The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-04
THE SOUTH HAS
A GREAT FUTURE

Baltimore February s.-Two gentlemen
prominently identified with the iron and
steel development of the south-James
Rowron. of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company. and Sol. Haas. of the
sloss Iron and Steel company-in inter-
views in the Manufacturers Record pre-
sent broad view of the iron Industry in
the southern field and clearly demonstrate
the reasons for its great future. Mr. Bow
ron says:
alabama iron has taken good hold in
foreign markets. and 1 believe that the ex-
port movement will continue on some scale
for all time in the future. The iron COM
petes chiefly with Scotch and Middlesboro
iron. 1t is in every respect equal to Scotch
iron, and better than Middlesboro. 1t is
cheaper. even including cost of delivery to
distant ports. than Scotch iron, and as
cheap as Middlesboro, and ought to COM
mand preference over the latter when
consumers are sufficiently educated to its
use.
ut is not desirable, to my mind, that the
movement should continue on the scale
that we have seen 1t in the past. 1t does
not speak well for the enterprise and good
judgment of American capitalists that the
large product of cheap Birmingham
terial should be sent to every part both of
the United States and also Europe, Africa
and Asia to be there worked up into fin.
shed material Instead of SO large an ex>
port of pig iron, l look for diminished
shipment of this material, and the estab-
lishment of exports from Birmingham OF
rails, tank and boiler plates, WIRE bars,
nails, billets and castings.
Birmingham ought to play a conspic-
uous part in providing material for the
railroad, rolling stock, bridges and for the
sugar-houses of Cuba, Puerto Rico and
Hawaii. 1t cannot compete on equal terms
at present for the trade of India, China
and Japan, but with the completion of the
Nicaraguan Canal it will enjoy a prefera-
| BILE situation over any other steel and iron
producing district in this country, owing
to its greater proximity to the canal and its
ability to combine light and bulky cotton
| freights with the export tonnage of iron
| and steel"
Mr. Bowron's faith in Birmingham 10
| shown by this additional statement II
entertain no shadow of doubt that within
| the next decade or two Birmingham will
| develop into city of equal size and impor-
tance with Pittsburg, Pa, and have so
stated on many occasions. 1t is simply a
| question of investing the necessary capital
| there, which will in turn bring the popu-
| lation, and capital follows confidence and
| confidence in Birmingham is growing
| daily"
| Mr. Haas mentioned the small supply in
| the United States of pig iron available at
| present for export, and said his company
| could be shipping it every day if it had it
| to sell. He added:
There is a temporary stoppage of ex-
| ports, because nobody has any iron to sell
| abroad, and, if the iron could be had, no
| ship room is now available We continue
| to have inquiries from abroad, even at the
| existing higher prices, and it goes without
| saying that this district can, whenever it
| has more iron to sell, beyond what the
| United States can consume always dispose
| of some of it abroad. But, in my opinion,
| we shall be able within two or three years
| to sell as many tons to foreign takers as
we are now producing, provided we are
| willing to quote prices not too much above
| those prevailing here