The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-03

of rails. tank and boiler plates, wire
hors malta hillete and castings. Birming-
ham ought 10 play a conspicuous part
in providing material for the ran
roads. rolling stock. bridges dnd Tor
the r-houses OF CUBA, "
Rico and Hawaii. IL cannot conp'so
on equal terms az present Tor tne uaoo
of India, China and japan, nut WIN VIC
completion of the Nicaraguan Canal Il
will enjoy preferential siluauoh 81 a.,
any other steel and iron-producing as
tyic, in this country, owing 10 us greater
proximity 10 tidewater. its greater proN-
imity TO the canal and It's ability 10 COM
b,ne light and bulky cotton freigh's win
the export tonnage Of iron and steel
s'The inexorable law Of survivm OF 'hs
dttest has compelled such economies ano
improvements that In the year 1898 tho
average selling price for all the IRON
produced at one large establishment III
the birmingham district was Oh per cent
OF the price obtained for its proauot IN
1855. This Is a remarkable statement CON
sidering that practically the same Juan
titles OF materials were required ard the
entire economy has been effected III
methods Of mining. transportation ana
administration. These economies nave
come 10 STAY and others Will yet Follow
There has not been money enough IN the
Birmingham district TO vie with some OF
the longer established. richer districts,
but the engineers and metsllurgists anu
executive men or the district are As
keenlv alive 10 the possibilities OF I'M
provemen. az are their competitors else
where The keen depression has witness
ed in this district the general washing
OF coal for tho production OF purer COKE
the washing Of ore. the recovery or oy-
products from cokeoven gas, the raising
OF steam for c0lllerY use by using the
spechc heat OF coke-oven gas. and the
substitution Of underground power haul
age Tor mules the multiplication OF fur
mace tuyeres and other similar minor Inn
provements There has also been IN some
measure a desirable feeling established
Of the mutual dependence OF labor ana
capital upon each other, leading 90 tho
adoption OF sliding scale IN place or the
old-fashioned system Of strikes.
Mr.. Bowrons faith in birmingham Is
shown by his additional statement:
Il entertain no shadow OF doubt that
within the next decade or Two bllmins-
ham will develop into city ot equal
Size and Importance with Pittsourg' Pa,
and have so stated on many occasions.
II is simply q question OF Investing the
necessary capital here. which VIII 10 turn
bring the population. Capital follows con-
ndence. 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 com
pany could be shipping IL every day II Il
J had it TO sell. lie added: There is
temporary stoppage OF exports. because
nobody has any iron 10 sell abroad, and.
IL the iron could be had. no ship room
Z fsf.f INN In
inquiries from abroad. even al existing
higher prices and il goes without saying
that this district can, whenever it has
more iron % sell than the United states
can consume. always dispose OF some Of
Il abroad. But, in my opinion. we shall
be able within two or three year 20 sell
as many tons TO foreign takers as We are
now producing. provided we are willing
20 quote prices not too much above those
prevailing here"
It is understood that the Virginia Coal,
Iron and Railroad Company which II
preparing 70 develop furnace properties IN
Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee.
Will control, If il does not own, every
furnace on the line OF the Norfolk and
Western railroad. The company has se-
cured it IS stated, the mining properties
formerly owned by the Consolidated MIN
ing Company which have been idle for
years. and the Lynchburg mines. ana
are now negotiating for large territory
Of iron ore i'm the immediate vicinity Of
Roanoke. and "A large area Of magnetic
ore south Of that city. Work has al
ready begun on the two ore properties
already acquired in preparation for ship
ping ore. IN is thought by observers or
the movement that II may result in a
steel plant at Roanoke as an conditions
are favorable for that. and a well-equ!p-
ped rolling mill having been acquired
! with the furnace Of the Roanoke Iron
Company
Tho extent Of railroad building in the
South az present and the prospects for
this year. are significantly indicated 10y
the fact that new railroad enterprises
either projected or under way during
the past week. included every State IN the
South but one. showing that me whole
section is the scene or more or less ac-
tivlty While Northern capital IS beng
largely invested in this direction IN the
South the large number Of local compa-
MES IS notable IN spite u the extensive
construction OF strcct-railway lines IN me
south within tho last TWO years several
important projects arc uhoer way J" u'i-
feront Southern cities.
The following were tho principal mn
Drovements OF the week noted oy lhe
Manufacturers Record
Ten-thousand-douar jail and bridge
company. $50 1000 electric light and water
works. and $4,000 coal-mning company
I'm Alabama. $4,000 ice and co.c-storage
company. $1,000 compress company. ana
ioO-ton ice factory in Arkansas. sloolo
tefenhone company ga Florida. 5Vl-sD4n-
die addition. 5.o00-spindie yarn NH in
Georgia: $1,000 -four and grist MILL FlouO
lumber company. $4,000 coal company
s,- o0 electric company in Kentucky;
5000 irrigation plant, l0-ton ice factory
aston ,aligeratng plant. $4,000 salt
mining plant in Louisiana. lotion zee lac.
tory $500 coo electric plant and general
Improvement. $1,000 timber company,
1a-ton ice factory, $4,000 cement MN
addition $50 900 cotton warp MILL N0,Wv
distnnng company. and $4,000 water
works I'M Maryland 30-ton ice factory
I'm Mississippi: $500 iron works IN North
Carolina. $4,000 construction company IN
south Carolina: $4,000 woollen mill and
& 900 gold-mining company h. Tennessee
ioo-barrel -four mill. $4,000 furniture fac