The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-03
ATaleof Two Cities--andaMora

.r+ consular reports reveal
f.I,ng contrast in the present con6i-
Sc! I'D the future prospects OF two
toai chief manufacturing cities Of
O Nv ..,5 They lie but seventy miles
Ens.a 5r- the Industries of the one
a?s'-.,ss5lly expanding while those of
as s.ssr are falling into decay. In the
tF ~ these strikingly different con-
sio! !,s and the cause which has
d..',-ts, them about, there lies a moral
o! ..s rsrits the careful consideration
Wv American cities, including the
a. D; Pensacola
G1 1,.-,ingham has behind 1t q history
,-o-s than a thousand years, for 1t
y. Known as a community as long
the year S72. There were great
~ ,.V,.1+s Of iron ore near by and the
oI.tr7g and working Of this metal
80 the principal industry of the
w. and the principal cause of it's
L-oT-h Az first the work was carried
nth charcoal from the surrounding
I-.sts and later with the abaundant
vi NJ Stanordshire, but no one knows
w.. Uhpn il was begun. 1t may have
Zen on armorer OF Birmingham who
t,gs5 the sword of King Alfred The
RAJ. az long ago as 1888 mention of
;
r-grish authors, and years before our
r,,arat!Or Of Independence was signed
- metal work of Birmingham was
t-o7.n around the world. Today Bir-
~irrhan has a population of more
,lsr 100000, and 1t would be natural
N conclude that her industrial posi-
Nan backed as 1t is by the prestige OF
,srturtes Of success, had been estab-
fs5ed beyond the possibility of over
throw.
Pur the reports of Consul HaIstead
tn different tale, for they show that
serious crisis exists in the heavy
Ranches Of the iron trades in Biz
r-gham and throughout the Mid
h,!s Many long established firms
T. moving out of the district and
rsers have failed. Not long ago the
rooerty Of & bankrupt concern. which
bad manufa ctured black and galvan
he'd iron and steel sheets, hoops, strips
etc, was put up at auction. The plant
was one Of the most complete in the
whole region. but a sale was not made
because the highest bid received was
less than one-third the estimated value
Of the property.
Comment to tho Point.
Engineering, one of the leading tech
meal papers Of England, in comment
Ing on this incident. says:
The event has had an important in
fleuce upon the views of Stafford
shire ironmasters in forming theil
opinions Of the trade outlook, and |!
regarded as another significant proc
that iron and steel makers regard the
sea5oard as the spot to which all eyes
must be turned and where manufac'
turing capital must be invested If a
all adequate profits are to be realized
IN the future"
And Consul HaIstead adds, "Thi!
pessimistiC view Of the future of the
iron trades IN Staefordshire suggests
consideration Of the possible efrec
upon the Industries of the Birnin CHAN
district OF a further migration of the
great iron plants to the coast and o.
the faiulre to construct new ones II
the black country near Birmingham.
The very foundation of Birming-
hams prosperity are crumbling away
and her people are facing the posi-
blIity that the mighty superstructur'
Of her industrial life, built up through
CENTURIES OF toll, will fall in hopeless:
ruin.
It is a relief to turn from thi:
gloomy picture TO the far brighter on
Presented by Manchester. 1t was no
al sunshine, even in Manchester, foI
most Of the cotton mills had to run OF
snort time during large part Of thu
year, but this was a purely temporary
condition due to the shortage in thu
cotton crop of the world. The signif1
cant feature Of the situation is tn
constant addition of great manufac
turing Establishments representing
many different lines of industry. Their
Is one tract Of land known as thu
IraffOrd Park estate, on which in re
cent years no less than 70 firms or cor,
lorat.Ons have secured sites for thu
erection Of great industrial plants.
TIE Trafford Park estate is only on
c. number OF great tracts of land OF
Which similar developments are taking
pace along lines as diverse as thu
baking - biscuits and the building o
sa7s. the crushing OF seeds for OF
and the construction of railway cars
Ne saving Of timber and the makint
G. Electrical machinery. The British
FoT5s Of the Westinghouse Company
ana the American Car and Foundr!
vomTary are located at Manchester
0st significant Of all, especially t
birmingham. Is the fact that a tract o
" acres has been secured on which
he construction Of a great iron anC
EEel works has been begun.
, The addition Of scores OF great fac
t-'as carries with II a growth in pop.
a2'on for not only must there be ten:
'hHusands OF wOrkmen to operat,