The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-23
STEEL IN THE SOUTH
EDWIN c. ECKEL DIsCUssEs NEW
 CONDITIONS.
A~~~s.stse. Of Tennessee Company By TJrffed states Corporation Marks
 Importnnt Exn in The Great

p.itfrnore. Nov. 22-(Special.) )--In this weeks issue of The Manufacturer's Record. Edwin c. Eckel. formerly chief of the iron-ore division of the United States Geological Survey. discussing the er1trance of the United States Steel Cor poration into the South, says;
 aThs acquisition of the Tennessee Company marks a transition point not oniy in the career of the Steel Corpor- sfion, but in the development of the aouthern iron industry. The affairs or the Steel Corporation now become na- tionai in scope. and its control of im- itabiy influence It's future policy. The effect on the Southern Iron situation, will, however, be more immediate and more impressive To the South the en- Alabama iron trade means greater steadiness in market conditions. more rapid development of finishing capacity and the consequent rise of important means--and this effect will probably be the most immediate and most striking rapid enhancement in values or Southern iron-ore and coal lands. which has been going on for the last year or two of iron-ore properties In the South. Mir. Eckel says:
 Few realize how far this purchasing stiil appreciate the fact that. 1t diff fers very markedly from previous oc- currences in this line. The point of difference lies in the fact that the re- existing iron and steeI companies. or by groups of capitalists amply able to hold the properties acquired until tine shows a substantial profit on the inves- ment. Ore lands so held will never in future figure simply as items in new consultations or extensions Of exist ing companies"
 Independent interests connected with the Northern iron trade have become holders of Southern coal and iron-ore lande, he says that this movement will Of the Steel Corporation. and that It's more prominent competitors will en- deavor to strengthen their ore re- serves as rapidly as possible"
 tn connection with the estimate of MT: Eckel, just published by the United States Geological Survey. that the Southern iron-ore reserve amounts to very nearly 10000. 900 900 tons, the Man. nfacturers'. Record says:
 Accepting the estimate of i,50o.oo poo to z.ooot 100000 tons of yailable Lake Superior ora. though 1t is, of supplies may be discovered in that re- zion. it is interesting to remember that the Lake Superior district is already mining over 4o.00o,0O0 tons year, and luGIG8&knK iron which is taking place in this country and throughout the world. 1t is very well within bounds to estimate that in less than ten years that district coo ,ooo and 60 ,ooo.oo tons a year. and at s0,000,o00 tons as an average for thirty years. and this, we believe Is en- ttrely too low, the known available would would bs exhaustsd t in that time sio On such q limited time as this is the iron and steel business of Pittsburg and the Lake Region founded. so far as knowl- sxtension of It's fife beyond that s ps- riod must depend upon the discovery of new sources of supply not now known of, or else the stacking up of In order to lengthen the life of It's ore reserves. Tn either case the sit- uation becomes intensely interesting for the South.
 and steel there will be no stacking up, so far as can now be seen, except for temporary periods. IL is likely to dou- ble in the next ten years, as 1t has haif \ century. By isis or 1917 we we must be making at least 50.000,O00 tons of iron instead of 25.0o0,000 or 2e.000,- 900 tons now. To do that, new sources Superior district or the supply of ore must be drawn upon so heavily as to nndanger the future stability of the Northern iron interests. or else very large proportion of the increase de- Innnded by the growth of the country must be provided for by the South. And when VIC come to the Southern bitnation, we ind q marvellous condi- Hon.
 she Geological Survey, Alabama, Geor- Kia, Tennessee and Virginia counting snIy to the 1000 foot level, have minimum of workable ores of 2,500,000,- 900 tons. or considerably more thar Inc Lake Superior district: but count Ing the deeper levels, and ore is ale ready being mined in Birmingham much below the l.000-foot level. Mir. Eckel estimates that it is fair to as- surne that the total Southern ore re- serve will amount to very nearly l0,- coo. 900 tons, or five times that credit. Cd to the Lake Superior region.
 Though considerable part of that quantity is of low-gradeP ores which will not for the present be in demand, ft is still source of supply for the distant future. Quitting this lower grade ok ore and counting 0uiy to the 1,0OO-foot level, there is still known Available supply of ore In the central South far beyond the known supply Of the Lake Superior district, thus fur nishinE a foundation for an iron and steel industry far greater than that
 Aa.- Amm."