The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-23
MUCH REJOICING
IN THE STEEL CITY
POD Mil to Resume Work in
Three Weeks
AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED
The Citizens Hold Meeting and After
Conference With Mr.. Schiller
the long Awaited News
Is Announced.
AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED

Ensley, March 22.-(Special)-As re-
suit of the conference between the cit
liens of Ensley and George H. Schiller,
the large rod mill of the Alabama Steel
and Wire company will resume work
within the next three weeks. This is one
of the largest industries in the district
and gives employment to 1000 skilled
workmen. 1t has daily output of 1000
kegs of steel nails and $50 tons of barbed
wire. The rod mill is valued al S2,500,000.
"he steel will be shipped from Plttsburg.
The people of Ensley are rejoicing over
the news. The plant has been closed down
for a year on account of the Tennessee
company and the Alabama Steel and Wire
company failing to agree as to the price
to be paid for the materials consumed by
the mill. The management has stated
all along that the rod mill would be start
ed as soon as the steel plant of the Ala
bama Steel and Wire company began
making steel.
As the closing down of the plant mate
rally binders the industrial welfare of the
Steel City the business men and citizens
have been working some time for the re-
sumption of the mill. With this end in
view, the mayor and aldermen the board
of trade, the representatives of the diff
ferent professions, and number of other
citizens held conference with Mr.. Schu-
Ter at the city hall this afternoon, to me-
morialize Mr.. Schiller to start up the
MILL
G. r. Byrum President.
The meeting was presided over by G. r.
Byrum, president of the board of trade,
who made an appropriate speech, stating
the object of the conference. He said,
I'VE have gathered here for the purpose
of comforting with the officials of the
rod mill and to do all in our power as
citizens to affect the resumption of the
industry which means so much to our
city We all hope that the day will be
FASTENED when we shall see a large army
of men walking In and out of the gates
of the rod mill again."
Mr.. Byrum was followed by the Hon.
Frank Deedmyer, who said in part Ems
ley has a great future. 1t is now in
the infancy of its industrial development.
The great factor in commercial growth is
iron and cotton. With us nature has so
provided that iron is the means by which
our city shall be known as the greatest
Industrial center of the country. The Ten
nessee company and the Alabama Steel
and Wire company have been the greatest
agents through whom the state has
forged its way to the front u the iron
world. Nature has richly Blessed our
section. We have lying here In close
proximity all the materials necessary in
the manufacture of iron and steel. l hope
the day is not far distant when Ensley
shall have water communication with the
gulf
The Rev. Read Talks.
The Rev. George W. Read, pastor of
the First Methodist church, was called
upon and responded as follows 1.-THE
moral side of a city and the Industrial is
closely related. The running of the in
dustries of this city on full time will do
as much for the moral good of this Sec
ton as the police department and preach
ing the gospel. The idle brain is the
DEVILS workshop and idle hands are his
tools. In this way morality and prosper
ity are closely connected
C. A. Nolan. one of the pioneer citizens
and the largest taxpayer in the city, said:
I'VE are all interested in the resumption
of the rod mill. 1t vitality affects every
channel of business in Ensley Every
one, l am sure, are eager to cooperate
with Mr.. Schuler in the starting up of the
plant.
George II. Schiller then responded to
the speeches in very business-like and
straightforward talk. He said: IF we
start up our plant before the Gadsden
steel plant begins turning out steel we
will do so at a loss, perhaps, to ourselves
We appreciate the good will manifested
towards the company by the citizens of
Ensley. The furnaces at Gadsden are at
present consuming all the coal that is
being mined by the Virginia mines"
Committee Is Appointed.
Mr.. Schuler then asked that a commit
tee be appointed among the citizens that
they might confer together. The COM
mittee named was as follows: Mayor
Scott c. A. Nolan, G. r. Byrum, j. w.
Minor and James Perkins. They retired
to the mayors private office, where they
were closeted for some time. The agree
ment reached Is not known, except that
Mr.. SCHUYLER agreed that the mill should
resume work early as practical.
Mr.. Schuler stated this evening that all
necessary orders had been given to get
the rod mill in shape to begin operations
In about three weeks. 1t is also stated
that the steel to be consumed by the
plant will be shipped from Pittsburg.
There Is a general rejoicing in Ensley
tonight as the news was spread over the
city II is by far one Of the most jubi-
liant nights that this town has expert
enced in some time Wilh the report that
all trouble will soon pass away and the
rod mill will resume work. the Steel City
is just entering upon its greatest indus
trial era.