The age-herald., 1901-06-14
DEVELOPMENT OF
 THE |R0NINDUSTRY
It Began With the Founding of
 Birmingham in 1871
SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
Secretary J. 3. Gibson of the commer, cial Club Reads an Interesting Paper Before the Southern In-
 dustrlaI Convention.

Philadelphia, Pa, June 13.-The dele- gates to the Southern Industrial conven- tion today considered the improvement of the country's trade. An interesting dis cussion occurred on the value of an isth- mian canal, the opinion of the speakers being that the proposed Nicaragua canal would be the most desirable economical channel between the Atlantic and the Pa ciic)coasts. Hon. Sewell c. Cobb of Pen sacola led the debate on this subject. The
 Mississippi river and it's tributaries were also discussed, the speakers giving req sons why the waterways of the South should be developed and utilized.
 J. B. Gibson of Birmingham read a pa- per on Iron and Steel Manufacture in the South," detailing the development of the industry in the South and showing the benefits to investors and manufacturers,
 "The real development of the iron in- dustry,' said MT. Gibson, began with the founding of Birmingham in 1871, and the growth of one has since been the exponent of the other Before that time, although coal anl limestone were plentiful in the Birmingham district, 1t was contended the coal would not make coke. In Jefferson County there are now twenty-seven coke furnaces with an average daily capacity of 175 tons
 Export of Iron.
 "The export of pig iron from the Bir- mingham district" said MT. Gibson, be gan in 1897, and an average of 900 tons per annum have since been exported. In 1900 the United States exported 2Se7ss tons of pig iron and of this amount Ala barna furnished 23S, ,615 tons
 There are in the Birmingham district AS, 900 wage-earners who receive $2,500, 900 per month in pay. This money goes reg ularly into the chanels of trade and gives life and volume to every line of business. The volume of business done during the past twelve months in mining and manu- featuring amounted to $50000,000.
 "When the Nicaragua canal Is built Alabama coal will supply the steamships of the world; her iron, steel, timber and labor will build them and the product of her industries will lead them"
 Two interesting addresses were deliver ed at the night session, one by pr. Will liam H. Tolman, on the subject of im- proving the conditions of wage earners and the other by ". H. Councill, who spoke in behalf of the colored race.
 Industrial Improvement.
 The first speaker at tonights session was pr. William H. Holman, director of the industrial betterment department of the league for social service. He deliver ed an illustrated lecture of Movements for improving the condition of the em- ployed"
 Dr. Holman asserted that where special effort has been made by the employer to uplift and improve the condition of his employees 1t has resulted in actual mone- tary benefit. He said the transportation companies of the country have done more than is generally known in the direction of applying the new industrial idea through the medium of the railroad branch of the Young Mems Christian As- sociation.
 w. H. Councill, president of the Agricul- tural and Mechanical College of Normal, Ala, spoke on industrial education and its relation to race development. MT. Councill said he had been a slave boy and his experience at that time caused him to VOW that he would some time devote him. self to the work of uplifting the colored race.
 He asserted the solution of the race problem was neither in the question of franchise nor education, but rather in a proper understanding between the white people and the negro. An interesting in- cident of the session was the presentation by Gen w. W. H. Davis of Doylestown, Pa, of captured Confederate flag to the Couth Carolina delegation.