davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

| he had successfully made coke pig iron
| in the OXmoor furnace of the Eureka
| Furnace company. From that time OH
there became active in the growing dis
trict such ironmasters as T. 7. Hill
man, the sloss boys. the Woodwards,
Colonel Thomas, Colonel Enslon, Col
onel Mabeu, Colonel Shook and James
Bowron--and along with them came
plans which ripened into the realization
of the Alice, Sloss, Pioneer, Woodward,
Bessemer and Ensley blast furnaces, all
of which We're opera, on red and
brown ores from the immediate district
and Alabama made coke. In addition
to the blast furnaces there came the
rolling mills at Birmingham, Gate City
and Bessemer, which marked the first
venture in the wrought iron produce
line.
In 1871, the year in which Birming-
ham came into existence there was
mined in the state of Alabama only 15,-
600 tons of coal and only 11,171 tons
of pig iron were produced in 1872. In
1881 there was produced 42O0 tons of
COAL 109,033 tons of coke and $3.50
tons of pig iron.
BY this time beehive coke oven build
ing was fairly well under way and the
Birmingham district had not only DEM
onstrated that there could be produced
a coke of good grade from Alabama
coal, but that Alabama ores would pro-
duce pig iron that was capable of
replacing the Scotch softeners which
were being imported into this country
for the benefit of the northern and
eastern foundres
There came along with this develop
ment of furnace building, coke manu-
featuring and mine opening, lively
railroad building movement in order to
get into the district to handle the raw
materials to the plants and in turn the
finished products to the markets of the
country. Linked with this great and
important movement are the names of
Milton II. Smith and Samuel Spencer,
and their names are worthy of per-
petual memory for the good they have
not only done for the Birmingham dis
trict but for the state of Alabama in
furnishing transportation facilities for
the carrying on of the business of the
thriving industrial plants.
1898 Panic Hurt District
There was genuine prosperity in all
lines of business connected with pig
iron, coal and coko until the panic OF
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

can see with almost realistic vision In
his reflective moments, the old pioneers
Coils John T. and w. J. Miner, Sam
uel Tate and Frank Wadsworth-as
they traced back in the declining days
of the sixties and early seventies, and
studied the topography of the country
on the north from Memphis, Chatta-
nooga and Nashville. and ON the south
from New Orleans Mobile and Mont
gomery-focusing the logical midway
point of the two imaginary lines in
Jones valley at the base of Red noun
tain and can see them, in meditation,
figuring out and concluding that the
valley and its environs should prove
to be rich producer and good feeder
for railroad system.
| Then again, a little later on, one can
see with equally as vivid imagination
| such men as Col. Henry L. DeBarde-
leben, Col. James w. Sloss, Daniel Hill
man and Il. II. Aldrich drilling and
prospecting the Appalachian hills and
valleys in search for ore. coal, lime
stone and other materials; and can see
them. after finding their treasures in
such close proximity to this point at
the base of Red mountain where al
ready the rails of the old Alabama and
Chattanooga and South and North rail-
roads had crossed, figuring out and
prophesying that such a point should
become a great coal and iron producing
center. 1t was at this juncture that
the dreams and hopes of the old pio-
neers were beginning to be realized
thus establishing the reason for and
making possible the Birmingham of
yesterday.
Along with the trend of progress
came the experts and geologists. They
traced the leads of ores from the Ad-
irondacks in the east through the APP
plachian system to central Alabama in
the south. and the coal bearing areas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

to that end the Cahaba and Warrior
coal fields were prospected. coal mined
and marketed. In some parts of the
country serious doubts were entertained
and expressed as to the availability
of southern Goals as coke producers
However, necessity, coupled with ambi-
tion, pressed the pioneers SO hard that
they were willing to risk their time
and money in making exhaustive tests.
The tests proved to be successful and
during the year 1876 the lines of the
old ONmoor furnace were changed from
charcoal to accommodate coke fuel con-
ditions.
1t was during this year that Il. 5.
Goodrich announced to the world that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

