The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-07

to export one ton Of coal to be used at
the iron mines, the mines not possess
Ing this advantage Of location.
Foreign iron ore has for some time
been used in the United States, and
these imports are increasing at very
rapid rate. The amount imported in
1908 was seven hundred and seventy
six thousand eight hundred and ninety
eight tons, and for 1910 was two mil
lion FIVE hundred and ninety-one thou
sand and thirty-one tons, and the i'm
ports from Cuba have increased from
less than six hundred thousand tons in
1908 to nearly one million and a half
tons in 1910. While this country has
immense beds OF iron ore, they are
held by large corporations that are
anxious to conserve them, as the de-
posits are not inexhaustible with con-
sumption about thirty million tons per
annum.
While the cost of coal at Norfolk and
Mobile is less than at Pensacola, the
writer is informed that Pensacola is
nearer the coal fields Of Alabama than
Norfolk is to the coal fields Of Vir-
gfnia, and IL handled on an equally
large scale, could probably be laid
down at Pensacola as cheaply as at
that port, and being about eight hun
dred miles nearer Cuba, would give
this port an advantage over Norfolk
in shorter haul Of Cuban iron ore,
and of the finished product when
shipped to southern ports.
A Further Reduction.
The contemplated canals, when com
pleted, viii doubtless further reduce
the cost of coal laid down at Pensa-
cola, making this port pre- eminently
increasing her importance as dis
tributing center.
While Mobile would have a slight
advantage over this port in the cost of
coal transported by water, our su-
perior harbor and it's easier accessi-
bility and abundance of room for the
location of such plant on high ground
with deep water would more than off,
set this.
For these reasons the writer is i'm
pressed by the growing Importance of
seaports in relation to the manufac-
ture of iron and steel, and of all ports,
none in his poinion has as many ad-
vantages for this purpose as Pensa-
cola
In the opinion of the writer, the fol-
lowing news item points the way to
Pensacola's future greatness:
THE Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Railway has bought $4,000 tons of
rails, 5000 to be rolled at Chicago,
and 5000 tons at seaboard plant for
delivery at Gulfport."
This means that 5000 tons of rails
were ordered at seaboard plant, be-
cause from there the rails could be
delivered for a part of the line at its
gulf terminus, cheaper than from any
other plant. The writer knows of no
steel plant at the seaboard south of
Baltimore. Any railroad having
terminus at the seaboard would
rather have a part of its rails
and other iron and steel delivered
at such terminus than at any other
point, and for delivery at ports on the
South Atlantic and Gulf, Pensacola has
no superior as a point of distribution,
which being true it has been proven
that Pensacola has like advantages as
a point for the manufacture of iron
and steel to those possessed by Gary,
Indiana, and while there advantages
may not be in the same degree, they
are enough to make Pensacola a CEN
ter for the manufacture of iron and
steel. Pensacola's proximity to the
coal fields of Alabama and the iron
mines of Cuba makes her an ideal
point for this industry. The iron and
steel trade of the South Atlantic and
Gulf ports belongs naturally to Pen
sacola. It is her heritage with which