The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24
The Year Strikes . ASuperb Balance
 For Birmingham
EIJ11.l.!!.1l!1 "The Placid PlaC,''

A year ago rejoicing nightly over the prospect which had opened before Birmingham. And we had excellent
 But today faith in the city and confidence in the future should be twice great as then.
 In felicitations the fact that the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad Company had been taken by syndicate which announced that millions were to be expended in development forgot that the con- tro of this syndicate also extended the properties of the Republic Iron and Steel Company in this dis trct It in effect merger of the two companies, with the Tennessee it's head and front If we had looked carefully would have seen that gain balanced by the loss of the initiative power of the Re public Company We had more money but less competi- tive impulse. We really confronted with problem whose solution time alone could work out.
 And time did work it out within the year. The sale of the properties of the Tennessee to the Steel Cor poraton released the Republic and allowed to resume it's independent activities Now 1t is all clear gain The improvements projected by the syndicate will be carried out by the Steel Corporation, and the return of the Republic to it's field means more to Birmingham than the writing upon industrial register of iron making and working corporation equal to it in capital and executive ability because the Republic Company may be trusted to put into execution those plans which it had carefully formulated and which generally believed to embrace the erection of large steel plant.
 In fact, the years developments in the industrial world would appear to mpel the Republic Company to go into steel making in the Birmingham district The superiority of basic openhearth steel Bessemer steel for many and varied has been demonstrated within the past twelve months never before, and during the time Binninghams ability to produce this openhearh steel at the lowest cost has become widely recognized that trade journals are seriously ackoning with Birmingham the rival of Pittsbugg
 n the immediate, not the distant future. These facts
 t have their dut weight with the Republic with
 eel Corporation and independent iron companies in
 strict but there is another, clearly defined during
 'ar, and. perhaps even more impressyemTHE
 2MINGHAM RAIL THEIR INTEREST DE
 HAT ITS PRODUCTION BE INCREASED
 The year has also brought and powerful
 ustrial corporation the Birmingham Iron Company financed and managed by the syndicate of cap- talists which is building the A., B. and A. into the city and giving us outlet to the Atlantic The pany is preparing to manufacture iron and mine coal very extensive scale and will take first rank among the corporation of it's class in the district It may be garded steel-maker.
 Yes, the year has moved with cimax-swee in Bmingham-a sweep which has struck superb balance for whereby part of placed in the hands of the potential industrial organization in the United States, while the other part is allowed to remain in the control of several independent corporations. This makes the Birmingham District magnificent competi- tive field We shall not bewe alread y-the indus trial center of the country
 When conditions have reached such stage the future becomes uncertain by it's very uncertainty. We longer fix calculate the coming of big events They may be upon in three months-when had given them a year--or within the month.