The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-07
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
For Diversified Industries.
he Editor of The Age-Herald ::

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Noticing in the columns of your paper of Thursday morning recapituiation of the 'Pay Rolls in the Immediate Bir mingham District" will say that I notice you give a list of 16 manufacturing plants employing 1725 people, and refer to others which would bring the total up to about 2500.
 You omit some important industries, however, which 1t seems customary to
 omit In referring to the industrial pay rolls of the district. The newspapers of
 Birmingham have always been zealous to
 assist in locating new industries in Bir- mingham and to exploit to the world the
 fact that we have such valuable pay
 rolls here, but seem to have become &C.,
 customed to overlook mention of the
 smaller diversified manufactures right in
 the city. I presume that this Is be-
 cause of the fact that, Birmingham be-
 ing so well advertised as an industrial
 center, people have grown accustomed to
 look for information and reports about
 industrial concerns only. and have over
 looked in their calculations due consid-
 eration of the diversified industries and , manufactories.
 Upon a moments reflection, however,
 every man will admit that the very thing
 Birmingham does need is more diversified
 industries, and one. way to get these Is
 to show the fullest appreciation of those
 which have already been established
 here.
 For instance, the concern of which
 have the honor to be general manager
 Roberts 6 Son, Inc, employs more people,
 and am sure has a larger pay roll than three -fourths of the concerns enumerated in your list of Thursday morning. Rob-
 erts & Son employs regularly between 90 and 100 people, and mas been running
 without shutdown and practically with
 out lay-offs of any of its force through
 out the entire year. Our pay roll runs
 between $60000 and $75,00o g. year. We operate no commissary and give no or ders or pay tickets, but pay all employees in cash every Saturday night. Our en- tire establishment Is located right in the heart of the city, and the money quickly goes into the channels of trade This concern, in addition to having the largest printing and bookbnding establishment In the state of Alabama, has the only lth- ographing plant in the state. and the only complete engraving and embossing plant, and as such I believe is entitled to spe- 1 cial mention in recapitulating the manu- | featuring establishments of the imme- | diate Birmingham district.
 l Then there are also number of other | printing and binding establishments in the city, and other important manufact- uring concerns, such as the Martin Crack | CT Co.,, the Huston Biscuit Co.,, the Paper | Box companies, the Overall factories, etc, | which were omitted from your list, which employ fully as many people most of 1 the purely industrial concerns which you
 mentioned, and whose pay rolls are of | great value to the district.
 1 I take the liberty of directing, through l the columns of your paper, the publcs
 attention to these facts because Birming- l ham should know and patronize these l concerns.
 1 The slogan of the Commercial club, now 1 the Chamber of Commerce, has always been "Patronize Home Industry.' and the
 club works and spends money to bring new industries to Birmingham; the slogan l of the Business Mems league is "To l Bring Trade to Birmingham; the slogan | of the Board of Trade is, Trade in Bir- 1 mingham with Birmingham Merchants. ' | This being the case, Birmingham people | should earnestly bear in mind the in i dustries and manufacturing establish | ments which have been located within 1 it's borders and encourage them to en- i large their investments and stay in Bir- l ninglam by patronizing them in prefer l enee to outside establishments. I be- 1 lieve that>upon a moments thought every 1 loyal Birminghamite will agree with me | in this conclusion. Yours very truly, | R. w. EWING Rirningham. May G. 1909