The age-herald., 1901-12-26
MANUFACTURES IN ALABAMA.

Mir. w M. Riddle of Heiin is at the Florence.
 MANUFACTURES IN ALABAMA. From the New Orleans Picayune-
 The census reports of manufactures In the southern states are now coming in.
 The great future of these southern states is In manufacturing. No country is so richly endowed with. raw material but no country and people can become wealthy merely by producing raw ma teriai It is in manufacturing these raw products that wealth Is accumulated.
 The census report of Alabama shows that the manufacture of Iron and steel Is tho most important industry in the state. The 25 establishments reported for this industry in 1900 gave employment to 723s wage-earners, or 13.7 per cent of the wage-earners in the state, and the pro- ducts were valued at si73s2, 4s3. or A per cent of the total value of the products of the state. Tn 1890 there were 35 estab- lishments reported, with 5sS5 wage-earn- CTS, and products valued at $12,5s42T. The increase in the value of products during the decade was $4s4s.25e. or @e per cent.
 The importance of the Iron and steel industry in Alabama Is directly due to the development of extensive deposits Of iron ore, coal, limestone and dolomite. which are found in most unusual proxim- ity in the Birmingham district. This com bination of natural advantages make it possible to produce pig iron at very low cost charcoal furnace was built as early as ISIS, but 1t was not until 1874 that the manufacture began to assume importance. Birmingham. named after. England's iron center, was founded in 1871, Anniston in Is72 Sheffield in 1883. and Bessemer in 1887.
 An important epoch in the history of the industry began in 1S95 when it was demonstrated that Alabama pig Iron could be laid down in Liverpool. grade for grade, at less than the price of Middle boro iron shipped across England to that point. Exports to England. continental Europe and Japan in 1896 amount ed to 65, 900 tons, and in 1900 to 11S,1S5 tons, a quantity greatly in excess of that report ed for any other state. The total produc- ton of pig iron in the state in 1860 was valued at $s4,5s in 1870 at s2s1O.25S in 1880 at S1, ,4o5, ,s5s, In 1890 at s10.a15.691. and in 1900 at SIS, ,465.616. The most important grade manufactured in the state in 1900 was foundry iron no other state produc- ing so large a quantity.
 Although the manufacture of steel in Alabama is in It's infancy. every indica- tion points to a development as rapid as that known in pig iron. It seems to be established that the iron ores of Alabama are not suited to. the manufacture of steel by the acid or basic Bessemer pro- cesses, because of their large percentage of phosphorus and silica. and. therefore, manufacturers using these ores are prac- tically restricted to the basic open-hearth process. The attempt to manufacture until 1897 only indifferent success was at tained. In 1900 there were 12 basic open hearth furnaces in the State. with daily capacity of 1910 tons of steel ignots. The manufacture was greatly stimulated by the fact that many engineers and archi- tects in 1896 began to, show a preference for open-hearth steel, stipu1ating In their specifications that 1t should be used,
 The manufacture of lumber and timber products, including turpentine. tar and rosin, Is the second industry in point of importance There were Ill establish ments reported for 1900 with s273 wage earners and products valued at $i2.S67, ,551. In 1890 there were 472 establishm ents en- gaed In this industry, with 63S5 wage earners and products valued at $S,507. .971. The increase in the value of products during the decade was s4S59,5S0 or SIP per cent, and a considerable portion of Alabama's forests is yet untouched by the ax. ..
 There were 31 establishments engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods In 1900, the industry third in rank. with s332 wage-earners and products valued at s, ,15S 136 In 1890, 13 establishments were reported, with 2OSS wage-earners and pro- ducts valued at s219O.71. Tho increase in value of products during the decade was s5.s62. 36S. or 272.2 per cent, greater absolute increase than Is shown Tn any other industry In the State.
 Such are the chief industries of Ala bama. The natural resources of that as the other Southern States are enormous, and they promise, with adequate devel- opment incalculabic results In the way of wealth. .''t'
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