The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-10

The expansion of the greater city along wholesale commercial lines has begun with redoubled vigor since the occupation of the new wholesale district on First ! avenue by those enterprising pioneer mer- chants who have forsaken Morris alley. Along the ancient wholesale thorough fare signs of i'll omen are beginning to appear. signs bearing the significant le- gend 'For Rent"
 The center of trade activity has been gradually transferred to the promising new district on the neighboring street. First avenue is beginning to lose It's wonted appearance of desolation and to take on the brighter aspect of thriving business street. All the merchants are beginning preparations for a new era Of prosperity. Spacious new quarters give ample testimony of the redoubled trade activity that is sure to follow. The busy hum of traffic bespeaks the advance of a growing city, of new metropolis.
 Merchants occuying the new quarters are congratulating themselves on the ven ture into the new field Ask any First avenue wholesale merchant whether he is pleased with the new surroundings. whether his trade has suffered or bene- fited, whether he has faith in the new dis trict. He will tell you that Morris ave- nue Is already a thing of the past. that he is ashamed at having been so slow in realizing his unlightened state, that First avenue is paradise compared with the
 alley" that his trade has increased II, in, bo ia .'just tickled to death."
 Property values are advancing along the line of progress. AS if by magic new buildings have sprung up, where once the bare sky was visible metropolitan skyline is being reared. Ground is being broken for new buildings and property owners are beginning to sit up and take notice. Dealers in real estate are chang ing we'll grounded views and laying broad CT plans for the future. And so the march of progress Is continued
 Some Specific Changes.
 What has been said is more than borne out in actual facts. As before stated at length in this column. seven wholesale firms of the representative type have be- come established in the new district and | numerous others will move in as soon as suitable quarters may be had
 Among the first concerns to occupy the new location was the o. E. Kenimer Gro cery company, which has since been re- solved into the Kenimer-Irwin Shoe con- pany, the sole establishment of its kind in the city. Together with the C. F. Bell Produce company and the Shirk Broker age company the KenimerIrwin firm oc- cupies the handsome three-story Keni- mer building, erected at a cost of $50, 900. On the corner of Twenty-third street and Frirst avenue is the Collins building, an- other three-story structure with all mod-
 ernl equipments and conveniences, built especially for and occupied by the R. E. Collins Grocery company. The building has a frontage of 100 feet, 50 feet of which is occupied by the Collins com pany, the remainder being divided into two 25-foot stores to be occupied by the Cudahy and Morris Packing companies. | On the 75-foot lot located between the Kenimer building and the Collins will be erected the new plant of the ArrAour | Packing company, a handsome building | to he constructed at a cost of near $65,- | O0O Ground has already, been broken on | this lot. and the Armour people expect to | he established in new quarters by April of next year.
 On the southwest corner of Twenty | first and First is located the newly com | nIeted building of the c. C. Snider com nanv tobacconists. The quarters oc- | cupied by this firm are modern and up- to-date in every particular and add great ly to the general appearance of the dis- | trict.
 Add to these the handsome Goodallr