The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-01
Business lfeu " nk 1916
 Will Be est Year in
 History anu ui,e Reasons
(COninued from Page Fivc)

the past year, and this is no eXcep- ton, larger deals are made where the small ones cannot be made. The reason for this is that the small man is not very optimistic. However the small purchaser, the man buying a home and investing his savings, is the one that we have to look to for the greatest volume of business.
 "When small sales are made it shows that labor conditions are satisfactory and only when these conditions are met will we have a healthy market. There is a general feeling of optimism among the real estate men, not so much at the present time on account of the purchases that are being made as that there is more inquiry and more talk among the general public. For this reason I look for the coming year to be a very prosperous one as all indi- cations point in that direction. In this district at the present time with full pay rolls, improvements that are pro- posed for the coming year and the general tone of business, with the building of roads, the price of iron and steel advancing daily, I look forward to next year proving to be as good a real estate market as we had in Bir- mingham a few years past.
 NATIONAL OUTLOOK
 T. P. Hay executive secretary Birming- ham Real Estate Exchange:
 "The outlook for 1916, coming from the National Association of Real Estate eX- changes is exceedingly bright, and the manner in which the real estate lnterc cts Of America have been welded together through the influence of this powerful or g;,nization is a sure sign that co-opera- ton will be essential to real estate pros perity now anticipated throughout the realty world.
 Away out in Texas. where the big Elephant Butte dam has just been com pleted, settlers are coming into the ter ritory so rapidly that there are hardly erough real estate men on the job to properly accommodate the newcomers. They are just now completing the or eanization of a real estate exchange to handle these new developments in a more cooperative spirit.
 From coast to coast local real estate exchanges are publishing optimistic pre- 6ictions regarding the year 1916. In the grain states improvements in real estate during the past year have been steady and substantial, despite the depression. The tourist states-such as Florida, Cali fornia and others-write that they are anticipating a good winter. out are look ing forward to spring time with partic- ular interest, forecasting a practically normal condition by that time.
 "Cne of Clevelands real estate agents EreOlctS that lJlb ought redSOHdply U De the greatest in the history of real es- tate because of America S large gold sup ply, immense crops, good prices and the number of powerful factors working for the prosperity of the nation.
 IF nc instance, however, has any city pr edicted a genuine 'boom,' every proph- ecy being founded on facts as to why 1916 will welcome the return of even prosperity
 SOME CONTRACTS
 McLin J. Carter. real estate man:
 '"There is a decidedly enlivened tone in the present business conditions as com pared with conditions this time last year. Last year found Scent cotton. This year the farmers even hesitate to sell at F cents. Last year our iron industry was quiet and the market low. Now, every smokestack shows life, and prices have nearly doubled and are still soaring Last year, the merchants had long faces and idle clerks. Now. they report the finest business for several seasons. The realty market for long time dormant, is rap- idly taking on new life. These are unmis- takable evidences of money in circula- tion, and I feel that prosperous era Is surely dawning."
 SOL CAHEEN CONFIDENT
 q predict that the year 1916 will be one of the best for the business men we have had in a long while,' said Sol Ca heen. ''There can be no reason why we