Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-10-09
Observations
By The Editor
On A Little Trip Away
Prosperous Birmingham

To man who has been twenty
years away from Birmingham, Ala,
the city is so changed he wouldn't
know it. Indeed, it would be really
difficult to pick out landmark.
People of the North are so in the
habit of seeing and looking into the
growth and development of cities in
their section that they really do not
stop to bother about anything so far
away as Georgia or Alabama.
A Modern Wonder
Birmingham is modern wonder.
1t has grown so marvelously in the
past twenty years, and grown with
out blow or buster, that the outside
world has not been given a chance
to catch the spirit of enterprise that
has pushed it ahead in spite of an
apparent Indifference at home. If
the Alabama metropolis had been
given over to the same spirit of get
thereness that has characterized At
lanta, it would even now be much
bigger city. But it has lacked the
Atlanta hope, the Atlanta activity,
the Atlanta hustle.
Population Now 10000
The latest census bureau report on
Atlanta gives that city now 10000
population, while Birmingham is
oroItfoI ~ IN, 1010
Atlanta had 154, 500, Birmingham
only $4,000. Thus in five years
Atlanta has added $4,000 only,
while Birmingham has put on $4,000.
Greater Birmingham Has 212,O0O
Another startling fact put out by
the recent census figures is state
ment of the population of Atlanta
and Birmingham within ten mile
radius. Sticking a pin in the center
of the map of each city, the govern
ment nose-counter finds that in a
circle of ten miles around each city
there is at this time a population of
208,000 at Atlanta, and 212,000 at
Birmingham. These figures have
been gwen out at Birmingham but
not at Atlanta, for the two cities
possess an intense jealousy of each
other.
Birmingham would give her soul,
almost if she had the Atlanta enter
prise, and Atlanta would sacrifice a
great deal if she had Birmingham S
location and capital. Atlanta is a
better railroad center, and has more
small manufactures and the greater
push and daring. Whatever Atlanta
goes after she generally gets. There
seems to be no way for her to lose
on anything she wants. Yearning
for more capital, Atlanta still rushes
along madly, tearing open records,
and pushing precedent aside in going
after things that will help her ma
terial prosperity. The spirit of faith
that has built Atlanta is inconceiv-
able.
The Civil war and the States fool
ish act of reputation stood in the
way for a long time, but once start
upward was made, Atlanta went
along by leaps and bounds. Rich
mond that had long held the lead
among cities between New Orleans
and Baltimore, easily hoped and con-
fidently expected to be ahead of At
lanta in the 1910 census, but she fell
10000 behind. The mayor of Rich
mond wagered the mayor of Atlanta
hat on the 1910 census and lost.
In order to emphasize his stake into
human interest story, the Rich
mond mayor had huge hat of tin
made and shipped it to Atlanta On a
fiat car, with a big banner on it,
THIS is THE ONLY SIZE THAT
WILL FIT ATLANTA NOW. The
whole country enjoyed the joke.
A Parallel Between Two Cities
But getting back to the Atlanta
Birmingham parallel. Because Birm-
ingham is apparently forcing the
race at the moment, and apparently
doing things with a broader sweep,
don't fool yourself on Atlanta. Birm-
ingham people who have tested the
Atlanta spirit know that she is still
in the race and on the map, and that
she has a great big fight on her
hands. Atlanta spirit never dies. 1t
is the invigorating tonic that makes
the clear eye and gives added
strength.
Great Potential Strength
birmingham, vi ChC oChSA iieAiAN' -
waking up. Her potential strength
lies in the bowels of the hills that
surround her on all sides. 1t costs
Pittsburgh $11 for every ton, OF
iron she turns out. In Birmingham
they make it for Sc to So per
ton. And there is as much ad-
vantage to Birmingham on the
nations freight haul as to Pitts
burgh. At Pittsburgh they bring
the ore away from the Lake Superior
shore by lake barges, and it gets to
Pittsburgh over long, long haul.
The coal and coke are close enough,
but still the limestone is lacking
there, also, and Birmingham has all
three of the basic elements entering
into the manufacture of iron: Not
only that, but all three are close at
hand.
A Great Prediction
Judge Gary, president OF the
United States Steel Co., when ne