The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-03
RAGLAND'S FUTURE
ALREADY ASSURED
Big Plants Have Given Town
Great Boost
SOME OF BROWNS WORK
Cement plant Will Have Capacity of
5000 Barrels a Day-one Plant
Now Makes $4,000 Paving
Brick a Day.
SOME OF BROWNS WORK
BY WALTER HARPER.

RY WALTER HARPER.
Raeland. october 2.-(specialo-I dis
covered last night that 1 did not know
+ba full limit of human curiosities.
The man who sat next to me at the
dining table sprinlSled generous supplies
of salt and pepper into his glass of
milk. Now, this may be familiar
wrinkle to some people, but it is new to
me.
I expected to see this man put sugar
on his steak and vinegar in his coffee,
but he disappointed me.
My first impression of Ragland was
natural. 1t is set on a thousand hills,
with pleasant meadows between. The
sun rises in the east and sets in the
west 1t does not do this at all places.
At Talladega, for instance, the sun
rise in the west and sets In the east
The train you expect to take in leaving
the town slips up behind you while you
gaze down the track in the other diree-
ton for the headlight, and goes out in
exactly the wrong direction. Almost the
same thing occurs at Montgomery. but
| you are prepared, If you are wise, to ex-
pect anything In Montgomery.
Ragland is a surprisingly busy place.
From small mining camp OF which
the world heard but little, it is now
about to develop into one of the most
important industrial communities in the
state.
! Cement Plant.
A portland cement plant to cost s1,00O,-
| co.. is being built in the town; a large
brick plant is already in operation, and
| one or two more concerns of large Inn
| portance will probably be located here
| in a short time.
| An amazing variety of valuable min
! erals clays, sand and metals abound in
this section, and the development that
they will certainly lNing in time cannot
| be estimated.
The Ragland Coal company, of which
w. Z. Brown is president, has for some
time operated coal mines most success
fully here. Mr. Brown was one of the
first men to recognize the possibilities
of this section and early acquired some
valuable properties which he has de-
veloped with success. Through most
liberal public policy he has helped to
build up thriving little town with all
conveniences such as schools, churches
and other public institutions.
1t was through his efforts and lber-
atty that the Willpicoba Clay works and
the Atlantic and Gulf Portland Cement
company were induced to locate their
plants here.
He is now trying to locate other i'm
portant industries and has good assur-
ance of success. A soil pipe plant is
| one of the probable industries to be ac-
| quired.
Largest in South.
| The cement plant which Is now being
built will be the largest in the south,
and perhaps the best equipped in the
country 1t will have a capacity of 5000
barrels of high grade cement per day,
and the plant is being built with an eye
to future enlargement.
The power house and dry kiln depart
ments being built of steel and con-
crete and most substantial. Two
very large 20O0-horse-power engines are
now being placed. I was interested in
the fact that these engines We're built
in Birmingham.
One of the large kilns, steel cylinder
eight feet in diameter and 125 feet long,
| has already arrived and another Is on
| the road. Some idea of the size of these
| kins can be obtained when 1t is known
| that four fiat cars coupled together were
| required to carry one of them. Four OF
| these will be put in the plant The fac
| tory is being equipped with electric pow
er throughout and with every other me-
| ufacture of cement. Even the big
| boilers in the power house will be fired
by machinery. The plant will be in
operation early next year and will EN-
| ploy between 400 and 500 people.
Four hundred homes for employees will
| be built on the property of the COM
| pany near the plant William b. Shot
| fer is president Of the company. ]. S.
| Herbert is general superintendent in
| charge of the construction.
Clay Works.
| Willpicoba Clay Works is running at
| full capacity, turning out 5000 paving
| brick per day. General Manager c. III.
| Pittman tells me that the demand for
| his brick is so strong and persistent that
| he has been unable to make some i'm
| provements that have been ordered.
| Five kilns are now in operation and one
| continuous kiln Is to be built at once.
| This additional Improvement will cost
| s15,OOO This plant Is ideally located at
| the foot of a mountain of shale and coal.
| Both the fuel and the brick material are
] literally dumped into the mill from the
| mountain side. The sand and clay in the
| valley are said to be the finest In the
/ south.
| There is an abundance of sand in this
valley that is specially adapted to mold
| ing purposes and two firms are engaged
| in the business of shipping it north and
| east as we'll as to plants In the Bir-
ningham district. It is said to be ex-
/ cellent for soil pipe purposes and for
/! this advantage it is more than probable
| that a soil pipe plant will be located at
| Ragland.
| No town in Alabama has greater va
| riety of mineral wealth and other raw
| materials and these are just now at
| tracing the close attention Of large cap
| italists and prospective manufacturers
| Ragland has a promising future. 1t
has the advantage of not only being on