The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-10-12
GOVERNMENT
ARMOR PLANT.
OUR CHANCES GOOD TO GET THE
PLANT LOCATED IN THIS
SECTION OF COUNTRY
THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED
JOHNSON CITY AND ELIZABEVIi'
TON PRESENT CLAIMS FOR
THE WATAUGA VALLEY

BY recent act OF Congress and aft
er years of agitation the Secretary o
the Navy was directed to build a Coy
ernmetn armor plant, 10 supply the
ships of the navy, and to- cost $11,-
100000. BY the act the Genera
Board of the Navy of which Admira
Dewey is head, was directed to select
a suitable site,--the only limitation
being that it should be safe from the
enemy in time of war.
On September 18th hearing was
held in Washington before the Secre-
tary and General Board and the claims
of some 1875 places presented. OF
course each claimed his site was the
only perfect one and many elaborate
briefs, maps and arguments were pre-
sented
TO go back For many years there
has been more or less of movement
to have the Government make its own
naval armor, with view to reducing
The price below that of the steel COM
panies and which was claimed to be
excessive. In 1897 the claims of
Elzabethton as being a suitable point
were brought prominently to the
front by the Board of Commerce. A
naval board visited Elizabethton and
reported favorab,y on it-among 9th
ers as suitable location for the pro-
posed plant. So when the present
movement was on Elizabethton at
once got busy, had her claims pre-
sented in the form Of a brief by MI
Lee F. Miller. The Chamber of Com
mcrce Of Johnson City was also ac-
lively enlisted and several enthusias-
tic meetings held here and at Eliza
bethton. Money has been subscribed,
and an association been formed to
carry the work forward to a success
ful conclusion. This association is
known as The Watauga Valley Armor
Plant Site Association and is compos-
cd of the leading citizens of both
towns, with Mr. James A. Summers
at the head and Mr.. Lee F. Miller as
secretary. This association, through
its various committees, is now active
ly at work and making every effort
to locate the gigantic plant here on
the Watauga river, between Elizabeth
ton and Johnson City.
So much for the history of the move
ment. With SO many places all over
the country putting forth every pos
sible effort, it is hard to convince
some of our people that we stand any
sort of chance of being selected.
On analysis and study, however, it ap
entire country offer such an ideal
combination for the establishment of
iron and steel works and especially
OF this plant. We are at the very cen
ter of vast iron ore beds with 200,000,-
0OO tons of ore, close to the necessary
limestone, with vast quantities Of the
best coal only so miles away and fine
transportation facilities both for the
raw materials and for the distribution
of the output. Water and sanitary
conditions are of the best and the
population is known to be almost
purely American and loyal to the core.
A great advantage is the putty of the
magnetic ore which is .@lmost entirely
free of phosphorus and sulphur,
which are the great bugbears of the
steel maker. In fact the Cranberry
ore is considered the very best ore
in this country and possibly in the
world for making steel.
Tue coal fields within easy reach
have an almost inexhaustible supply
OF the very best steaming coal and
making the finest coke. AS to safety
in time Of war,-an essential condi-
tiCn.--we meet every requirement
more fully than any other point pro-
posed. Far from the seacoast. and be-
hind the mountains it is almost self
evident that no enemy cou,d capture
these works unless the country was
PROSTATE and the war virtually at an
end.
Few can conceive the enormous adj
vantages TO this region of locating
this enormous plant here. With an
initial outlay of $11 100000 and an
annual pay roll of over 100000 il
will mean more to this section than
anything that ever happened. Once
the armor plant is located here other
iron and steel works are sure to fol-
low and big steel center viii be the
result Other cities are making the
most strenuous efforts to get the
plant and are backed by poulGtion, in.
fluonee and money TO almost any ex,