The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-14
WIDE VARIETY OF
GOODS COME INTO
B|RM|NGHAMPORI
Many Changes in Direct I'M
ports Caused by Exigen-
cies of War
IMPORTERS SHOULD
ENCOURAGE PORT
Awtrey Points Out Advantages of
Having Imports Routed Directly
to Birmingham Instead
of Coast Points

The European war has made the sub
ject of foreign trade a current topic
and has attracted attention to the question
of importing.
Birmingham is one of the comparatively
few inland towns that are ports of entry
station having been established here
through the interest of a representative
of one of the big fish companies of Nor.
way. Birmingham was selected as the dis
tributing point for the products of this
company to retail merchants over the
southeastern states but the delay of ship
ments at coast town ports of entry neces-
STATED Birmingham being made a port
so that goods might be sent direct from
foreign countries; and so the local port
is an illustration of the Independence Of
the several countries.
The port was created through Congress.
man Underwood and the late Senator
Johnston at the solicitation of the Cham.
Der of Commerce after conference with
the representative of the Norway com.
pany, and a customs office was estab-
lished in the government building about
three years ago as a substation of the
and Mississippi.
Awtrey in Charge
1t was put in charge of Deputy Col
lector J. II. Awtrey last July, and since
then there has been active effort to in
crease the efficiency of this substation
1t was visited in October by Collector r
W. Maer of the Mobile port, who went be-
fore the Chamber of Commerce while
here and urged that it's members, through
their foreign commerce committee, en-
courage the importers of Birmingham and
the Birmingham district to bring Their
goods direct to Birmingham instead OF
clearing them through some sea coast
port.
In this connection Mr. Awtrey says: "By
having their goods shipped direct to Biz.
mingham the importers will effect a saw.
ing of approximately per cent of the
net invoice value of the goods and viii
avoid delay of their goods of from two
to four weeks. This delay is caused by
goods. upon reaching New York, for ex.
ample, being transferred to the store
houses of the United States appraisers
where they are opened examined re
packed and reshpped. Often the goods
reach their destination in damaged condi
ton because they were not properly re
packed after examination. When they ar,
sent direct to Birmingham they com,
through from the exporters without delay
and reach here in their original packages
without additional time or expenditure o.
money being involved.
THE Birmingham office should have
the support of the importers here. Mr.
Maer is endeavoring to strengthen thi.
substation. He is a thorough and prac
teal business man, and the Mobile dis
trict is to be congratulated on having g
man of his calibre at its head. In hi.
work with the local office he needs tht
support of the local importers, and earn
estly solicit them to help him in his eff
forts here by having their goods sent di
rect to Birmingham. 1t is not only t
their interest, but to the interest of thu
town that it should be recognized as {
customs office
This many of the importers here ar,
now doing, and Mr.. Awtrey is bringing th'
substation up to high standard and de
gree of efficiency.
Some Articles Received Here
A recent shipment was six packages o
toys for a local merchant These wer
sent from Germany and were to hav
reached Birmingham in August, but whel
the war came ON the exporter notified thu
consignee here that shipment could no
be made. Later he wrote that il the ood
were still wanted they could be sent, AM
so they We're started on September 80 b,
way of Holland and reached here the mid
die of November
Some weeks ago two handsome ostricl
plumes, a black one and a white one
came in from South Africa.
A few imports have come in at one tim,
or another from practically every countr,
in the world, while the standard import
coming into Birmingham in normal times
Mr. Awtrey says, are:
From Germany-Cotton and silk .-osiery
ba mboo. brassware, siverware, pins, cot
ton laces, silk laces. wooden goods, EN-
broideries, leather gloves, kid gloves, UNI
brellas. handbags, garden seed linens
musical Instruments, wines, toilet ar
ticles, celluloid articles, toys, blue, cottol
lery, smokers articles, jewellery.
From England-Felt hats, linoleums
hardware, garden seed, coal tar salt, sar
| dimes, pickles, marmalades, jellies, pre-
| serves, tea, linens, drugs, wooden goods
cotton goods, silks, WHISTLES. handker
chiefs, MEETINGS. jewelry.
| From France-Felt hats, wines. cham
payne brandies, liquors, paintings, ladies