The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-31
Beginning of Work at Fair
field Plant Expected at
Any Tine
MUCH WORK PLANNED
BY THE RAILROADS
A. G. S., Southern and L. & n. Are
Expected to Double Track Lines.
Street Railway Service to
Be Improved Here
BY CLYDE w. ENNIS


for this district. In the opinion of we'll
informed men there has been few years
to which the people and men of af-
more justifiable hopefulness without
casting any reflections upon the year
closing, it is believed that this new
year will see far greater betterments
than were thought of in 1918,
The past year. 1t might be said in
passing, has been one without disturb.
ance in this district. The plants have
operated on reasonably full time, while
developm ents have been made of the
most stable and reassuring kind. New
houses have been built new mines
have been opened. new developments
begun-all to the prosperity and happi-
ness of the people of Birmingham.
There is little If any cause for com
plant over the bushes of last year. In
fact, one hears little If any grumb-
ling. on the contrary, 1t was learned
yesterday that practically all the mer-
camille interests of this city were ex-
ceedingly we'll pleased with business
The business of Loveman, Joseph &
Loeb as an example, is said to have
exceeded the year 1912 by very large
margin. That is true of many con-
Germs here.
Will Be Good Start
For 1914. however, Birmingham will
start off with an activity that will be
astonishing. To begin with the mills at
Ensley which have been closed for the
holidays will resume during the next
few days. At Fairfield, adjoining Ems
ley, the American Steel and Wire COM
pany plant is just about ready to start
work In fact, Charles Lutz, in charge
of the plant, has asserted that it will
be running before the people generally
know it, On that account the people
of Fairfield are watching anxiously, ex-
pecting every day to see smoke coming
from the stacks of the new plant. Work
for a large force of men will be pro-
vided when the plant starts work.
In addition to that plant the United
States Cast Iron Pipe company at
Boyles Is just about ready to begin
operation, giving employment TO 500
men at this time not engaged in such
work. These men will be brought in
from other points and Will be properly
| housed at Boyles, arrangements there
| for having already been made.
The railroads. it is believed, have in
store for this district matters of un-
usual value The new currency bill being
so helpful in money matters the dis
position to grant a rate increase to
the railroads which is a reflection OF
the peoples sentiments, will enable the
lines to float securities and Will mean
that new work will so forward. The
Alabama Great Southern, 1t is asserted
authoritat lively, will double track Its
lines from Chattanooga to Meridian.
This work Will be begun in the spring,
as contractors have already been asked
to study the situation. This work is
necessary on the part of the Alabama
Great Southern, for the Louisville and
Nashville, its competitors, Is completing
double track line from Nashville to
Calera and that Will be in operation
before spring. Some or the line Is al
ready being used.
The Louisville and Nashville Will
start double tracking it's line south of
Calera soon and the work VIII be
pushed without delay.
Work on Southern
The Southern railway, which is inclined
to be unusually cautious, will under the
administration of Fairfax Harrison the
new president, start some improvements
here during 1914, 1t is believed. The North
Birmingham work, which has been de-
layed, will doubtless be resumed, and at
the same time 1t Is generally understood
that the company contemplates extending
its double tracks from Birmingham to At
lanta. The line is now double tracked
from Atlanta to points not far from
Washington. 1t is the ambition of South
ern railway owners and officers to have
a double track from the nations capital
to Alabama's Magic City as soon as that
| can be accomplished.
The Illinois Central railroad Ia ex-
pected to start some extensions during
| 1914 while other lines are getting ready
| to inaugurate big improvements.
Unless the unexpected happens, the ac-
| tivities of the railroads In this distric,
during thes year will be unparalleled and
will exceed anything that has been done
| In any single year heretofore. me
| chances are that this expansion will in
| volve local street railway lines. IL was
| learned yesterday that the Tidewater ori-
| Gals will shortly lay before Me city CON-
| missioners a complete map Of its proposed
| Developments here. Franchises will .,e
| asked on a large number of blocks which
| will, IL allowed, enable the Tidewater to
| connect up its main artery from East
| Lake to Ensley with various other sub
| urbs of this city.
| 1t is asserted that the commission is
delaying granting the Avenue f franchise
! until the Tidewaters can lay before that
/ body information relative to the proposi,
| ton. The new extensions of the Tide
| water are said to be so widespread thst
| there is no debut but what Birmingham
| will have two street railways fighting
| every inch of the way for supremacy here
B. r., l.. & p. Will Not Be Idle
| The Birmingham Railway, Light and
1 Power company, it is said, will not be idle
] It proposes, as announced some time ago
| to lower the gas rates and also the rent
| on electric power: The gas bettermerts Is
! in this city will cost 100000 or 81 900, 900
| and will begun without delay The com
| pany will doubtless use by-product gas
| for local commercial service. During the
next few months the Birmingham Rail.
way Light and Power company Will
| probably sign a contract for electric
power from the Alabama Power com
pany, which will lower the rate on elec-
| tricity, it is confidently believed Ext.n-
| sions to various suburbs will be made
which will prove of interest and value ro
| a great many householders of Birming-
| ham.
| In the meantime the Tennessee Coal
| Iron and Railroad company, an acknowl-
edged pace maker in Industrial affairs
| here, will continue it's development work
| The company has under advisement at
| least two plants for the new year which
may or may not be announced. 1t is be
! lieved however, that before this time In
| Railroad company will have made an an.
! nouncement of wide interest here. In ths
general trend of affairs the company will