The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-24
Every Man Is a Booster and
New Industries Are Being
Located Constantly
PRESENT PLANTS
ARE ALL RUNNING
AT FULL CAPACITY
Gulf States and Other Industries Are
Enjoying Remarkable Period of
Activity and Demand for
Products

BY CLARENCE G. THOMSON
Gadsden, November ,-(Special.) -Alive
to the spirit of the times and enjoying
more prosperity than for many years,
Gadsden, one of Alabama's livest wires,
is experiencing a near boom.
In the entire state there probably is
not another town making the show of
prosperity and progress that is in evil
dence in GaGsden. With her millions OF
dollars worth of industries running full
blast and expanding to take care of
more business, this district may easily
be classed with the most prosperous sec
tions of the country.
"A town without knocker'that is
what Gadsden claims, but whether this
be true or not, it is town filled with
boosters, who boost their town by deed
and not by hot air.. The business men
are alive and decidedly active in the
interest of this section. Broad minded
enough not to confine themselves to the
corporate limits of the town. these men
60 after everything in sight and prece-
dent shows that by this method they
have made hay while the sun shone. -
.GADSDEN SPIRIT PERvADES
1t is difficult to remain in this pros
porous north Alabama city a fortnight
without getting the "Gadsden spirit "
This spirit is the most common thing
in the city, because everybody has it,
There is not missing link in the chain
The pull is steady and adding new
strength daily. The city is spreading it
self; expanding, growing by leaps and
bounds to keep abreast with the times
and fill demands that accrue from its
vast natural resources.
Steel mills, by-product plants, car fac
tories, cotton mills, pipe works and the
score of other industries are experiencing
one of the busiest seasons in the history
of the town. Thousands of persons are
being given regular employment the
number being largely increased by dou-
BILE shifts to take care of the orders.
Many of these industries, either have or
are planning expansions and adding ia
cilities to increase their output and take
care of the orders they are receiving.
Other industries in grouping around for
locations have been induced to locate in
Gadsden and the building of more indus
tries for this section will be started soon.
In the matter of locating the indus
tries, the business men have demon
strated the "Gadsden spirit" more than
in any other way. The Chamber of Com
splendid building sites, and the construc-
ton of several plants will begin imme-
diately, which will add to the already
large pay roll of the city.
SHOWS RAPID GROWTH
An idea of the rapid growth of the town
IS to be had from the government CEN
sus figures. In 1900 the population of
Gadsden was given at 1888, the next CEN
sus of 1910 showed population of 10,557,
a total increase of more than lat per
cent. This is an increase practically I'M
rivaled, while the federal estimate of the
population for 1916 places the figure at
1852.
Gadsden has a monthly pay roll of
about $350,00O or approximately $4,000 600
annually. In the various industries of the
district it is estimated that more than
$500 men are employed aside from the
many small industries and enterprises.
The Gulf States Steel company has the
largest plant and employs more men than
any other industry. This company en-
ploys more than 5000 men in its plants.
The Gulf States Steel company is en-
joying greater prosperity than ever be-
fore. Recent activities in the Gulf States
stock, when large dividends were declared
may be taken as evidence of the pros
perity the company is enjoying. This
dividend was due largely to the large out
PuI III oStopei. lhS SduSueil pldillS pro-
duced during that month 10000 tons of
steel, the largest output exer recorded for
any single month.
Another evidence of the prosperity of
the company is shown in the many i'm
provements being made. Recently 81
Hopper by-product coke ovens have been
built and most of them are now in ac-
ton. They are used to make coke, while
the by-product gas is utilized in the steel
plant. They also extract the by-products
of benzol, toluol and papthaline from