The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-16
Secretary Daniels Sugges-
ton That Government En-
ter Business Stirs Great
Interest Here
LOGICAL PLACE FOR
PLANT OF THE KIND
WHICH is PROPOSED
Industrial Men Point Out That Bir-
mingham Offers Greater Adyan-
tages for Location Than Any
Other Place in Country

"A decidedly gooi proposition and we
should present Buckingham claims prop
ertly and without delay were the words
used yesterday by W. p. G Harding,
president of the Chamber of Commerce in
referring to the possible location in Bir-
mingham of an amor plate plant by ths
federal government.
The idea of locating such a plant in this
community vas first advanced by Conf
modore Wadhams here last winter How
ever, the proposition was brought to tie
attention of Birmingham industrial men
yesterday with unusual force by Asso-
ciated Press quotations from report OF
Secretary Josephus Daniels of the navy.
He reported by request to The Senate
that three steel plants had practically
monopoly on armor plate for the govern
ment. He pointed out that feeling secure
of that trade the lants boosted prices
until this government pays m3re for ar
NOR plate than any country in the world.
The Secretary of the Navy advised The
by erecting sufficient plants to take care
of the government demands and also pro-
tect the government from the three plants
that, he says, constantly send up she
PRICES He suggested no special locality
as suited for the proposed plant.
Secretary Daniels in his communication
to the Senate says that Japan has recently
built two plants. while other countries
have for some time been engaged in armor
plate MANUFACTURES.
Creates Great Interest
The report and the fact that Birnng-
ham Is the most logical place to locate
such plant on the governments part
created wide interest here yesterday 1t
is matter of considerable value and
there is no doubt but what the Chamber
of Commerce and other powerful infiu-
ences will get after the location of the
plant mere if the step is definitely deter
n iLed upon by the government
BY locating the plant here the govern
ment would be very near the navy yards
and shipments from this district could be
made to the coast ard to the navy yards
at an unusually low price.
Shook Makes Statement
In connection with the proposition
Paschal G. Shook, one or the best in
formed steel ard ircn men of the district.
issued this statement yesterday:
Birmingham is easily the most feasible
of all present steel manufacturing centers
fer the location of government plant
From this point the average distance and
freight rate charges on armor plate to
ravy yards are cheaper than from Pitts
burg, Chicago, Youngstown or any other
steel making region. 1t is only 272 miles
to Mobile, 259Nmiles to Pensacola, 349 to
New Orleans. 4SS to Charleston, 39s to
Brunswick and $50 to Savannah. If the
armor plate We're to be delivered to the
navy yards a Philadelphia or Brooklyn
Birmingham could deliver it at a cheap
rail and water rate combined The armor
plate could be delivered at the lowest
cost of any poinr TO ravy yards at
Charleston and Pensacola ami certainly
we would have the advantage in shipping
1t to the Paciic coast through the Panama
canal
Not Profitable on Coast
1T would not be profitable for the gov
ernment to locate armor plate plant
on the coast The reason Is very simple
The steel ingots would have to be shipped
from the inland steel manufacturing CEN
ters at great cost and, in addition there
is an enormous wastage Even In con-
writing ingots into steel rails a lot of the
spongy portion of he ingot Is sawed off
and goes to scrap. In the manufacture of
armor plate, the saving off process is
much more expensive. My recollection
Is not exact upon this point. but my i'm
preston in a general way is that only one
ton of armor plate is secured for each
10 tons of ingot steel In making plate
they continue to discard until absolutely
hard iron is reached and this only is
used. The most economical armor plant
would be one located in Birmingham
Harding Deeply Interested
President Harding of the Chamber of
Commerce was deeply interested In the
proposed armor plate plant. and also
the statements of Mr.. Shook in connec-
tion with Birmingham claims to the
plant If ii is determined upon Tn the
absence of further light on the subject.
Mr. Harding would not go further than
the quotation above. 1t Is understood
that further information will be asked on
the probable action of the government
and that the Aia bama delegation will be
requested to watch carefully after local
interests while this plan is being CON
sidered.
pleased with the ordinance with the ex-
ception of the parking law, which he be-
lieved should not be enforced upon the
doctors. He stated he had studied such
ordinances in other cities and believed
that as a whole the Birmingham ordi
nance was the best he had ever seen and
couldn't be improved upon, but for one
or two minor details. One of these de-
tails Mr.. Munger suggested as the clause