The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-02-02

terday evening, in accordance with the
law. Only 1900 citizens of Birmingham
paid their poll tax for last year, against
$500 the year previous. This means that
the vote in the geenral municipal primary
election aud other elections held in Biz
mingham during the year 1905 will be
very light
your association stated that like many
great men and many great movements.
the National BrckMakers' association
was born in Ohio. Having been first or
ganized in a state that has produced so
many great men, | have no suggestions
to make along these lines as it has been
such a great success. In fact, l know
of but one other place where perhaps it
might been more successful had it been
organized there, and my timidIty forbids
that | name the city. However, you are
now in convention assembled in 81. ming-
ham and it is unnecessary to say that
your organization will continue to be a
success as heretofore.
In looking over the programme that
has been arranged by the local MEM
bers ofyour association l am glad TO
know that you will not only have an 'p-
poltunity 10 see Birmingham, but the
Birmingham district as well.
ne CITY OF birmingham.
"Our city is located almost in the CEN
ter of Jefferson county, and in speaking
of Birmingham and its manufacturing
industries it is necessary to include not
only Birmingham, but the Birmingham
district as we'll
In 1900 we had forty blast furnaces
that use coke for fuel purposes, while
now we have fifty-three requiring nine
tenths of the coke from 5000 coke ovens
to supply them with ell
although a strike has been in effect
at a majority of our largest eollieries
since the first of July, still the output OF
coal for 1904 will exceed that of any pre-
vious year.
1--WE now have six trunk lines of rail-
roads entering ouP-eity. The Illinois Cen
trail has made a number of surveys loeat-
ing its line into this district, and the
Birmingham and Brunswick has COM
pleted more than $50 miles extending out
from Brunswick, Ga.
ut will not be surprising to you gentle
men to know that all southern trunk lines
east of the Mississippi river are trying
to enter the Birmingham district, II 1t
were shown the amount of tonnage that Is
handled by the roads that are now here.
During the time that / Rave lived IN
Birmingham, which is something over
twenty yers, I have seen the estimated
cost of raising cotton aud manufacturing
it into cotton yarn and fabrics; ! have
seen the estimated cost of mining ton
of coal or iron ore or lime rock l have
also seen the estimated cost of manu-
featuring pig iron, steel biiiets and steel
rails but up to this time | have never
seen the estimated cost per thousand for
manufacturing brick.
81 do not know whether it is because
the time of the manufacturers is taken
up in trying to decide on the KIND OF
machine TO cut the brick OF the number
of hours the same should be burned, or
analyzing the quality of water or clay
that is used IN their manufa cture.
Brick Sold cheapIy.
"However, it is a foregone conclusion
that the brick manufactured in this par
ticular locality are sold on a very close
margin, as / understand that - is neces-
sary for every manufacturer, whether he
he large or small, to become memDer Oh
your association.
DOUBTLESS the same question that | am
now raising has been discussed since
your organization was first formed in
Cincinnati in 1886, and | hope that dur
ing the deliberations of YOU distinguished
body while here that you will BE- able
to ferret out an estimated cost OF man
ufacturing brick
Response to Drennen.
w. p. Blair of Terre Haute, Ind, re-
sponded for the association. He said in
part:
stepping one day into one of our west
bound passenger trains en- route from
Washington, had the pleasure Of taking
seat beside one of Gods noblemen, a
typical Creek Indian. The marks OF -FOUR
nd ten nlainlV 1eniCt-
ed in every wrinkle.
'fHe told me he had just been down to
Washington to see the great father on a
short visit. that he had made the trip
many times before, and many times on
foot. He told me of the great changes he
had witnessed in the progress on the one