The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-06
NEW ENGLAND GOES AFTER EVERYTHING Fight Purely Against the West
 and South IRON AND COAL SCHEDULES Prominent Iron Man Urges Birmins- ham Interests to Do All They
 Can to Have the Present
 Duties Retained.
IRON AND COAL SCHEDULES

In letter to Maj. D. M. TutwiIer, dated Harrisburg Pa., April 2, A. J. Dull, president of the Pulaski Iron com pany of Philadelphia, discusses such matters relative to the pending tariff measure as affect the Birmingham dis trict, and as the writer of the letter is we'll known in the industrial world a copy is furnished for publication. It follows:
 My Dear Sir-I have just returned from Washington, where I found every thing in a very mixed condition. Peo- pie from all parts of the country were there clamoring for what they think they ought to have and many people from the same region are differing as to just what their real interests are.
 T think it would be wise for your people to do everything possible to pre- vent the duty being taken off iron ore, and also to prevent the duty being re- duced on scrap to 50 cents per ton. There are very large deposits of ore in Cuba, one particularly that I know of which is a plateau of 27,000 acres and which is estimated to contain 800 00O,- from six to 50 feet deep. It has been thoroughly prospected and I take 1t the estimate of quantity is correct. It Is a steam .sh ovel proposition and fine grade of ore carrying great deal of water, which it Is proposed to drive off with large dryers and tn en ship. The freight to our coast Is now about 80 cents and when this plant gets in op- eration and will own its own steamers carrying 10000 to 10000 tons, you can form your own opinion as to the cost of delivery. They have issued $5,000,- 900 of bonds and are setting aside a royalty of 30 cents per ton to take care of these bonds 80 cents per ton will give $1S0 ,0o0,0 900, which you will readi- ly understand Is quite sufficient. Taking all the costs with the duty of 32 cents (the present duty) they deliver this ore, running over 50 per cent, at their own estimate of $2.22 per ton. I am satis- fled it can be delivered at Sparrows Point, Md, paying present duty, at less than s2. That would make less than s4 for the cost of ore to the ton of pig iron right in the market on the coast Taking off the 32 cents duty means a reduction of 60 cents to 75 cents ton in the cost of manufacture of pig iron, which of course affects Birmingham m and all the inland furnaces.
 "As things were running at Washing ton 1t looked like New England and part of our coast interests against everything inland and against the west and south. The Senate committee which is formulating this tariff is composed of three New England senators. In other words New England, containing about 1-20th of the population, has taken charge of all the other interests, and the south, with probably one-fourth of the population, has no show, nor is any attention given to the west.
 "The duty on ore under the Mckinley bill was 75 cents. When the democrats came in and made it revenue measure. they cut 1t to 40 cents. The Dingley bill, under which we are now working, kept it at 40 cents, but reducing the duty on Cuban ore to 32 cents as favor to that country. Now they pro- pose to put it on the free list. You will readily understand from the fig ures I have given you that there is no reason why the duty should not be kept on as a revenue measure. People own ing and using this Cuban ore can easily afford to pay it, and 1t is due the in land furnaces to have this protection.
 "The duty on scrap has always ranged the same as on pig iron because they are practically the same price in the market. Pig iron under the pres ent bill Is cut from $4 to $2.50, scrap is cut from $4 to 50 cents. A ton of steel scrap Is much better for the open hearth steel works than ton of pig iron and more than takes the place of a ton of pig iron. Scrap, you of course understand, means old rails and every thing of that kind. Under an easy ad- ministration it means pig iron broken up in sh ort pieces as well as muck bar and other bars of that kind cut in short lengths, but so that it can be piled and rolled out into bars or whatever forms are wanted. The best portions of the old steel rails coming In as scrap can of course be cut out and rerollled into lighter sections or into other sizes that they may be suitable for. Just why this big cut should be made on scrap some of the steel work operations on the. coast. who have open hearth fur naces can advise you better than I.
 'It Is proposed to put coal on the free list in the Payne bill. So that you will see everything that favors New England and some of the coast country is arranged, but not much attention Is given to the west and south or any thing inland.
 T think it important that the iron men all over the country should wake up to the fact that we are not treated fairly. Very truly yours,
 "A. J. DULL"