1893, at which time there was a dis
astrous slump. However, production had
steadily climbed until it reached In
that year 5,270,0l2 tons of COAL 1,16S,-
| 0S5 tons of coke and 726,SSS tons of
pig iron. In the year 1898 there began
to be a good sound revival of business
in pig iron, coal and coke, and with
/ this revival there came to the district
a new impetus. In the meantime young
cr men, in studying and working on
the situation, had become trained to
not only carry on the work which was
under way but were capable of reaching
out and expanding. These men were
| of such type as Col. T. G. Bush, G.
Mccormack, ErslSine Ramsay, j. W. Nc
Queen, w. H. Hassenger and j. II.
Adams. During the period of 1898 to
+ 1907 there was marked a new era in
Birmingham industrial activity. The
production of pig iron mounted from
1,033,676 tons to 1,GS6,674 tons; coal from
6.466,7i1 tons to 14,424,863 tons; coke
from 1,663,020 tons to 3,096,722 tons.
During the year 1898 there was also
ushered in a new project for the dis
trict--there was manufactured ar Ems
ley by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company blooms, billets, sheet
bars, beams. channels, etc, which
marked the trend toward steelmaking.
In 1902 another step forward was
taken--the Tennessee company success
fully entered upon the manufacture
of steel rails-the quality of Which was
recognized, and they were bought by
the largest railroad systems of the
United States. With the close of the
year 1907 came another panic which
not only demoralized the pig iron mar
ket, coal and coke industries of the
country, but forced industrial securities
down to a low level At this time the
United States steel corporation saw and
recognized the wisdom of investing in
Tennessee company securities. 1t did
SO and thereby became interested in
the Birmingham district and the state
/ of Alabama.
Real Prosperity Enjoyed
| A change of mana cement in the Ten
nessee company brought to the dis
| trict such experts as George Gordon
Crawford its president; +. III. Crock
ard and II. c. Rydng; and on the rec
ommendation of these gentlemen the
| Tennessee company received appropri-
ations for and has spent more tlan
s7,000,000 In improvements and better
ments of plants.
In addition to this display of faith
--~-~-~.~>~-~~~~~-~~~~~
(C0ntlnued ON Page Ten)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

of the Appalachian coal fields from the
northern boundary of Pennsylvania to
central Alabama in the south, a dis
tance of $50 miles, or approximately
70,S00 square miles of coal bearing
property. Already several small fur
naces were in operation, turning out
as product charcoal iron--chief among
which were the Oxmoor, Irondale and
Mary Pratt furnaces.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
First Opened in 1870

The growth and development of the coal
industry of the state date back approxi-
mately to the year 1870, when the mines
were first opened to trade upon an eX-
tended scale. Heretofore there had been
only the coal taken out that was required
by local users or by concerns within a
short haul of the mines. But in that year
modern mining implements were intro
duced b ytwo small companies: 100 miners
were put to work and gave the state its
rst statistics in the coal business, with an
output of 13,20O tons
That was considered very good at that
time, although it was never believed that
Alabama would develop into one of the
four greatest mining states of the conti-
nent Year by year the output was in
creased, new mines were opened in other
sections and some real attention began to
be directed toward the infant industry.
Finally the prospectors have opened
mines In 13 counties of the state These
counties are still the most prolific produc-
ing sections, though there is an untold
amount of coal still to be uncovered and
mined in several other counties as well.
jefferson is the greatest producing coun-
ty, leading all the rest by hundreds Of
thousands ftons of coal each year. Next
comes Walker and then Bibb, and the
other counties which produce substantial
ly the output of the product in the state
are Tuscaloosa, st. Clair, Winston. Eto-
wah, DeKalb, Jackson. Cullman, Marion
and Fayette. 1t was in Fayette county
that the recent discovery of the great
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
Work of the Pioneer

VOTh VI TIC lOitccI
On account of the imminent scarcity
of wood for coaling charcoal, it did
not take long for the pioneers to real
ize the necessity of a more permanent
and dependable fuel supply. Looking
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
COAL INDUSTRY IS ONE OF
THE STATES REAL ASSETS
Wonderful Development in Less Than so Years-AddonaI
Fields Are Discovered Outlook for the Future Is
Very Bright-Alabama Coal in Great Demand

