The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-10-01
Tennessee Company Awards a
Contract For Largest Metal
Mixer In United States
ALL RECORDS BROKEN IN
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
Coal Production Increases Steadily and
Mining Situation Is In Excellent
5hape-More Furnaces to
Start Soon.

While there has been an improvement
in industrial conditions throughout the
country within the past six months, the
revival in the Birmingham district has
been more marked than in any other
manufacturing center. Relatively speak
ing there are fewer idle men hereabouts
than in Pittsburg, and visitors from the
north are quick to remark the general
activity in evidence in and around Biz
mingham and the prosperous air of the
people of this city.
Since the ending of the miners strike
a month ago coal production has increased
steadily and the mining situation is now
said to re in excellent shape.
The pig iron market has been satisfac-
tory to furnace companies since May,
and while it is comparatively quiet at
present ruling prices are on a higher level
than they were during the summer, and
the outlook for the next six months as
very bright. Twenty-Five blast furnaces
in Alabama are now in operation, gain
of eight since the early spring. The Sloss-
Sheffield company will blow in an addi-
tional furnace within the next few days,
and the Williamson furnace, long idle,
will be started up on or about October 10.
1t is understood that the Southern Steel
company will resume operations in No
vember, and this concern alone, reorgan-
lied under the name of the Southern Iron
and Steel company, will give employment
to fully 5000 men.
Busy at Ensley.
The greatest scene of activity in the
Birmingham district is, of course, at the
Tennessee companys steel plant at Ems
ley. From the time that the Gates
Schley syndicate acquired the Tennessee
company and began the work of rebuild
ing and developing on broad and modern
lines, a little more than two years ago,
something like $7,5O0000 have been spent
on improvements on the companys prop
critics. A large percentage of this vast
sum has been expended by the present
owners of the Tennessee company, the
United States Steel corporation, which en-
tered the district a little less than year
ago, and started Birmingham on a new
era of prosperity. Development work al
Ensley is being pushed on a larger scale
than ever. The magnitude of the im-
provements at the steel mill is a wonder
full revelation to those who see the plant
now and compare the new open hearth
furnaces, the up-to-date methods and the
model yards to the plant as 1t was 9
year ago. But the Tennessee company
development under the present manage
ment, as extensive as it is, is only be-
ginning of what is to be.
improvements Authorized.
On September 16 President George G.
Crawford announced that the following
Improvements had been authorized
The three old furnaces. No. 3, ], and
2, at Ensley, will be replaced by new
furnaces in the same location and in
the order named.
In the open hearth department GOO
ton metal mixer will be installed.
In the electrical department new
electrical repair shop will be built and
a 1000 kilowatt generator driven by a
compound engine will be installed
A new chemical laboratory will be
built
A sanitary sewer will be constructed
to improve the sanitation of the plant.
A new coal and coke laboratory will
be built for the Pratt field.
These improvements will cost nearly,
if not quite, 100000. The work is
already under way. The Pittsburg Steel
Construction company has the contract
for building the new No. and the Old
furnace is now being dismantled.
On yesterday the Tennessee company
awarded the contract for the 600-ton
metal mixer to John Mohr, & Sons, OF
Chicago. 1t will be installed along side
of the 250-ton mixer now in operation
and will be the largest metal mixer in
the United States.
The new steel plant is behaving even
better than the most optimistic experts
had predicted for it. Nothing, of its
kind 1t is said, could show. bigger re-
suits. In July new high records were
made and in August all previous rec
ords were broken
The September figures have not been
tabulated but it is known that the pro-
duction will exceed that of August,
notwithst standing the fact that Septem-
Der is a shorter month. In August the
steel mill of furnaces made 3S,700
tons of blooms and 32.424 tons of rails.
1t is understood that in blooms the out
put has reached for the month 41,000
tons.
1t is believed that in the next four
or five years the Tennessee company
will expend in improvements in the dis
trict, between s20,O00,o00 and $4,000
900.