The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-28
HENRY FORD MAY BE LEASING COAL
 LAND |NALAbAMA
Millionaire Manufacturers Threat "To Dig Cars Out of the Ground" Gives Gads-
 den Basis of Speculation

Gadsden, January 27.--(Special.--- Is Henry Ford back of the big mineral development plans in northern Alabama?
 This question is being asked in local circles following the revelations in the east recently which developed that in the past IS months he is said to have been engaged in acquiring iron and coal properties in sections that have never before been developed.
 During 1920 this section was the scene of a continued activity by various groups, the principal figures apparently coming from Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburg. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been taken over by various groups, apparently operating as inde- pendent units.
 MUCH SPECULATION
 Throughout the entire transaction, however, the work has been handled by two of the largest promoters in the field, pr. D. E. Mitchell and w. l. Smith, the latter Gadsden man. Throughout the transactions there has been an undercurrent of surmise and speculation that all of this develop ment was being directed by one master hand, and that when the proper tune arrived it would be revealed.
 It is known that steel mills are con- templated, that great tracts of un- developed ore and coal lands are being explored with the utmost secrecy and that efforts are being made to gauge the possibilities of this section of the state as to it's probable mineral and coal holdings with view to establish ing mills and mines.
 Substantiation of the various rumors Tegarding the future development here has. been found in the rapid acquiring during the past few months of many hundreds of thousands of acres of land. All over northern Alabama this trans fer of properties has been in progress. Many groups have been acquiring 1t, working independently of one another and yet all seeming to have common purpose and a significant fact practi- cally every transfer has been through the office. of Mitchell and Smith.
 FORD'S THREAT
 Eastern dispatches speak of the mys- tery underlying the Ford ventures and speak, of the Ford plan to take the ore from the ground and build the Ford car from the raw product to the last job of Ford-owned material. Mil lions are said to have been spent in scheme, which would revolutionize the auto industry and which had as it's ultimate object complete Fordized industry dependent upon no outside
 
 factors.
 1T will dig cars out of the ground" Henry Ford is reported to have de- clared. T will be really independent. From the raw iron of the mines to the last bit of paint on the car the Ford will be Henry Ford product"
 It was then, the report states. that he started to put out millions. He has purchased vast iron ore tracts coal deposits. lumber tracts and incl dentally the entire control of . rail- road, the Detroit and Ironton railroad. And
 Has Henry Ford been dipping into the northern Alabama ore fields? This question is arousing considerable speculation in Gadsden at the present time particularly as the identity oi the real master mind behind all of the negotiations of the past year in this field still remains a secret to all but those in closest touch with the sit uation.