The coal mining industry in Alabama
has reached such proportions that the
state this year stands fourth among the
list of coal producing states and is rapidly
forging into third place. Some idea of
the immense growth of the mines can be
CLEANED from the state mine inspectors
statistics, which show that whereas 1920
tons was the states coal output for 1870.
more than 16,513000 tons were taken from
the ground in 1872. Not only that for a
past record, but discoveries just made in
new sections of the state give promise
of the existence of coal mines of practi-
cally ilimitabe resources. In one county,
Fayette, alone the great Corona seam
has been opened to 10000 acres of mines,
with other untapped areas still in sight.
Last year there were %. 800 employed in
the coal mines of the state and this year
that number will be very largely in
ased. as the output is to be heavily in
creased.
And incidentally the coal taken from
the mines in Alabama is all of the highest
quality-indeed 1t ranks in the forefront in
this respect. and since all of the coal in
sight is of equal quality the expectation
of the product to other less favored states
is developing very rapidly, although Ala
! bama's own industries require millions of
tons of their own coal each year.
There are, of course, four kinds OF bi-
luminous coal mined in the state and
they are in the order of their quantity,
steam, domestic, coking and gas coal.
Themines are largely owned by three
or four great concerns and by a number
of smaller owners scattered throughout
| the state. Under the law it is Illegal for
railroads to have any interest In the coal
| mines of Alabama, but the great iron and
steel concerns, several manufacturers and
other big commercial concerns are heavy
holders of mines which they work both
| for their own use and for the sale of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
; Panic Hurt District

There was genuine prosperity in all
lines of business connected with pig
iron, coal and coko until the panic OF
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

Corona seam was made with it's 10000
acres of the purest and best of bituminous
coal In easy access of the railroads. a
great force of extra miners has been put
to work in that seam this spring and it
is estimated that before the year is out
it will have turned forth one of the larg-
est crops of soft coal of any mine in the
country,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
Committee ON MORALS
FOR NATIONAL CAPITAL
Rabbi Abram Simon Would Have
200 Men and Women
on Body.

The formation of a morals commit
tee" to be composed of about 200 men
and women Of the city. was suggested by
Rabbi Abram Simon in an address be-
fore the Brotherhood of the Metropolitan
Presby terrain Church last night. Rabbi ST.
mon also advocated placing brass plate
on the door Of every disorderly house in
Washington, with the name of the owner
of the property inscribed on it.
DR.. Simon said this scheme was re-
Gently adopted in Portland, Greg. and an
immediate improvement in conditions was
noticed. The speaker said it was easy to
discover the owners of property in any
other part of Washington. but to ascertain
the owners of the houses in the red
light districts was almost impossible.
DR.. Simon declared further that the peo-
pie here have not the courage to pursue
this suggestion. because the powerful
interests in the District would howl. ("
The speaker expressed pleasure that a
pastor could now speak to his congrega-
ton on such matters as the social evil,
declaring that the attitude taken toward
this question by the churches was very
gratifying Until recently, DR.. Simon said.
for the pastor Of any church to address
his congregation on such a QuestiOn-Or
any civic question, for that matter-was
thought to be out Of place. This view is
no longer held by the majority, the rabbi
said.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
TUGS D0CKED FOR REPAIRS.
0verhauling Needed for Two, Minor
Work on Another.

To receive a general overhauling of her
machinery the tug Advance, the largest
towboat of the Taylor fleet of this city. is
at a Baltimore shipyard to remain two or
three weeks. The engine of the tug is to
receive repairs, new furnaces are to be
put in the boiler and other work done to
make her available for work on the
Chesapeake. The tug until recently has
been under charter to a dredging COM
pany employed in deepening the chan
nels at Providence, r. l.. and since she
was built. over two years ago. she has
spent only a part of a day at this city.
her home port.
The work of rebuilding the boiler of the
Smoot tug Eugenia, which has been in
progress at this city for the past month.
is being pushed to completion and II is
expected she Will be ready to resume
service with the sand and gravel towing
fleet on the river about the middle Of
May.
Some minor work was done to the boil
er and machinery of the tug NJ Mitchell
Davis while she was in port here yester-
day. after bringing a light barge from
the mouth of the river to Georgetown.
She sailed last night for Baltfmore To
tow a coal-laden schooner to sea.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
TRAFFIC TIED UP BY
ACCIDENT AT BRIDGE
Virginians En- Route Home on Troll
ley Lines Delayed Until
Early Morning.

