The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-28

most important pieces of work that is be-
ing done under this bill. The work en-
braced in this particular item is for the
purpose of enabling the miners in Alabama
to transport their coal and iron to Mobile
by water. This industry is going to be one
of the largest in the United States The
supply of coal and iron from the immedi-
ate banks of this river is now an immense
trade. 1t is carried almost entirely at the
present time by rail from Birmingham and
the surrounding country to Pensacola and
Mobile.
ALREADY, Mr.. President, the iron pro-
duction in that region has been so great
and so advantageously conducted that the
iron transported by rail to the gulf of
Mexico Is being shipped to England and
largely to Asia and other places. This in
dustry does not in very large degree inter-
fere with the particular trade of other sec
tions of the country, because 1t supplies
places which they can not supply. Other
parts of the country can not ship their iron
to England, because they can not produce
it at a price which will enable them to do
so. 1t is true that there is not such a
large output at the present time from these
mines as from mines in other sections of
the country, but there is an immense out
put at this time, and 1t Is growing daily.
Very large plants of the greatest impor-
tance to the iron trade are being almost
continually built in and around Birming-
ham and that section of the state. One of
the largest steel plants of the United States
is being constructed there today, a matter
of immense importance to the government
itself outside of the general interest of the
people of the United States.
The Warrior river runs through the
whole length of the Warrior coal fields.
Tho coal crops out on every bank from
Tuscaloosa upward, or within fifteen miles
of Tuscaloosa. The improvements have al
ready run into the coal fields but only for
few miles. They have not reached the
best of the coal. This provision, which was
inserted in this bill in the house of repre-
sentatives on the recommendation of the
secretary of war, 1t seems to me, ought to
stand.
II the Warrior river can be opened up 10
this coal field, and 1t can be very easily
done by the appropriations which have been
made for the work which has been COM
menced on it-it is already, as say, built
fifteen miles above the falls of Tuscaloosa
1t ought to be continued, and it ought to he
continued by the appropriation of a sum
sufficient to bring this vast amount of
wealth for the use of the people as rapidly
as 1t can reasonably be done.
This provision was estimated for by the
engineers and by the secretary of war.
1t was put into this bill by the committee
of the house of representatives after mature
elaboration and careful examination.
was present, and I heard the engineers
themselves testify before the committee,
and also the people who are acquainted with
the business. Having been so carefully
considered, do not think that the senate
committee ought to cut 1t down. They
only cut down the appropriation $4,000. but
they cut down the most important part of
1t. The committee has eliminated the
! continuing-contracti idea, which ought to be
carried into this bill for the benefit of the
world not merely for the benefit of Ala
bama and those who own these vast sources
of wealth.
Mr.. Morgan's Remarks
Mr. Morgan: Mr.. President, 1 desire TO
submit a few remarks on this matter. The
chairman of the committee on commerce
has done more for the commerce of The
United States since have been here than,
think, every other man in. the senate
HIS attention has been riveted upon every
proposition that seemed to give any promise
| at all Of success In the expectation Of oul