The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
FAIRFIELD MILL THE BEST WIRE PLANT IN WORLD SAYS bACKUS Vice President of Company
 Here With Party of
 Officials
PLANT EVENTUALLY
 TO EMPLOY 1900 MEN
Tonnage Will Be Gradually Increased to 400 Tons Per Day-Party Guests of Lutz at Dinner at
 the Newspaper Club

That the American Steel and Wire com pany plant at Fairfield is the best wire plant in the world. is the statement made last night by r. Backus vice president of the American Steef and Wire com pany. He reached Birmingham yesterday at noon at the head of a party of off pally of the sales daptrement who came here to look over the plant at Fair field. The officers went to the plant yesterday at noon and remained there during the greater part of the after noon.
 During the late afternoon they went to the Country club for a short time, and then to the Newspaper club for dinner. The members of the party were highly enthusiastic about the city of Bir- mingham.
 Mir. Backus said las, night. in speak ing of the plant at Fairfield that the hope was entertained of working up to 400 tons per day at the Fairfield plant, which would mean a production of over 120.0Oo tons of steel wire and nails per year. He said that to work up to that tonnage would require sometime. He said that in all 1900 men would be employed whereas only 600 are employed at this time. That fact will be of unusual n- terest here, inasmuch as it has never been clearly known how many men would be employed or how great the tonnage would be.
 Members of Party
 MT. Backus is accompanied by his son. r. Backus. Jr., of Chicago; Ernest Bailey of Chicago, Waiter c, Stone of Chicago, T. II. Taylor of New York, II. G. Baldwin. superintendent of the order department, and George A. Cragin of Worcester Mass. The officials will be here until tomorrow night. it is under stood They are travelling in q private car of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern rail- road, which arrived here yesterday on the Southern railway.
 Mir. BaclSus last night said
 Our triy here is for the purpose of looking over the Fairfield plant. We are delighted with what we have seen. Ofl course, the plant is not turning out any great tonnages at this time. but We hope to be shipping steel products soon. The plant at Fairfield Is the best wire plant in the world, without any exception It Is the latest plant that our company has constructed and every modern and late idea has been embodied in the con struction. It is one of the best that we have ever erected and takes rank, in my judgment, over any wire plant that has yet been constructed.
 I've have there at this time about GOO men. l am told. This number will be increased to 120O as rapidly as possible. We hope to train the men We employ here This l think will be comparatively easy. l am told that the plant here Is in good shape and I know that We expect to make shipments fron, the plant without any great delay We will make ship ments soon. but the plant was erected to take care of 400 tons of products per day and that tonnage will be reached in time. We are very greatly pleased with the Fairfield plant and our salesmen are anxious to get busy working our trade with products from 1t. In time we hope to show that this plant is really one of the most important that the corporation has yet erected.
 Much Pleased With Visit
 q am very much pleased with what l have seen of Birmingham. It Is really remarkable city and l am delighted with It. I have been here before. but this seems like visiting new city There can be no question ljut what Birmingham has a wonderful future"
 MT. Backus and the party of Amer ican Steel and Wire company officials were guests of C. w. Lutz. at Che News paper club last night for dinner. Secre- tary Dameron served the party in the private dining room. The visitors were taken on the observations platform and show the illuminated city from the van tage point. There are very much inn pressed. The officials called upon several well known citizens during the day and were very much pleased with the cordial relations that exist here between the peo pie generally and the corporation plants in this district. Mir. Backus and the members of his party will separate here Some of them will return east while oth- CTS will remain few cays longer layed three years. The whole question should be considered along broad lines with due reference to the rights of all concerned. The railroads were here first, they have helped make Birmlng ham what 1t Is today. and their con tinued existence is necessary to the future growth of the city. No unnec- essary restrictions or unreasonable bur dens should be placed upon them. but