The age-herald., 1899-11-05
EXC66dinQIu FdI|lbIe Arguments hG
 VdnC6d bu Smoky GltU Of EdSt C0AL THE SOURCE OF ENERGY

say, tGo ahead, the world is getting short of a suply of steel and the products of steel and other staple articles of manufac- ture ,and it's wants increasing daily, if your works and your management be right, you cannot fail" " He also pays a glowing tribute to the present management of the Pennsylvania railroad, claiming that in the past 1t was the policy of that road to dis criminate against Phttsburg, and that it's progress and prosperity were greatly re- tarded by this fact. but now he rejoices in the fact that under the administration of Thomson and Cassat, this policy has been reversed and that this great railroad sys- tenn is helping to build up the Pittsburg district by not only giving it low ra tes on the raw material, but also giving it such rates on its finished products will enable 1t to reach the markets of the world.
 l have mentioned these facts to draw the comparison between Pittsburg and Bir- mingham As stated before, Pittsburg bases her whole claim for supremacy upon the fact that she possesses unlimited quan- titles of good coking and steam coal. Bir- mfngham has much coal as Pittsburg, and equally as good. One enthusiastic writer in singing his songs of praise of Pittsburg says: 'There is not to be found elsewhere in the world today such condf- tion of affairs, an enormous business built up on material every pound of which has to be brought 000 miles before it can be
 
 the other great and most important factor in the manufacture of iron and steel pro- ducts. The interesting fact to the people of the Birmingham district in connection with this subject is that while Pittsburg boats of ineXhaustible supplies of superior steam and coSing coal, every pound of the ore that is consumed in the manufacture of its enormous tonnage of iron and steel products~is brought over 1000 miles, while Birmingham, with as good coal, has all nnn txt miles of its doors. For generations we have been saying that Englands wealth and Englands greatness are based upon her coal and iron. Pittsburg, now called the Imperial manufacturing city of the world" bases her wealth on her coal Bir- mingham has both coal and ore in great quantities closer together and more cheap ly mined Why should not Birmingham be- come rival manufacturing city of Pitts burg?
 It is boasted of Pittsburg that during the last great depression, from which we have just emerged, its people kept its industries going on account of its immense reservoirs of wealth and experience accumulated dur ing the prosperous times immediately pre- ceding the depression Birminghams in dustres were kept going during the depres- sion without any 'Teservoir of wealth or experience" to draw from, but were forced to rely solely and entirely upon the current make of each particular industry each day for flood and raiment'' for tomorrow.
 Referring to what MT. Carnegie says about the policy of the Pennsylvania road as affecting Pittsburg and the iron inter- ests, the Birmingham district Is more lerge- ly dependent upon the Louisville and Nash vile and Southern roads than all other agencies combined. It Is remarkably for tunate that at this time these two great systems should be presided over by such men as M H. Smith and Samuel Spencer I1I sive and liberal, and who not only from sense of justice, but also from the stand point of policy, see it to their respective interests to foster this district so as to en- able it to market its products wherever steel and iron are used. 1t is, and should be- the policy of these great railway sys- tems to give the manufacturer of the Bir- mingham district every facility possible for assembling his raw material on the cheapest possible rate and to distribute his products to the consumers of the world at lowest possible cost The fact that the di- rect returns upon the tonnage handled may be at relatively low rate per ton per mile does not mean that the business Is not profitable primarily for the reason that the volume is so large and the character of the tonnage such as to require only the cheap est class of equipment. he incidental bene- fits that accrue to the transportation com- panies can only be acquired by building up its industrial interests and by giving low rates MT. M. H. Smith, president Of the Louisville and Nashville road, who was first in this field, with his prophetic vision and keen business sagacity, saw at once the great future in store for his road by occupying the territory, which he at once proceeded to do, spending many mil lions of dollars in building lines that at first could not be profitable, but which re- suited in connecting almost every blast furnace, ore mine, coal mine, rolling mill and quarry, so that the facilities for as- sembling materials were ample and the rates low.
 Upon the dissolution of the old Richmond Terminal, MT. Samuel Spencer was called to it's head and undertook its reorganiza- ton as the Southern Railway. While only a few years have elapsed since this great work was commenced, he has brought method and system out of chaos and de- veloped a system second to none in the United State noted now for its superior fa- cilities and its good service. He, too at once saw the value of the Birmingham dis trict and has increasingly worked to the interest of the district in building 1t up. With these two great systems as our allies, the friends of the Birmingham district have nothing to fear along these lines. The Pittsburg district has one advantage which we have not enjoyed that is, water trans