The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-12

room doors ~ . cost Of ~ cents . -
or thereabouts. and the Gotten min con-
pandes can own their own mine. The total
ssrritorx tributary to Birmingham grswu
sh rDovt moon bales OF cotton . year. %
In connection with fuel. The raw cotton
could be unloaded from farmers carts
a. a. me tne mill doors. ginned and then sent
usual charges for baling. comprsssinS.
freight. etc. A combination Of chesn
lueI' raw material At the door cheap
climate and low freight rates are WHAT
Birmingham offers to cotton Manufacture
ers. Boston men own a 1000 spindle min
situated on q coal seam at Cordova. The
cloth made Is shipped entirely to China
ana mas It's output engaged several yearn
ahead ahead, a Another onS Birmingham mill op-
cessful. There, are great many sd-
yantageous mill sites In and about Biz
minsham There are two large cotton
firms engaged In the business OF cotton
buying.
Birmingham has nine banks. three Of
which are national and the Others stats
and private institutions. The combined
capital stock of these banks is nearly
81, 900. and they hold deposits Of S.o0o,-
600. This deposit item shows an increase
or sl5oo.Ooo over one year ago. A com
parison OF the bank clearing for a num-
Der of years shows to what extent Bir-
mingham's business has grown. in 1884
a' ssea5nEs ar s ys5s ~. 10 ,s,1 II ,sS ls % So
and in 1898, s2s, ,777. .sss. The last sum wa:
the substantial yearly increase OF 13S
per cent. and for 1899 an equally crafty
Ing Increase IL foreshadowed. The banks
OF Birmingham have always taken q
prominent part In advancing the interests
OF the city and by liberal treatment OF
ing up the industries of the district The
president of the Commercial Club, which
has taken the lead In attracting capital
and industry 10 Birmingham, Is a banker,
Mr. b. Steiner. president OF the house OF
Steiner Brothers. The export trade OF
Birmingham has been greatly aided
through tho efforts OF Mr.. Steiner.
Taxes and Values.
The tax valuation OF Birmingham A
figured at s12.914,oi2. OF which $40, ,Oss, ,s14 il
on real estate and s2.s47.sss on personal
property. TIE city tax rate is SO per
$1,000. but . large share Of this is devoted
to paying or the citys bonded debt.
which IL 81, coo. .ooo and tho interest Of
which Is So. 100. The city's total reve-
nue. Is $500, ,ooo State and county taxes
are in addition to those mentioned above.
but all are assessed in a low valuation.
Jefferson county, in which Birmingham
Is. situated, has q total valuation Of $685.
600. 600 an Increase OF sS.5ooooo. This val
uation Is made at q 90 per cent assess
ment so that the properly In the county
has real value of about $4,000, 900.
Transportation.
transportation Is q great factor In Bir-
mingham's prosperity. Every reduction
In the cost Of freight carrying Is an ad-
dition to the strength which Birming-
hams Iron. steel and coal hold In the
markets. Already number OF trunk lines
bid for Birmingham's business (these are
added TO by many smaller systems), and
others are anxious TO come IN for a share
OF tho traffic Freight trafic alone pays
bsma business Is the largest In the South.
Birmingham district furnishes 72 per cent
OF the Alabama business. birmingham
freight, every ton OF which IL q source Of
great profit- -railfeaAs,-afaa-a all are
In composition for It The increase In the
cent, and this means that every big rail-
road system OF the South must come to
srminsham naa N. sna The an Illinois ~ Central Rail
to SransSns sS%s v,tS,, to the city and hay.
Ssshvf the the city gonS
ern railway. the Alaoama Great South
ern, the Kansas City. Memphis Biz
Mobile & Ohio. Two railroads handle the
immense district traffic They are the
Birmingham Belt System and the Bir-
mingham Mineral railroad.
The Southern railway and Alabama
Great So uthern systems, operated jointly,
have S76 miles of track in Alabama They
have lines to Jacksonville Savannah, Ga,
Brunswick. Ga, Charleston, S. c., Nor
folk Va, and strong connections TO every
section OF the country. The Central Of
Georgia has lines to Savannah. via Co
lumbus, and from Americus and Smith
Vile. Ga. to Montgomery. The Kansas
City. Memphis & Birmingham gives d.
rect connection TO the West. The Louis
vile e. Nashville has through lines 10
Montgomery, Pensacola and New Orlcans
and to Nashville, Louisville. Cincinnati
and ST. Louis. Birmingham has three
lines 10 the por. OF Mobile. two lines to
the port OF New Orleans and one line to
the port OF Pensacola, thus furnishing
quick transportation for export trade.
The government improvements In the
Warrior and Tonbigbee rivers are i'm
portsnt to Birmingham In that the cost
OF carrying heavy products to the sea
will be materially reduced when the inn
provements are completed.
Waterways.
The waterways OF Alabama form very
important subject In connection with the