The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-02
OBJECTION is MADE
TO CENSUS REPORT
Birmingham Statistics Are Con-
sidered Misleading
BABB WRITES TO NORTH
Asks That Special Pamphlet Be Gotten
Out Dealing with Manufacture
ing Statistics of the Bir-
mingham District.

Secretary Babb of the Commercial club
has written a letter to II. S. d. North.
director of statistical department of the
census bureau protesting against the
manufacturing statistics published about
the Birmingham district in the census bull
letin. He points out that great injus-
tice is done Birmingham IN the statistics,
as a number of the largest and most Inn
portant industrial companies are not in
cluded in the report.
Following Is a copy of the letter:
Birmingham. March /, 1906.
Mr.. II. S D. North Director of the Cen
sus, Washington, d. C
Dear Sir-I have just read in The Age
Herald of this date a synopsis of the CEN
sus bulletin giving the manufacturing
statistics of the state of Alabama The
figures in SO far as they relate to Bir-
mingham are totally inadequate, and do
this city a grave injustice
l had the pleasure of meeting your rep
resentative when he was compiling these
statistics and know that he labored ae-
lively and intelligently. I am convinced,
therefore, that the injustice arises not
from the ineorrectness of the figures, but
upon the rules which have governed in
their compilation. For instance, the capt.
tai invested in manufacturing enterprises
in Birmingham is given at $3.50, 446. The
Sloss- Sheffield, the Tennessee Coal and
Iron company and the Republic Steel and
Iron company, all of which are in effect
Birmingham institutions, have many
times this amount of capital invested. It
Isl true that it is not all invested in the
city of Birmingham, but great proper
ton of it is invested in the vicinity. Any
statement which undertakes to give the
manufacturing industries of Birmingham
and restricts the same to the city limits
must necessarily give an erroneous i'm
preston. In Justice to this community,
hope your department will see its way
clear to make a publication which will
indicate to the world the true situation.
Can you not in bulletin assemble the
manufacturing statistics covering the
various communities surrounding Bir-
mingham and the territory adjacent there
to under the title of Birmingham and
Vicinity" or Jefferson Count?"
Trusting to hear from you at your ear
lest convenience, | am yours truly,
JOSEPH B. BABB,
Secretary.
In connection with that letter, Mr. Babh
made the following statement, which more
fully explains the matter:
1.-The census report contains the fol.
Lowing figures
Babb's Statement.
1.-THE capital invested in the state is
$l05, 1882 $780, as compared with $50, no $3.50 in
1900, an increase of 75.3 per cent. The
average number of wage-earners in
creased from 52,66S, drawing wages
amounting to $14,9O4, 446 in 1900, to g.
172, drawing wages amounting to $21,S78,-
451 in 1905
THE value of products increased in
the five years from So, 0S2, 621 to $780,
1859 922 the cost OF materials from s37,-
9SS114 to $500 ass, 36S; the number of estab-
lishments through combinations decreased
from 1899 to 1882; the number of salaried
officials increased from 1851, drawing ST.
057,571 to 3763, drawing 1885,, 1879.
"The bulletin also gives similar details
for the products of Birmingham. Mont
gomery and Mobile. In Birmingham the
capital invested increased from So, 125. "A.
to S5,739, 246. Other manufacturing Stats
ties in the city show decreases due to
the fact that one important plant was
idle and another had materially reduced
its production since 1900.
1.-THE number of wage-earners in the
city in 1905 was 1887, drawing 81, 7OS, $685. as
compared with 4OOS wage-earners. draw
last year was 81, 1872, 95S, as compared with
$S95295S five years ago.
within the past II months 10 new
industries have been established here
1.-THE synopsis of the census report or
manufactures and industries insofar as
it concerns Birmingham does this city a
great wrong. Nearly year ago, when
the agent of the census department was
in this district, realizing that under the
rules of the department Birmingham
would not receive a fair share of credit
] addressed to II. S. d. North, director
OF the census bureau at Washington, the
following letter:
Former Letter.
Dear Slr-I beg leave to call your at
tention to the peculiar condition existing
in Birmingham and vicinity which would
render 1t unjust to this city If a compila-
ton of manufacturing statistics should
be limited to the city proper. Our ter
ritorial area is small and there are a
number of municipal corporations which
are really Birmingham but which for
various reasons maintain their separate
entities. l, therefore, respectfully urge
that our statistics should be compiled for
Birmingham as an industrial center Yours
truly, j. B. BABB,
. Secretary Commercial Club
I'm reply / received from Mr.. North a
letter stating that it was impossible to
vary the rules of his department with
reference to Birmingham, but that any
one desiring to make an investigation