A short circuit that caused the burning
out of a cable box at the south end of
the draw of the new Highway bridge put
the trolley lines running from this city
into Virginia out of commission about II
o'clock last night and for hours the cars
to Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax
Court House and other points were tied
up. The residents of those points who
were in the city and started for home on
the late trains had a wait of several
hours and the last of them did not reach
their destination until after 3 o'clock this
morning.
To get the line in service it was neces-
sary for Supt Percy Cliff of the Wash
ington Utilities Company, to use emergen-
cy appliances to carry the current from
this city to the wires beyond the break.
The trouble was rendered for time.
Just about the time the department en-
ployes were coming into the city to work
this morning the electrical appliances
that open and close the draw OF the
Highway bridge became dfsarranged and
about an hour cars were stalled on the
bridge, but shortly after o'clock re-
pairs were made and traffic was regularly
resumed
The burning of the cable box last night
under the draw caused the bringing out
Of the freboat F'irefghter. and the crew
Of the boat assisted in extinguishing the
flames. Last nights accident is blamed
for the tying up of the draw this morn
Ing.
When a pillow was pulled from a Mount
Vernon car at 1919 and B streets north
west, this morning. the lie Droit Park
and the Washington and Virginia railway
lines were tied up. Hundreds Of en-
ployes of the bureau of engraving and
printing found 1t necessary to walk part
Of the way to work About the time most
Of them reached the bureau, the trouble
was repaired and traffic was resumed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
The Beef Supply Problem.

To the Editor or The Star:
In Your issue Of recent date is printed
a statement of Secretary Of Commerce
Redfield regarding cattle scarcity, noting
a decrease in production of so per cent
in beef cattle and an increase In popu-
lation of IL per cent. With these figures
as a basis for calculation and the GER
tainty of still greater increases In our
population the equation is very simple to
show that in five years porterhouse steak.
at present 30 cents a pound to the con,
sumner. will be about 81 pound, and
prime rib roast rib will have to advance
from % cents to 40 cents a pound and
all other cuts of beef will. of course. adj
vance in the same proportion. Knowing
the actual statistics and the absolute
certainty of the outcome, now is the time
for legislation to prevent this awful con-
dition going further. The United States
census bureau. established for the very
purpose of information for the Congress-
of the United States. has furnished these
vital figures. 1t is now up to Congress
to act. Conservation for the beef pro-
duction must be national. The falling
off i'm production is the result of calves
being slaughtered for the high prices
they are now producing, which looks good
to the farmer for quick sale regardless
of the loss sustained to his land by the
value as fertilizer herd Of cattle means
to a farm. The remedy exists: can Con-
gress give us the remedy? Pass a bin
prohibiting the sale OF veal for three
years within the United States.
GEORGE F.. ZEH.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
GUIDANCE
IN PUBLIC SCHOOL,
Board Of Trade Committee to Seek
Views Of Supt. William N.
Davidson.

DIR. William NJ. Davidson, superfntend-
eht or pSblic schools. is to be asked by
the vocational guidance committee of
the Board OF Xrade for his views as to
the vocational trimming of children. At a
meeting of the committee yesterday aft
ernoon doubt was expressed whether or
not benefit could be gained by the method
suggested by Prof. Gustave Blumenthal,
who advocates yae establishment of an
officer who sHAll have charge OF the
vocational guidance work. Members Of
the committed said they believe the pub
lie school is the proper place for the
individual study of the pupil for the
purpose OF determining the vocation for
which each pupil is best suited. They
said they believed that to obtain a cor
rect opinion of the fitness of each child
years Of observation are necessary.
Sixty per cent of the pupils in the Dis
trict leave the public school before or at
the eighth grade, the committee has been
Informed. Ten per cent of those who
finish the eighth grade go to the high
school and only per cent Of those go to
college. 1t is believed that with the
proper advice the boy or girl may be
placed Immediately in the line Of work
for which he or she is best fitted. Vo-
cationaI training is provided in the schools
of the District at present, but, according
to the views Of the committee, vocational
guidance is lacking.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
LEFT TO HER FATE.
Four asted Schooner Wrecked OF
Hulk of Sunken Vessel.

