The age-herald., 1900-05-21

between san fTHnClSCO and Na1DaTaisO, after the construction of an isthmian canal, as we would be able to place steam coal f. o. b. at Mobile at lower price than similar coal costs today f. 0. b. ship at English ports. It is possible that the in creasing cost of coal land in the Pittsburg district and the increasing demands for manufacturing purposes there may reduce the volume of coal to be sent down the Mississippi river to New Orleans, as such coal would seek the most remuneratiye market In that case the ability to send tows of coal around from Mobile to New Orleans by the inside passage would be protection both as to volume or supply and price to be paid by the New Orleans con sumers and shippers.
 q cannot imagine that the railroads which have done so much to promote the prosperity of Birmingham would impose any objection to this development. If the output of coal and iron should be greatly increased by reason of reduction in the cost to tide water and the consequent enlarge ment of the available market this would correspondingly reduce the cost per ton of these materials at Birmingham and would enhance the prosperity of all directly or indirectly concerned in their production whether land owners, miners, merchants or railroads. The lower the cost of produc- tion of crude material would be an 1n- creased inducement to the location of con sumers, and the rolling stock of the rail- roads would be more profitably employed, for instead of hauling coal or pig iron at rates of approximately four mills per ton, 1t would be available for passenger and merchandise traffic and for the transporta- ton of great variety of manufactured ar -ticles produced from these raw materials, as to which I will write you in a separate letter.
 This is evidenced by the great prosperi- ty Of the railroads traversing and supplying the coal and iron districts. in the midland n m nd vfnar tIn a1p fully and constantly employed and do not initiate in any way against the greatest prosperity of the London and Northwestern railway, and the Midland, and the Great Western railways"
 The representative" referred to in Mr. Browrons letter was Col NJ B. Hlllyard, who was sent to Birmingham by the Times Democrat to personally investigate and re- port upon this waterway
 Here the speaker quoted at length from colonel 1fllyard in a carefully prepared report in 1889 and sent to his paper His statements are based upon the government engineers report and from statements furn- ished him by experts and manufacturers and are worthy of absolute confidence and acceptance.
 What It Would Mean.
 It Is little wonder, therefore that far sighted and thinking men all over America have carefully investigated these facts ana possibilities and have joined in an ef- Tort to have congress also carefully inquire into them and to improve these water ways. Bear carefully in mind also that the above facts and possibilities are based entirely upon the improvement of the southern division. l. e. from Birmingham to the gulf. When the upper or northern division is built, which has been declared entirely feasible, connecting the Tennessee river at Guntersvie with the gulf of Mexico the ma agnitude and yastness of the subject is almost beyond the scope of or dinary language And yet in this day when all over the world there is such a revival of interest in, and demand for inn provement of water ways, it is no idle dream to look forward to the time when iron and steel products made from Ten nessee and Alabama ores will go north into the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, Chicago canal northern lakes, even down the Erie and Hudson and unloaded in New York harbor. Or they will go south from all points on the Tennessee and its tribu- tares east of Sheffield to the gulf, and from all gulf ports take shipping to dis tant foreign markets. rr | lsi-f
 It is no idle dream to also send whale backed barges loaded with Tennessee and Alabama coal across the gulf to Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, the West Indies or through an isthmian canal. built and own ed by Americans, and unload them on the Pacific coast.
 Men sitting here have seen changes and developments much more improbable and branded as visionary and chimerical when they were first suggested. And as all this should and will stand for the betterment of humanity, a moving forward in the march of human progress will add glory, honor and strength to America, widen her sphere of usefulness and better enable her to fulfill the high destiny which God seems to have nstore for her. Oh, men, welcome the day. work and pray God for its speed ing when shall see every river, harbor and bay in America improved for such use and benefit of the great human family, helping all. iniuring none.
 The real development of the southern field in the past quarter of a century; the present prosperity, and the marvellous changes which have taken place in a terri tory in which, not many years ago, barren wastes, apparent inactivity and poverty were only too familiar, is not fully under stood by the people of the north.
 To bring, then. the sp1endidly great ma- terial resources of the south, its advance within recent years in industrial activity and prosperity. it's present position in edu- cation, in art in science and manufacturing to the knowledge of the north and east-to the Knowledge of those who are seeking a more genial and more productive climate in which to live; to those who have capital to invest in enterprises which have greater natural advantages for assured success un- der easier and happier conditions, and to more closely unite the people of the north, east and south in social and commercial in- tercourse, Is the purpose of the Southern exposition in New York city.