The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-17
BESSEMER SHOWS 4 STEADY GROWTH  All Lines of Business Make Fine
 Records MANY HOUSES ARE BUILT Most of the Manufacturing Plants in This Section Have Been Enlarged
 and Fitted With New
 Equipment.
MANY HOUSES ARE BUILT

Bessemer December 16--(Special) )--The years record in all lines of business and industry in Bessemer is very gratifying to the people of this city and section Wonderful advances have been made along all lines and especially noticeable in the improvements that have been made in the manufacturing and mining industries of the community.
 All the manufacturing plants of the district are in full blast and doing a very heavy business. Improvements and the plants located at this place during the year and material increases in output are noted in all plants.
 The prospects for the coming year are very bright and, with improved labor conditions, next year promises to be the most active in the history of the city Scarcity of labor during the past few months has greatly hampered all oper- ations. but conditions are improving and the operators are sanguine of great things for the coming season.
 The closing year has broken the record in Bessemer in building activities and there seems to be no cessation in this line of development. It Is conservatively estimated that close to s200,000 has been spent in new buildings, both resident and business houses, during the year and many more Improvements are now in course of building.
 A very large percentage of the resi- dences that have been erected are cot tages costing from 5000 to $40oO. built by people who own and occupy them as homes. which Is pointed out as indicating a healthy condition and Illustrating the fact that the people have confidence in the future of the city.
 Several large and substantial business houses have been built and several are now in the hands of the contractors to be completed early In the coming year.
 The extensive improvements that have been made in and around the city by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company are pointed to with pride by the citizens A new brick freight depot hast just been completed and is now occupied by the company. The new pas senger depot will be completed early in January.
 The s50O0O steel viaduct which has just been completed at Tenth avenue, spann- ing all the steam railway tracks at that point, is pointed to with pride as one of the finest structures of the kind In the state and an improvement that adds ma terially to the greatness of the city. The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company is building new line out Nine teenth street to the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry company's plant that will be put in operation early in the coming year, giving the people in that section an excellent and much needed car service.
 Under the personal direction of Mayor J. J. Sullivan and City Engineer W. J. Parks the streets of the city are being put in most excellent shape More im- provements ares being made in this line than ever before.
 Bessemer's general prospects were never brighter than at this time and at the closing of the year every one is re- joieing over the many great things that have been accomplished during the past twelve months.
 The organization of the Bessemer board of trade during the past few months has given a stimulus to the business in- terests of the city and the organization promises to be of very great value to every line of business in the city and section President George H Stevenson and Secretary W. P. uunn are doing all in their power to increase the usefulness of the board of trade and are succeed ing. They have taken up many matters of general interest to the community and already many things have been accom- plished Most of the business men of the city have become active members of t.he organization