The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-09
FEAR OF EARLY EXHAUSTION
OF MINERAL SUPPLY GROUND
LESS, ACCORDING TO HOL-
LAND-THE SOUTH AMERICAN
TRADE GROWS
BY HOLIAND

New York, October S.-(Special)
Whatever else may be the outcome of
the proceedings instituted by the govern
mont for the dissolution of the United
States Steel corporation, there are certain
incidental disclosures Which are regarded
here as of great value. Leaving out of
consideration the contention of the gov
eminent that the United States Steel cor
poration should be dissolved because it
possesses a nionopostic control of iron
ore in the United States the evidence al
ready given, part of it some time ago by
James Gayley and others, and portion
Of it by expert biologists, and, during the
hearings of last week, will certainly tend
to quiet the apprehension that was caused
by remark reported to have been made
some time ago by James j. HILL He was
reported as having said that at the rate
at which the iron ores of the United
States are now being used each year in
iron and steel manufacture, the supply
would be exhausted some time during the
next generation.
One of the witnesses in the hearings be-
fore a special examiner, Henry Brown,
last week testified that in Brazil there
were iron ores almost inexhaustible, of
very high quality, easily transported from
the mines to the coast. The estimate vas
that something like 1900, coo tons were.
to use the term of those engaged in min
ing, '.in sight" The intimation was that
probably the mines of Brazil contained
much larger supply of ores than this.
Supply Is Inexhaustible
Furthermore, testimony was furnished
showing that the mines of the Lake SUI
perior region are still capable of furnish
ing iron ore sufficient to meet any pos
sible demand of the United States Steel
corporation for many years. and sufficient
also for possible demands of at least
four other corporations about as large as
the United States Steel corporation. Some
of the geological and meteorological ex-
perts have, within a year two. been
predicting that the time is not distant
when the worlds supply of gold will be
substantially exhausted, and not very re-
mote when the coal and iron mines of the
world will be unable to meet the demands
of industry.
That is not the view taken by some OF
the American capitalists who have now
for some years been conducting thorough
Investigations in South America. The
fact that Brazil possessed enormous
stores of iron ore, probably greater than
United States. has been known for some
time by the American capitalists who are
Investing in great mining propositions in
South America. There have been intima-
lions for some time that American capital
will be found with which the exploitation
of some portion of these Brazilian iron
mines will be made.
At all events there is no apprehension on
the part of leading American manufae-
turers engaged in producing iron and steel
commodities that the supply of iron ore
will be exhausted while modern civilza-
ton lasts. There are known to be STU
pendous stores of iron ore I'm China. and it
is for the exploitation of some of these
Chinese mines that capital is now being
sought
But for the United States it is enough
to be assured as competent men of
science have done upon the witness stand
in the prosecution of the United States
Steel corporal ton, and as highly trained
experts who have been employed by the
great corporations have done, that there
is iron ore enough in the American hen,..-
phere not only to meet all possible de-
mands of trade while modern civilization
lasts, but also in sufficient amounts to
prevent any monopoly in the control Of 1t.
South American Investments
While the commercial reports which
have recently come from Washington
officially state that our trade with
the Latin-American countries to the
south of US average about $1.000.000 a
day or, In other words. We sell 81 000-
900 worth OF commodities every lay to
these countries. yet there are larger
transactions representing relations be-.
tween the United States and South
American than are those which relate
| to our trade with those countries.
| Few persons realize that along the
west coast of South America and in
| Guiding the Andes mountains to the
Pacific seacoast. American capital in
Very large amounts has been invested
in mineral exploitation. These invest-