Wrecked, not on a rock or sand bar,
but on the hulk Of a sunken vessel near
Hillsboro Inlet, Fla. is the fate of the
four-masted schooner Alice Holbro0k,
formerly one of the fleet that brought
ice and other cargoes to this city and
took coal away. The Holbrook was bound
from Savannah to MatanZas, Cuba, with
lumber when she struck on the wreck.
which was unmarked. Soundings around
the vessel showed that she had run fairly
between the boilers OF an old steamship
and that her stem had been driven in
and the forward part of her hull. about
four feet below the water line, crushed in
The vessel filled with water within
twenty minutes after she struck and her
crew had to abandon her. going to Hills
bOro light station, and later they made
their way to the mainland and to their
homes In an endeavor to save the yes
sci her deckload of lumber was thrown
overheard, but she was too badly injured
to be worth salvage. and. after being
stripped of everything Of value, was left
to her fate.
The Holbrook was built at Camden.
Me-. in 1890. and was owned by William
r. Bovine Of New York.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
Final Rites for Capt. Joshua Gibson.

The funeral of Capt. Joshua Gibson,
oyster and fish handler at the nth street
wharf, took place from his home on 18th
street near Water street southwest yes
terday afternoon and was attended by
many of the oyster and fish dealers at
the wharf and from the uptown mar
kets Capt. Gibson was about his work
on the oyster wharf Friday afternoon last
as usual. and Friday night, while at
one of the oyster houses on the wharf
was stricken and died in few minutes.
His body was inferred in Congressional
cemetery. Four daughters, all grown,
survive him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
WANTS MARRIAGE ANNULLED.
Mary S. Stickney Cites That Husband
Is Mentally Incompetent.

Arinulment of marriage is asked in a
petition filed in the District Supreme
Court by Mary S. Stickney against Byran
Ii. Stickney. The wife charges she was
deceived as to the mental condition OF
Mr.. Stickney at the time of their mar
riage. She says her husband told her
he had been confined in certain institu-
lions because OF a nervous disease caused
by a bone felon.
The marriage took place in Baltimore
August IL, 1896, and during the honey
moon. the wife states. the husband acted
queerly, but it was not for some time
that she learned that he was mentally
incompetent. Stickney is now an inmate
Of the Government Hospital for the In
sane. and the wife wishes to be free and
to have the custody of their child.
Attorneys Fred B. Rhodes and Ebert
Johnson appear for the wife.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
LOCAL CREDIT MEN TO MEET.
Get Together" Buffet Supper to Be
Held at New Willard.

For the purpose of increasing the mem
bership of the organization a "get-to-
gether' buffet supper is to be held by
the Washington Association of Credit
Men at the New Willard at o'clock to-
morrow evening. Several members Of
Congress who are members of the Ma
tional Credit Mems Association are sched-
uled to make addresses. About 200 invi-
tations to the supper have been issued.
The local branch of credit men was
organized about two months ago and al
ready has a membership of more than
fifty wholesale and retail merchants
bankers and manufacturers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-29
TRIP PLANNED BY ALUMNAE.
Will Attend Commencement Exer-
cises at Mary Baldwin Seminary.

Plans for the attendance Of the Wash
ington contingent of the alumnae of the
Mary Baldwin Seminary of Staunton
Va, at the reunion to be held at the
seminary during commencement week.
beginning May ~. were made at a meet
ing of the District branch of the alumnae
association at meeting held at the New
Willard Hotel last evening A message of
greeting was read from NJ. Weiman, prin-
cipal of the institution.
Among those who attended the meeting
last evening were Mrs. A. W. Gregg Miss
Ella Moore, Mrs. Chauncey Williams Miss
Margaret Daniels. Miss Lena Daniels.
Mre. Thomas II. Blackstone, Mrs. T. w.
Stitt. Mrs. j. q. Williams. Mrs. Charles
Warden. Mrs. Jane Trinble, Mrs Flor
ence ChiidreSS Floore, Mrs. George A.
ArTnes and Mrs. Mamie Walker Turks