Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-12

the doors of the operators in the Biz
mingham district.
h. 1.-THE ores found in Alabama are dhS-
similar to the BeSseme~ ores OF the
lake regions owing to the high rate Oh
phosphates in their composition ana lor
some time they were not used III inc
manufacture of steel. But this has been
changed for by the employment OF the
open-health process this iron Is con-
verted into steel quite as good, H. III :
deed not better than Bessemer. Inc
process is a trifle more expensive IMAM
the manufacture of Bessemer but the
other advantages possessed by the BIZ
minyham onerators more than equallZe
this slight increase in the cost OF max
ing steel.
"There can be no question as to the
sta bility Of the steel industry ol Aido'
ma. Where the conditions are SO perfect
there could be no retro2resslon' pu'
when you combine American enterprise
and industrial methods with conultl"ils
that nature has so bountifully PROVIDED
nothing but the greatest prosperity can
re-ult. The history OF the industry
show, what may be expected IN the NJ
ture. Six or seven years ago when there
was a period of depression throughout
the country and various industries OF
like character throughout the country
were either struggling along on part
time or shut down altogether, the fur
naces of birmingham Turned brightly
right along. The proximity of the raw
material and the decreased cost of con-
vcrting the ore into iron counted great
Nv in favor of that section, and brought
it into additional prominence in the in
dustrial world.
THE coal found in the birmingham
district is the ideal coal for iron fur
naces because of its conversion into oX-
ccllent coke. 1t is better for cooking
than Steaming purposes; and better for
cooking and steaming purposes than for
domestic uses. 1t is, indeed, fortunate
for this section that this coal is of this
character for perfect smelling requires
good coke and coal not fitted for cook
ing gives very unsatisfactory results in
this respect. Take the birmingham field
from any point of view. whether scicnti-
fic or industrial and no conclusion can
be reached other than it is one intend
ed bv nature for the development now
being undertaken.
The report of this bureau for the
year 1909. the latest figures obtainable,
show that Alabama occupies the third
position among the states as a produc-
er of iron ore with total production
of 1854 900 long tons, its total output
being three per cent greater than dur
ing the previous year. Pennsylvania,
which ranks So high in its manufac-
lures of iron and steel, produced dur
=, n : 80 tons of
which was a decline of % FER cent from
the figures of 1902. This decline was due
almost entirely to the diminished out
put Of the Cornwall Ore Hills, to which
Pennsylvania was indebted for its posi-
ton as prominent producer for a
number of years.
In coal. the total production of Ala
bama in 1885,; was II ,654.3324 short tons OF
spot value aggregating $l4.246, 1913. This
was a gain of 1875 per cent in quantity
and l4.1 per cent in value over the pre-
vious year The record fer 1902 shows q
continuation of the steady progress
which Alabama has shown in industrial
development during the last so years,
and the large increase over the produce
ton Of 1902 was made Notwithstanding
the fact that work was considerably in
telrupted by strikes among the mine
workers Pennsylvania, of course.
ranks far ahead of ali the states in coal
production, her output last year IN
btun?inous coal being 1913 Hits tons
valued at Sl21, 1872. $50 Alabama remains
the fifth state in point Of production
and is outranked only by Pennsylvania,
Illinois, West Virginia and Ohio