The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-12
Brief Outlining Advantages
of District Has Been Pre-
pared for Navy Board
INLAND LOCATION
is AN ADVANTAGE
Freight Rates Can Be Adjusted to
Meet Shipments and Nothing
Feared From This
Source

A committee. headed by Morris w. Bush
as chairman. will leave Birmingham over
the Alabama Great Southern railway at
6:35 o'clock this morning for Washing
ton. They will be Birminghams rep
resentatives for the location of the armor
plate plant.
Secretary Josepheus Daniels and the
naval board will hear the claims of the
various cities seeking this plant Wednes-
day morning at $50. The claims of Bir-
mingham will be heard and brief. con-
sisting of 20 printed pages. will be pre-
scented for consideration.
This brief outlines the advantages of
the Birmingham district for the location
and operation of the armor plate plant.
According to Mr.. Bush nothing has been
overlooked that could possibly put this
section in a favorable light before the
board. 1T all depends upon how the
board Will consider the location of this
plant. as to whether we get 1t or not"
said Mr. Bush. If they want an inland
location, Birmingham will have an cx-
compare with us for an ideal location.
II have noticed some discussion re-
garding the freight rates from Birming-
ham to the nearest shipbuiding yards.
Those responsible for this discussion evil
IDENTIFY lost sight of the fact that we have
no railroad rates on armor plates out of
Birmingham Birmingham has always
managed to get cheap rates for the prod
ucts she has had occasion to ship ex-
tensively, and 1 think that no difficulty
ould be experienced in getting good
rates for the output from an armor plato
plant.
RAILROAD RATES
"At any rate, the matter of railroad
rates has but little bearing on the selec-
ton of the location for this plant, so lit
tie, in my opinion. that there Is nothing
to fear from that source. What I mean
by that is, that this is only small
matter in comparison with the cost Of
abor here and elsewhere"
Being located in the center of one Of
the largest raw material centers in tho
United States, and having an abundance
of comparatively cheap labor. good cli-
mate, safe distance from the sea coast
together with various other advantages,
Birmingham is thought to have good
| chance of getting the plant
The inland location, protecting such a
| plant from attack by the enemy, in case
of an invasion. will be stressed in the
brief to be filed tomorrow. Since the
statement eminating from Admiral Ben
son, chief of the bureau of operations,
and member of the naval board. that all
sea coast cities would be eliminated, Bir-
mingham's hopes have run high.
According to reports from Washington
the opinion is that the fight for this plant
will be principally between Birmingham
and Pittsburg. While Pittsburg is a
greater steel and finished material CEN
ter, Birmingham outdistances it in the
| raw material and labor conditions.
In all events the committee that is 60
| ing to Washington today will make a
strong fight for the plant Some oral
| explanations are expected to be allowed.
and members of the committee are in a
position to go into details regarding any
of the various claims of the brief that
| has been prepared.