The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-10
Bradstreet's Local Superin-
tendent Tells of Conditions
at Atlanta Meeting
CONDITIONS NEVER
BEFORE so BRIGHT
Calls Attention to Immense Amount
Of Construction Going on-New
Business in Every Line Is
Being Commenced
b. H. BRANSCOMB

r. A. Epperson Birmingham superin-
fendent for Bradstreets Review made a
glowing report on conditions in Birming-
ham to the meeting of superintendents
which was held in Atlanta yesterday.
New business in every line is being
commenced" said Mr.. Epperson, 'and
Birmingham is regarded by leading capi-
talists and bankers as at the high tide
OF its prosperity and the outlook has
never appeared so bright
Mr. Epperson called attention to the
immense amount of building going on in
Birmingham, touched on the production
of pig iron in the state and Birmingham,
sketched traffic conditions and called at
tention to the general prosperity prevail
ing here.
MI. Epperson's report in fun was as
follows: 4f5s t5a IS 4.5slIaHsa. .s..4 -
The surest indication in Birmingham
lies in the fact today there is under con-
struction in the city, new buildings ag-
Gregatjng cost of more than $40 900. 900
Included in this amount are two new
hotel buildings, representing a cost of
Sl,00oo00 each, and bank and office
building, . stories, costing $l,100,o0o In
mercial buildings that are transforming
the appearance of the business section
of the city, hotel and apartment houses.
that will double the hotel capacity. In
a short time construction will be COM
menced on an auditorium with a seating
capacity of 10000, the largest in the south
This result has been accomplished by
determined efforts of the citizens of Bir-
mingham, to make the Magic City the
greatest convention city in the southern
states.
Many Records Broken
During the past few months of 1915
records of all kinds showing produc-
ton in every line that has made Bir-
mingham famous. have been broken by
the greatest gains in the history of the
city. For 1872 Birmingham lead every
American city in its class of amount of
new buildings, in comparison with previ-
GUS year. Alabama today is making pig
iron at the rate of 2.152, 764 tons per an
num- the greatest in the history of the
industry The average number of blast
furnaces in operation during the first
five months of 1918 is "a; the average mum
Der of stacks of 1912 was Is. The Ala
barla iron output for the first five
months of this amounts to S96.9S6 tons
ds compared WIN t5O,5ZS TONS IN the" same
period last year, an increase for this year
Of l60c57 tons, which is an increase of
about $1,000 tons per month. The output
for the first months of this year was at
the rate Of 2,152.764 tons per annum COM
pared with 1,76s,629 tons in 1912. Bank
clearngs reflect great gains being made
IN all lines of business in 1913 total
clearings for the first five months
amount to S74,323, l27 against s62 612 676 for
the first five months of last year. The
monthly clearngs for 1913 are on the
. ratio of S17S.21550o per annuni The
monthly clearings for the same period
for 1912 were on the ratio of $3.50, 27O, 42s
per annum showing an increase for this
year according to the ratio of S2S, 734, ,SO7.
"Postoffice receipts for 1912 amounted
to S475,O00 as compared to $i0S0O0 for 1911,
and $4,000 for 1910 tH
Buildings for 1912 amounted to $4,000
600 as compared with $3,790,000 in 1911,
and $4,000 for 1910:
New Business in Every Line
Total capitalization in the Birrnng.
ham district and In Jefferson county,
for 1919, amounted to $9,G00,000. New
business in every line is being COM
menced and Birmingham is regarded by
leeoing capitalists and bankers as at the
high tide of it's prosperity and the out
look has never appeared % bright.
"A unique event occurred in Birnling
ham this year, a celebration, heretofore
unheard of in the south, and consisted
of simply the celebration of the pros
perity that has come to the district, as
reflected by the record breaking achieve
E,ents of the past year. 1t was known
as the 'Potlatch' celebration and was
inaugurated with fund of $4,000, SUBJ
scribed by citizens of the city and was
described by the expression Birmingham
on Wheels. Every line of business was
shown by floats that made the largest
and most spectacular parade ever seen
on the streets of Birmingham. One of
the largest crowds that ever gathered
In the city attended the celebration and
came from every section in the south.
The birmingham spirit was never more
IN evidence than during the three days
of the potlatch celebration. which has
pre- ctfcally been established as an an