The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-24

tensiYe building of cottages and hand some residences in the immediate suburbs.
 THE city of Birmingham was incor- porated December 24. 1S71 S7 years ago tomorrow. The development here, in fraction more than a third of a century. almost rivals the dreams of Alladin. And all this wonderful prog ress Is based on the natural mineral wealth of the district-the most won derful in the entire south.
 EVERY forward step in the Birming- ham district awakens new inspiration and stronger confidence for the future Another third of century will work marvels in the industrial development of the community
 IRMINGHAM is justly proud of It's progressive suburban towns which have sprung up and are thriving on the gen. eral prosperity of the whole commun- ty; all of which Is primarily based on the underlying natural mineral stores of the section.
 so broad are the industrial lines on wh ich Birmingham is building that it may be that the town has seemed de- ficient in small industries and plants for the manufacture of finished prod ucts, but these are coming and the very largeness of the districts resources in- sures rapid, wide development hence forth on lines of great magnitude.
 
 A MULTITUDE of small industries, the life veins of an industrial communi- ty feeding the bigger arteries, are the natural result of the large activities in the Birmingham district and will come in due season.
 WITH all the marvellous develop ments in the mineral district of Ala bama during the past number of years the men who are real factors here feel confident that the greatest era of pros perity is still just ahead of us.
 THE average price of bituminous coal at the mines in 1907 was $1.14. In Alabama 1t is stated as $1.29. This average was reduced from that of 1906 -$1. S4--on account of the depression following in three last months of the year, resulting from the panic. In West Virginia the average decline was from $119 in 1903 to 99c in 1907. In Pennsylvania the average for 1907 was s1.04 for bituminous.
 EXCLUSIVE of Great Britain the United States produced more coal in 1907 than all other countries combined about 40 per cent of the total pro- duction.
 NINETY-EIGHT per cent of the worlds production of coal is from coun- tries lying north of the equator.
 TT is not matter of common knowl- edge that much anthracite coal is sold at loss. Fine coal and coalfbelow the pea size are sold at an actual loss.
 THE ratio of the production of coal between northern and southern states changed from IT times more in the former than the latter in 1880 to one fourth as much produced south of the Ohio and Potomac rivers as north in 1907.
 THE introduction of the latest de- vices in iron and steel production will tend to conserve the coal supply by utilizing the gas from coal in coke ovens
 IMPROVED methods of mining will provide for cleaner work, and the loss by pillars, which amounts to an enor- nous waste.
 
 mining industry can avail itself of the advanced methods of mining, particu- larly in the opening and equipping of new mines.
 A MORE thorough, practical knowl- edge of dynamics-the use of explo- sives and atmospheric conditions should aid in reducing the loss of life in mines.
 
 THE development of the Ignite in the wiregrass country along with the phos- phate beds of Florida will develop in- dustries in that section.
 HONEST fortunes some of them quite large, have been made by speculative investment in coal lands in Ala bama Considerable coal acreage that sold 15 years ago for $2 or $3 an acre, is now valued at $100 an acre and upwards. All d man with money had to do was .-fa ,0 >f4en.F z