The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-05
IRON AND COAL
IN THE SOUTH
The View Taken by Mr.. Atkinson
Regarded as Conservative.
THE CONSUMPTION INCREASING
Thourh Some Works Have Ceased
Operations. They Will Be Obliged
to Resume Work on Account of
orders in Near Future,

BALTIMORE, July 4.-Special.-The re-
view of the iron and coal situation by
Edward Atkinson in the last issue OF
the Manufacturers Record has attracted
mucn attention among those VINO are cor
versant with the outlook. Discussing lile
matter President John *. CoWen. OF the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Compa ~;
in an interview with representative OIL
the Manufacturers Record, said:
sir. Atkns0n'S calculation that the eN-
tension Of railroad lines in this country
Will carry the mileage from 2Vpooo 70
800. OOO in fifteen wears I would consider
conservative If the construction of cleo
trio lines also is included. The c0nstruc-
ton, according TO this est.mate, Wouiu
aVera ge a little over $500 miles annually,
which is considerably larger than the an
nual mileage built in recent years. On
doubtedly large proportion OF the con
structiOn will be in the South and South
west. owing to the demand for railroads
caused by the general development OF TINS
section OF the country. l believe that the
new mileage will be built prlnclpa!lE IN
the form of spurs or branches by existing
companies TO reach localities which VIII
originate traffic. They will not be bullt
tor the purpose of floating securities, as
has been at times the case in the past,
but their promotion will be due TO health
fui business conditions l do not beheTe
that independent companies viii do nluch
Of the work, the corporations now con-
trolling the principal railways carrying
out the various plans.
Relative to Mr. Atkinson's estimate of
TIE WORTH ttlldilu II I'LL StIAAA IAIF2 -
diction that the consumption in 1910 VIII
require 4 supply OF fully J3,UUOVOV TONS
Mr.. Cowen said
Il wou!L consider this very Conserva-
tive estimate. The demand for iron in It's
various forms is unQues tionably widening
lrlCeS have been raised to tsures Whicn
were abnormally high, and cessation
in the demand is the natural consequence.
When they are restored to the normal
figure buyers will again come into the mar
| llet, although some may wait until prices
:: begin q advance. IL human
nature to hope that the market may de
cline to a lower point than 1t naturally
would and there are always some pur-
| Chasers who wait 100 long. | can see no
reason for more than 4 temporary sus-
pension of the demand. Undoubtedly the
| quantity exported for foreign consump
| Mr.. Atkinson predicts. Consumption of
! metal for railroad purposes, for building
| and Tor other uses is steadily increasing.
las 10 our coal trade. the indications
| point to an extensive export traffic. If
| it assumes the proportions which IT may
| assume within a few years believe that
| coal exports alone Will require Ouc-third
| of the tOta! tonnage now needed 10 carry
| export shipments from the United States.
| We are anticipating an export trade. and
tie docks being completed at Curtis Bay.
on Baltimore harbOT, have been planned
! partly with this idea in view, although
| they Will be used, of course, for general
| shipping purposes
/ The cost of exporting coal from the
| mines has been reduced TO a minimum by
| the railroad companies through the use
| of heavier locomotives larger cars and
| the reduction of grades, allowing the haul
| ing OF very large tonnage by one engine.
| The int duCtiOn of labor-saving ma
| chinery into mines is constantly increas-
! ing, thereby reducing the cost Of min
| ing Possibly further improvements Will
| be made in the lab0r-saVing apparatus
| now in use in the mines; although on this
| point l am not prepared to say
Regarding the closing down. Of furnaces
and other industries, Mr. COwen stated
| that in the region reached by the BaltI-
| more and Ohio he Knew OF no such suS-
pensions, except few caused by neces-
Sary repairs ''Whcrc one corporation
! controls a large number of mills and fur
naCeS. as is now the case he said. 1T
! may be more economical to make repairs
| TO a number OF the plants at the same
| time, and as this suspension may affect
number of industries, more publicity IS
| given than where each is controlled by an
| independent company and only one or
| two are idle a time. Undoubtedly the
| slaCkening of the demand for certain
| commodities in steel and iron has caused
! operations to cease at some works, but
| they will be obliged to resume work on
| account of the orders which will be re-
| ceived in the near future. | do not at
| tribute any of the recent suspensions in
| iron and steel industries TO permanent
| falling off in the demand for these metals
| Mr.. Atkinsons article is extremely
| interesting to US, as it is closely asso-
| ciated with the interests of the Baltimore
f! and Ohio through our traffic in coal and
| iron