The age-herald., 1899-07-23
BIRMINGHAM AS A
 COTTON MARKET

Ask the average citizen. including those residing in Birmingham itself. what are the receipts of cotton there and he will answer, s'Oh, 25000 bales I suppose"
 It is strange that so erroneous an idea could be so widespread, and the only ex- planation is that Birmingham, unlike most points that are cotton centers, has many other industries, so much longer known and better advertised, that this one, that has quietly but vigorously grown up during the past five years has been almost entire ly overlooked.
 From a very small beginning some ten years sinee the cotton receipts of Bir- bingham gradually increased to about 25,- 900 bales five years ago; and then with the advent of congresses and new cotton firms to add their efforts in concentration, they grew by jumps and bounds until they now reach the respectable figure of 115,OO0 to 12O,O00 bales annually. These figures make Birmingham the second largest of Ala bamas interior markets, Montgomery be- ing the only interior town which receives so great number of bales.
 Large Industry The handling of cotton at Birmingham is,
 
 lesser industries, but one involving each year between September and April the ex- penditure and distribution of three to four millions of dollars and the handling of thirty to thirty-ive thousand tons of freight.
 $ The phenomenal growth of this branch Of business is the result of the recognition of Birmingham's great natural advantages as a railroad center and concentrating point by the cotton firms of the city; and the active, energetic application of up-to- date business methods in their dealings with merchants in the adjacent sections. Though some complaint against the rail- roads here may be justified, in other lines of business the cotton people have been well treated by them and put on parity with their competitors at other points.
 The magnificent system of public roads of Jefferson county has also contributed no little to this fine total and the foresight of the road-buders of the eighties should have due credit in chronicling these later successes.
 Wagon Receipts Doubled
 Birminghams wagon receipts have twice doubled in eight years, and today cottons are hauled on wagons from points forty miles distant, the returning wagons carry ing loads of provisions, thus making an ex- change of commodities that, during the period of depression in the district kept many nrmS Tn good DuSineSS.
 The growth of this business has never faltered, having a continuous and steady growth, that would have been impossible without these arteries of business.
 Though now an accepted fact that Bir- mingham is cotton center of the first rate importance, there is in some quarters an unjust prejudice against her cottons, which prejudice is due entirely to ignor- ance of the fact and conditions of this mar ket.
 A good many spinners argue that Bir- mingham cottons will not meet their wants for strong bodied, even-stapled fibre for use in making the finer yarns; arguing that the cotton concentrated here is grown on top of coal mines and ore hills, and, consequently, being the product of this high land, can not have good staple.
 The facts are that Birmingham receives a very small per cent of what is known as ''hill cotton" and even this small per cent. comes from well cultivated small farms, and is of good strong staple. The large majority of her cotton receipts come from the valleys of the Coosa, Tombigbee, Ten nessee and their tributory streams, and are much the same in character as are those of Rome Ga., Aberdeen and West Point, Miss, and Anniston, Ala, all of which cotton is highly esteemed by the spinning world
 It only needs a trial of these cottons to convince the prejudiced mind of its error, and yearly, as they become better known, are these cottons gaining more friends.
 The establishment and successful opera ton here of mills making fine yarns is a practical demonstration of the value of this fibre.
 On a substantial Basis
 Birmingham's cotton handling industry is built upon a substantial foundation of constant and widespread demand, which has been gained through the efforts of the wideawake cotton firms of Smith 6 Cough Ian, Sanders, Swann & Co.,, Howel Cotton Co.,, Johnston, Nesbitt & Co.,, and Johnston Bros. all of whom have offices here.
 The rapid increase of the past few years is doubtless ended, but gradual increase