The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-27
NORTH ALABAMA AFFORDS GREAT
 ORE RESOURCES
GeOlogist Makes Public Startling Figures Of
 Mineral. Wealth

There was brought to the office of the real estate board this week." stated Secretary Starke, Saturday, ''an article of great interest to this district and to the whole state of Alabama. The article was clipped from the Executive Magazine and is entitled, "A Fifty Bfl- lion Ton. Ore Field really an address by .Dr. D. E. Mitchell, geologist, be- fore business men at St. Louis re- centlys ts
 A hriefsresume of. this. remarkable speech reveals many startling. facts; some of which have hitherto been un- known on account of the failure of the United States geological survey and the state to explore this region thor orghiy. The investigations of. more, than 30 well known engineers, after. making more. than 300, openings and drill holes over ag period of nearly three years, have caused Dr. Mitchell to say of, the. plateau of northreni Alabama, just south of the Tennessee river the following: :
 About 400 miles to the southeast (of the Missouri field) isa found the largest basin of fundamental natural resources to bes found in this or any other country, containing all, the essen. tials raw materials necessary for the manufacture of iron, aud steel and a number of other essential industries.
 After stating that ner rly 1,500, 900 acres of the North Alabama district is underlsid' with cambrian lime carry ing, magnesia and three S:.4atasf of red hematitesiron ore; he then mentions the non-magnesian limestone and five work able seams of coal, the entire area carrying the Black Creek seaInz of coal. It is claimed that hundred thousand. acres carry splendid: coal within less than 20 feet of the surface.
 Fifty Billion Tons
 Going more thoroughly into the data in regard to this marvellous basin in Alabama," continued Secretary Starke, pr. Mitchell claims that he, may speak with a degree of scientific exactnesS after collaborating with 31 well known engineers for nearly three years in exhaustinres inyestigations. The result of these investigations en- ables Dr. Mitchell to claim that this Alabama basin contains 50 billion tons of iron ore, which is about five times the combined known iron tonnage of the Great Lakes section, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Cuba, Brazil and Chile. This same authority puts the coal tonnage at IS billion tons.
 The mind of the average layman may not grasp the full meaning of such enormous figures as those above, but 1t can quickly grasp the suggestive ness of pr. Mitchell's prediction that the days of Pittsburg, and Chicago as great iron centers are shortening.
 "The present week has been marked by another wonderful thing that has happened to Birmingham and which adds new interest to the speech of Dr. Mitchell. This new triumph is nothing less than the abolition of the Pittsburg plus plan of quoting prices on steel. Under this decision to abolish the Pitts burg plus the market for Birmingham steel should be greatly enlarged for the simple reason that the low cost of. it's manufacture will enable 1t to be shipped over a broader area in com petition with the products of other districts where the actual cost of manu- facturing is greater than it is here, any disadvantage of freight rates for long distances being overcome by Birming4 hams low cost of manufacture.
 Economic Advantage
 This gives Birmingham the great economic advantage that is righfful1y hers. The prediction is ventured that within the next few years the citizens of this district will witness a treuen. dous development of the steel-produc- ing facilities and a great increase in the manufacture of various finished products dependent upon the manufac- ture of steel.
 With the coal, iron and limestone at her door and with economic prinei- pies allowed to operate naturally, what can now prevent Birmingham from be- coming one of the greatest steel cen ters and manufacturing districts of the world?'