The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-05
Mr. underwood's Letter.
House of Representatives.


 Washington, December 2. 1903. MT F. M. Jackson, President of the Com mercal Club, Birmingham, Ala
 Dear Sir-Since writing you last in re- ference to the government purchasing coal for the navy from our mines at southern ports, 1 have had a long con- versation with Admiral Converse, who has succeeded Admiral Bradford as chief of the bureau of equipment and who has charge of such matters. Admiral Con verse says that he is unwilling to make contracts to purchase supplies of our coal for the navy until it has been sub jected to the new tests. l called his at tention to the tests made some years ago by Admiral Bradford when he was in command of the Montgomery He said that these tests were not satisfactory to him and that he afterwards succeeded Admiral Bradford in the command of the Montgomery and that the coal he used required the f1ues to be cleaned too often for effective service. But he said that 1 if you would send him the eoals to be tested he would give them a thorough test. Now, you can understand that with the technical proposition staring me in the Face 1t Is impossible for me to do anything towards securing contracts for our coal until Admiral Converses desire for new test has been complied with.
 lie said that he would write me A letter explaining fully what must be done in order that the tests should be made. With the commencement of the work on the Panama canal and the new impor- lance or coaling stations in the Gulf of Mexlco do not think that the Conner cial club can do anything more beneficial to the district than to have all the vari- ous eoals in the district thoroughly test ed so that we will be in a position to | oHer them to the navy department with out teehnicality staring us in the face 'l hope you will take it up with inc people at home. not only from one mine. put rom as many as possible. have the coal sent on and properly tested, and l when this Is done I will go back and on deavor to secure contracts for our dis | trict but until 1t Is done you can see | that my hands are tied. With kindest regards I am, yours truly,
 70. w. UNDERWOOD"
 Had Stood the Tests.
 President Jackson said that a test was made several years ago and that Ala. bama coal had proven as good as any other, and stood the required tests Ihat there were other reasons why the Alabama coal had not been used more and that the only way to get the coal into the navy was to have the tests made and to show that the Alabama coal was as good if not better than the Virginia coal. In accordance with a resolution from Sterling A. Wood, President Jack son appointed T. c. Bush, F. Y. Ander- son, Paschaf Shook. James Bowron and F. l.. Clarke on this committee to take up the correspondence and to have the tests made.
 All the members of the club agreed that 1t was of vital importance to Bir- mingham to have the district coal used in the navy, or at least to have the world know through these tests that the coal was as good, if not better, for steam pur- | poses than that of the other states. The matter was discussed by T. c. Bush, r. l Y. Anderson, James Bowron and others On suggestion of Colonel Bush an ef- | fort will be made to have the tests of the coal made next spring at Pensacola while the North Atlantic squadron is at | that port. This will enable the coal men of Alabama to have a practical test made | by the ships, and will also make 1t possl- l ble to have the tests made without ship l ping coal all over the country If the | tests can be made at Pensacola the Ala bama operators can be sure that they are made, and that the samples are not side tracked and forgotten.