The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-01
"February 1, 1913.

The FIRST National Dpuh hHdHcidi
and commercial review. just issued. is
as follows:
February 1, 1913.
Little change has taken place dur
ing the past month in commercial or
] industrial affairs, either general or
local.
There is a seasonal dullness in pig
iron at slightly lower nominal prices,
but as most of the furnaces are sold up
for the first half of the year. current
quotations are for deliveries in the
third quarter. The demand for finished
products appears to be as insistent as
ever and both northern and southern
mills are rushing on full time and are
pressed for deliveries. An interesting
feature of the month was the purchase
by the Carnegie Steel company of a large
tonnage of steel billets from the
Southern Iron and Steel company's plant
at Gadsden The purchase at bank
rupt sale on yesterday, by the bond
holders committee of the Southern
eompanys properties is regarded as be-
ing the first step toward a permanent
reorganization of that corporation
Despite the war clouds which still
hover over the Balkans, the textile
trade abroad is said to be in satisfac-
tory shape, Manchester mills particu-
larly reporting good business. Cotton
mills in this section appear to be do
ing well and the textile trade through
out the country is regarded by some
authorities as fair, although the briefs
recently submitted to the ways and
means committee by the Arkwright
club and other representatives of tex
tile interests would seem to indicate
very unsatisfactory conditions.
Tariff Revision
THE certainty of tariff revision is OF
course having some effect and many
merchants prefer to carry comparative
ly small stocks for the time being. One
of the most prominent dry goods COM
panies in New York, in its report tc
its stockholders on December 81, 1912
calls attention to the fact that it Is
carrying an important reserve for price
depreciation which might result from
tariff reductions, but states that apar
FROM tariff revision, the trade OUTLOOK
is favorable.
Although there has been a declin,
since January l of about l cent pound
in the price of cotton for future deliv'
cry, the value of spots has been fairly
well maintained around the 1919 C level
Our advices are that throughout this
section ginning has been practicall,
completed and that scant preparation
for the new crop have been made. Tner,
is considerable activity, however, in th'
fertilizer trade and reports indicate
larger colume OF business by IS per cen
than year ago. 1t is thought by man,
that there will be an increased cottor
acreage in Alabama this year, although
the boil weevil is expected to be
serious factor in the western tier O.
counties which will probably result il
a decreased cotton acreage in the sec
tion affected.
THE car shortage existing a few
weeks ago has been overcome to grea'
degree, although there is still some
complaint of congested traffic in tn,
coal mining regions The coal trade 1.
unusually good and there is strong
demand for coke, which is reflected il
tie SuDSldIllidi wage lHCItdSe WHICH pe'
comes effective today.
The Smoke Ordinance
Many of the manufacturing enter
prises located in the city limits of Bir-
mingham are complaining of the ordi-
nance recently adopted by the city com
mission, which seeks to regulate what
is termed the smoke nuisance. The
commercial organizations have spent
much time and money in attempting tt
induce industries to locate in Birming-
ham and until recently anything that
made smoke was welcomed. Our fue
supply is confined entirely to soft Goa
mined in this district and large
amount 0 smoke necessarily issues a.