The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-17
MINERAL EXPERTS
GETTING TO WORK
viii Examine Properties of the
Three Big Corporations
CONSOLIDATION PROJECT
Well Informed Man Predicts That the
sloss-sheffieId and the Republic
VIII Consolidate, Leaving
Tenn. Co. independent.
CONSOLIDATION PROJECT

The commission of five experts selected
by a conference of the executive officials
of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company, the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and
Iron company and the Republic Iron and
Steel company, to examine the mineral
properties of the three companies with
view to consolidation, will begin actual
work today The commission consists of
T. H. Aldrich, appointed by the Tennes-
see company on both coal and ore proper
ties; J. W. Worthington. appointed by
the Sheffield on ore. and Walter
Moore appointed by the same company
on coal; and w. M. Given, appointed by
the Republic on ore, and C. p. Perrin,
appointed by the same company on coal.
These men, accompanied by ]. B. Ritter.
stenographer, left last night in the Sloss-
Sheffeld's private car "Alabama. for
Tracey. Tenn. from which point they
will proceed to examine, the Tennessee
eompanys property located In that sec
ton.
Rents Office Room.
The commission has rented a suite of
office rooms on the sixth floor of the
First National Bank building. AS all
three of the companies interested in the
consolidation project have extensive coal
and ore lands several, weeks will be re-
quired in making the examinations. While
the commissions will naturally spend
good deal of time in the field much cler-
ical work will be done at the headquar-
tiers and within the next week or two
several clerks will be employed tabulatins
data obtained by the commission.
When the representatives of the three
companies held conferences in New York
a few weeks ago to discuss the consolida-
ton scheme it was said that the Tennes-
see and the Republican were particularly
eager to have the three leading concerns
of the district merged into one. 1t was at
forwards believed by certain corporation
officials outside of the conference circles
that the Soss- Sheffield company had
come to look upon consolidation as desira-
BILE and feasible.
As to Consolidation.
Last night man very prominent in the
industrial and financial world, who is
quite familiar with the properties, the OPP
erations and the financial status of each
of the three companies in question, said
that it would be a safe bet that the
Sloss- Sheffield would not agree to any
plan which migh:be formulated for merg-
ing with the Tennessee and the Republic
He said that the Sloss-S Sheffield and tho
Republic were almost sure to consolidate.
IT a5 ftv hof tx.-a
corporations were to merge the CONSOLE
dated concern would proceed at once to
erect a mammoth steel plant, either at
Thomas or North Birmingham.
The Republic owns and operates valu-
able properties north of the Ohio river.
Only its Alabama properties are being
considered in the consolidation project.
These Alabama properties consist of three
blast furnaces at Thomas, coke ovens.
coal mines and ore mines the Birming
ham rolling mill and the Gate City rolling
mill. The Sheffield company owns
seven blast furnaces, coke ovens and ex-
tensive coal and ore lands.
Tennessee Company.
The Tennessee owns blast furnaces, a
large steel plant and steel rail and struc-
tural plant and rolling mills and machine
works, besides large coal and ore mines
in Alabama and Tennessee. It's principal
mechanical plants are distributed as fol-
lows:
At Ensley five blast furnaces and new
one in course of construction, steel mill
and rail and structural mill
At Bessemer, five blast furnaces and
rolling mills.
At Birmingham, two blast furnaces and
the Linn Iron works.
At Oxmoor two blast furnaces.
At South Pittsburg, Tenn, three blast
furnaces
OF the iron furnaces of the Tennessee
company several are practically out of
commission.
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