment is authorized" he said. q have no doubt that Birmingham has greater natural resources and can make arnor plate cheaper than any place in the United States. but what we will have to do is to clearly demonstrate this fact to the board which examines the various mineral districts"
 The speaker then went into details, and explained that the cost of making ton of armor plate was something less than S1G0, while the Carnegie factory had refused to
 
 krupp armor they demanded S525 per ton. At the beginning of the Spanish-Ameri- can war the government was forced to have armor put on the ships in dock" continued Mir. Underwood "and the terms of these individual plants had to be accepted. With these facts before congress l do not see how they can avoid establishing d govern ment plant"
  MT. Underwood said that an agitation of the subject would be a great advertisement of the resources of the district. He said the prize was too great to lose. Three mill lion dollars would be required to build the plant, and over 1,O0O skilled workmen would be employed. As an illustration of the idea that the government can manufacture ar nor plate cheaper than individuals, he showed that mortars for coast defense had formerly cost the United States ST 0G0 while now the government makes them for $4,0oo.
 Charge ed Russia Less
 He said that the Carnegies had made armor plate for the Russian government for $25O per ton, stating that this was done as an advertisement, while they refused to make it for the United States govern nlent for less than $425
 At the conclusion of his speech, MT. Un- derwood was rendered unanimous vote of thanks by the club
 MT. Jemison, chairman of the committee on the Boys Industrial school was called on for report. He stated that 140 acres of land had been secured at Hillman and that forty acres of it had been given by the Birmingham Railway and Electric com pany and that company had secured an option on the balance, which will cost $2,G90.
 Major Henderson said that this school would mean more to Birmingham than two furnaces and cotton factory.
 X communication was then read from the Huntsville chamber of commerce calling at tention to the industrial convention to be held at that place sometime soon.
 Mir. Rountree introduced the following resolution which was read and adopted: Whereas, The Huntsville chamber of commerce realizing the great benefit to be derived by organiZa ton and consultation have called an industrial convention to convene in the city of Huntsville on Sep- tember i; therfore be it
 Resolved, That the Birmingham Com HSIcldl CluD nedrtliy endorses the move ment and accepts the invitation to send a delegation to participate in the conven- tion.
 Resolved second, That the president be empowered to select a delegation of eighteen, of which number he shall be a member, to represent the club at said meeting.
 The secretary read a letter from Gun tersville, Ala, which stated that they had