The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-19

With the building of the San Pedro,
Los Angeles a. salt Lake road, steel
products may De manufactured I'm Utah
cheaper than anywhere else In the en-
tire world some of the best experts
in the United states have at different
times made exhaustive Investigations
into the iron and coal deposits of The
state and AN the phases of prospective
manufacturing. They have been unanI-
NOUS I'm their conclusions that the
conditions are more favorable In Utah
90 the production OF iron and steel
than In any other known locality. pro-
vided transportation is furnished.
Hitherto AN development has beer. held
back pending railroad construction.
Now that the building OF the salt Lake
route is assured, capital win be ready
90 develop the iron resources, and sew
eral plans are under way 90 make Utah
the recognized Pennsylvania of the
west
Careful estimates hy experts of high
standing show that Bessemer pig iron
can Doe produced iu Utah for 65 per cent
of what it is costing the United States
Steel corporation at present under the
most favorable conditions. cOnse-
Quenuy Utah manufacturers could sell
it al exactly what 10 costs the steel
trust, and stiu make a prOnt of nearly
81 per cent.
Within the last six months John T.
Jones, one OF the best known iron eN-
perts I'm the United States spent sew
eral weeks investigating Utah iron and
coal Ills conclusions were cOrrObO-
rated by other experts. Here is what
he says of The possibilities.
Promise Of Iron Industry.
within q few years Utah should be
producing more iron than any other
state iu The Union. The deposits iu
the southwestern part of the state are
the greatest ] have ever seen. and I
have examined an the principal iron
deposits iu the United states, cuba
anG Venezuela.
The close proximity of the iron 20
an ample supply of fuel and lime duX
makes it possible 90 produce iron in
Utah cheaper than anywhere else in
the United States. Iron works can be
erected In this state which viii pro-
duce iron so cheapiy that. with fair
railroad rates, the finished product can
be laid down iu Chicago on at least
equal terms with The product of the
United States Steel corporation or any
other producer. The low cost of pro-
duction would make 10 possible for the
Utah iron aud steel works 90 control
absolutely the trade of the western
part Of North and south America and
the Orient To- win take a little time
Co get -h1 Utah iron and steel works
into shape for steady production. but
when they are completed they must
become am Important factor in the in
dustry DOB the United States
Possibilities Are "StupendOus."
The possibilities and probabilities OF
tho 1lturr can scarcely be estimated.
they are $50 stupend0us. AT the present
time Che consumption OF steel rails 0n
tle Pacific coast alone is 100000 tons "a
year. and af pig iron $4,000 tons Rus
s.I iS using am enormous amount Of
rails m The building or the Siberian
road and its branches. Railroads are
being built iu China, Japan. the Phil
lpulnes ana Australia. and in C0mpet-
ing for furnishing these Utah win have
am immense advantage i'm cost of pro-
dueJiou and transportation. Steel rails
are at present selling in san Francisco
f1r $fS "a tom. a Utah steel plant OPP
Grating uu an extensive scale could
proluce them for Sl3 "a tOn The pres
emit price FOR steel rails at Pittsburg is
SOS tom. A Utah steel plant could
deliver them at san Francisco at thar
dgure and st.l make "a handsome profit.
The Colorado Fuel & Iron company
gets am even higher price for It's prod
get. With fair freight rates. the Utah
company could invade the markets of
the east
There is also demand for wire,
nails. sheet steel, structural steel. iron
bars and arm0r plate. while the de-
vei0pment of the shipbuilding industry
ON the coast win cause "a greater de-
mand for materials. Utah has the nat
ural advantages to make an of these
at q lower cost than anywhere else,