The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-23
President of Tennessee Con- pany Authorizes State ment In Regard to
 Future Plans
WORK ON $5OO,OOO
 FERTILIZER PLANT
 IS BEING RUSHED
Enough Orders In Hand to Run Mill Through September--Nonc of Furnaces At Ensley Will Be Blown Out-Crawford
 Is Optimistic
GEORGE G. CRAWFORD

George Gordon Crawford. president or the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail- road company, yesterday authorized The Age-Herald to say:
 There Is no foundation for tbe ru- nor that the operations at the steel plant will be suspended even tempor- ariIy.
 There may be given an unconditfon- al and absolute denial of the report that the work on the proposed $500, ,oOO fertilizer plant at EnsIey is to be held up. On the contrOry work on that plant Is nt this time being pushed forward rapidly and will not be stopped for a moment.
 No indications point to the cessn- hon of either of the six furnaces now operating at Ensley
 MT. Crawford was requested for a statement yesterday by representatives of The Age-Herald on account of the fact that on rumor's restless tongue there has been carried broadcast a statement that the steel plant at Ems ley was to be shut down. On account of the war it was also reported that the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company would close down some of the furnaces at Iinsley and that fur ther the proposed fertilizer plant would not be erected at this time To all these reports MT. Crawford gave absolute de- nials
 Information In Detail
 It was stated that the operations at the steel plant so far in August have been above the average. There is at this time sufficient number of or ders to keep the operations through September up to the average main tained during the summer. The aver neg during the summer, 1t is stated has been sufficient to keep the em- rloyes reasonably well provided for during the months that are almost in- variably dull.
 MT. Crawford stated that all six of the furnaces at Ensley are operating However, 1t was pointed out by Pres ident Crawford in order to leave no 1T accurate impressions that No. 1 fur mace has been operating continually for sometime and that necessity may force the company to refine that fur mace at any time. Until it is decided to refine it, however, it will not be shut down and even when it is de- cided to repair the plant an appro- rriation rather large will be necessary to carry on the work. As for the other furnaces it is stated that there is ab- solutely no likelihood of a shutdown any time soon.
 MT. Crawford in regard to the fer tilizer plant said that engineers were at work on the plans and the work would be rushed to completion as here tofore outlined. He said there was ab- solutely no foundation for the state ment that the work on that plant would be in the least measure delayed or held up.
 Crawford Is Optimistic
 In a talk with President Crawford yesterday it was the impression gath cred that he was not by any means pessimistic over the situation in this district but, on the other hand was inclined to believe that the present trace of uneasiness will soon disappear and the general conditions will be bet ter than ever before
 This statement authorized by MT Crawford, Is believed to be the first cne that he has sanctioned which had only rumor for it's foundation. He ia uraccustomed to denying ruinors af- fecting or aimed at the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company operations. tut consented to give or. the forego- ing information by reas f' of the fact that in business circles yesterday, pr1n- cpally at Ensley. the rumors gained wide circulation and were consider ably disquieting. The report travelled into Birmingham where those who were unhelievers tried to counteract the i'm pr ession made and only desired the Abatement of Mir. Crawford effectively to brand the rumors as unwarranted by fact.