The age-herald., 1901-07-28

added in the entire state. The fifth Ens- ley stack was built by dismantling one at Oxnoor and two elsewhere, and is not therefore gain. The new Thomas stack is not yet in operation. As things stand we have no more stacks in blast than we had when the great boom died out in the early nineties, or about ten years ago. But we are holding our own under the terms of a river sealed by snags and bars and insufficient water, and we are building railroads, and coke ovens and gradually of turning pig iron broadening out. We are learning the art of turning pig iron into steel, and then into nails and wire, and ploughs, and cars and various other articles.
 And perhaps, after all, this slow growth pending the opening of the Warrior is the
 better growth. Perhaps, after all, we are laying the better foundation in this way. Great developments in the iron and steel industries are not apt to be speedy Things in these industries are so colossal in every respect it is perhaps best to build sowly-to get ready by degrees TOT the destiny that nature intends for this district-to gather knowledge, capital, ex- perience and skill; and this is why Jones' valley is not full of people.
 Just at present we are like a tribe or Indians, who in a world of whites cannot market their mocassins or bows and ar rows. We can make in Alabama mil lion tons or more of iron year, but at present foreign buyers will not take it at
 nta tidewater and sea charges to ports Tn their own iron consuming countries. IT we attempt to fight at Cincinnati or St. Louis the billion-dollar steel trust, we are compelled to pay from two to three ool- lars ton to the railroads, while the steel trust can barge at bottom rates its pro ducts to both St. Louis and Cincinnati What is true of iron and steel Is also true of coal and coke In the case of coal, water in the once shallow and rapid Mo- nongahela enables producers two thous- and miles away to compete with and to hold almost unquestioned fine markets almost at our very doors. Monongahela coal is to-day used to the mouth of the Father of Waters and in many Texas towns. Water transportation of heavy |sproducts in word, is all controlling. What of the Future.
 But all this is to be changed Natures clear intentions is to be carried out. Here she placed side by side, in one valley, all the products that go into blast furnace, from the ore itself to flre-bricks. and here alone in this district she placed them on a gulf coast and on a water way that once improved, will float the merchanta- ble product to the sea. A similar state of things does not exist elsewhere in the world.
 It is true the Cleveland district in Eng land has ore and fuel and Aux in juxta- position near the sea, but athe Cleveland district has no brown ores that carry 50 per cent. of metallic iron, and it has no
 .hard reds that carry 35 per cent. and are self fiuxing. The hard red of this dis trict lies in vein twenty-two feet thick
 and Is practically inexhaustible, and when it is considered that it carries it's own Aux it is as good as a 50 per cent. ore. which Is about the average per cent age now of Mesabi ores The percentage is falling and those ores will soon have no advantage in point of richness over our "Hard red" especially when the last named is mixed with soft red and brown But theAYalue of these ores has lcag been