The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-30
ID OSPEND Sl5O,OOO FOR NEW WORK AT B|G D|MM|CK PLANT New Owners Announce That the Pipe Works Will
 Resume in May GIVES EMPLOYMENT TO ABOUT 750 MEN Present Buildings Will All Be Re- placed by Concrete and Steel
 Structures-Yincent Fer
 guson Talks

At a cost of si5O,voo or more the plant of the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry company at North Birmingham | recently bought from the Dimmick Pipe
 company will be completely rebuilt. It
 was stated yesterday that the entire
 number of buildings formerly belonging
 to and operated by the old company would be torn down and the plant placed | in fine condition.
 | The buildings heretofore at North Bir-
 mingham in the Dimmick works will be
 rebuilt of concrete and steel with con-
 crete roofs in order that their life may
 be longer than other constructions and in
 order to render them entirely fire proof.
 The work of construction will be pushed forward without delay and by May l the
 plant will be operating with 750 men on
 the normal payrolls. according to an an-
 nouncement of Vincent Ferguson, man. ager of the local plants.
 During the remodelng of the buildings and plants at North Birmingham by the pipe company, the skilled forces of the company will be kept ready for the re-
 sumption at the moment the buildings are | completed. The resumption of the plant
 at North Birmingham will mean a great deal for that portion of Birmingham
 while the putting into operation of an- other plant with such a large number or
 employees by the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry company will add
 great deal to the entire districts stability. .,. | That the plant when completed will Do
 among the best pipe plants not only in
 Birmingham but in the whole south was
 indicated yesterday by MT. Ferguson, In giving out a statement that the plant would be entirely rebuilt. He said the l character of construction, the amount Of money the work would cost and tho | equipment that will be placed in the ne"
 buildings guaranteed that no plant in the
 south would be in better shape or typlfy later achievements in the production of iron water pipe.
 'By the first of May or not later than
 June 1 the new plant will be running said Mr. Ferguson. By that l mean the Dimmick Plant which was recent | ly purchased by our company. The company will rebuild all the plant, put
 in concrete and steel structures under
 Ritter x Connolly Go. of Pittsburg. Af- ter the contractors get through the | old plant will be better than any plant
 of like kind in the district, and will
 be among the best, if not the best, in | the whole south.
 Will Cost About S1J0,000 "The improvements at North Bir- mingham will cost the company in the neighborhood of s15O,oO0. The re- sumption of operations there will pro- vide work for 75O men at least, while
 at times that figure may be added too. The work will be carried on as
 rapidly as possible and finished as near
 to May 1 as practicable"
 l When the plant is resumed the ownership of it will have been vested | in the new company about one year. Since the purchase the plant has been shut down. It was reported that the resumption would be a matter of some time, but indications point to the be- ginning of work earlier than was at first supposed.
 me Cnlled SlateS CaSt Iron 1lpe ana
 Foundry company will permit the Dim-
 mick plant, when it is rebuilt, to take the place of one that was to have been erected at Bessemer. Although the company now operates large plant there, business had been so fine that it was determined to erect an
 other one. About that time the ne- gotiations for the North Birmingham plant were opened, ending in the ulti-
 mate purchase of the plant. The plant
 at North Birmingham will not come up to the total amount of money that would have been paid out for a brand | new one, but in every essential the
 plant at North Birmingham will be just
 as good as though the plant heretofore | thought probable had been erected