The age-herald., 1898-05-22
Birmingham Merchants Doing a
 Rushing Business.
THE GREAT NEW STEEL PLANT
Is a Certainty Though No Official Announce ment Will Be Made Until All the De- tails Shall Have Been Perfected.
 Everything Booming.

It Is the unanimous verdict of the mer chants and business men generally of Bir- mingham that this has been the most pros porous spring season in eight years.
 Birmingham is rapidly climbing the hill of prosperity Not a business man Iof Birmingham is complaining of dull times. Trade in every line is good Every manu featuring concern in and about the city has orders in from one to six months in advance One concern which manufactures stationary engines has been compelled to refuse all orders for delivery in less than six months.
 Within the last year the total pay-rolls of the Birmingham district have increased by nearly 25 per cent. Money is more plen- tiful than 1t has been in many years.
 The retail merchants are likewise pros pering greatly. There were more people on the streets yesterday and there was more trade than has been known on any Saturday this year.
 "I have been surprised at the numbers of people who are buying groceries and paying cash for them," said MT. T. F. Thornton. the Second avenue groceryman yesterday. q have no cause for com
 
 plentifu.''
 ''The war has not affected our business in the least" said MT. M. V. Joseph, of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb. We are doing more business this spring by 20 per cent than we have ever done at this season before.'
 "Even the jewelry business is good" said Mr. H. c. Abbott Although there have not been many weddings this spring I find the people are buying more and handsomer goods than they have bought in several years"
 ''Everything is all right with me-" said MT. Ferd Marx yesterday. My cash sales are very much larger than they have been for several years"
 'The drug business is good" said MT. John L. Parker yesterday. "This rate cutting business has interfered materially with our profits, but we are nevertheless doing a rushing business and we are satis- fled with the way things are going.'
 .I have never seen such good times il, the furniture business" said MT. Ben M Jacobs. ''We are selling more furniture this spring than we have ever sold, and the other furniture men tell me they are likewise doing a rushing business. 1 be- lieve we are to have a wave of prosperity this fall such as we have not experienced in many years.
 And so it is in all lines of business. The Age-Herald reporters talked with carpet men, grocerymen, bicycle dealers, pro- duce dealers, carriage, wagon and harness dealers and indeed with dealers in every commodity known. Each and every one expressed himself as thoroughly satisfied with the present and with the prospects for the future.
 In the Iron World
 In the iron business trade has been good. Iron men have no cause for complaint. They are all enthusiastic at the prospect of the great new steel plant to be built at Ensley. And 1t may be stated right here there have been a few hitches in the ne gotations, every dollar of the bonds and stocks for the new steel plant has been subscribed and it is now as nearly cer- tainty as anything can be which has not been done. There have been some hitches on account of deeds, titles, etc., but these will undoubtedly be strengthened out with in the next few months, and then the au- thorized announcement of the new steel plant will be made. Naturlly, those who are to build it do not make the official announcement until everything is absolute ly settled. There have been so many an- nouncements of new steel plants in the past ten years that the public Is 10th to believe anything printed on this subject, and the parties interested are timid about making any announcement until every de- tail is perfected. The Age-Herald Is, how