The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-02
At the Lyric

Kelly and Wilder, two singers, assisted by two young women musicians, one a pianist, and the other a violinst, present a refined musical speciality at the Lyric for the first half of this week. They render melodies past and present m a pleasing manner, both fundamentally and vocally
 John D. Henshaw, of musical comedy experience, and Grace Avery, an ingenue, are entertaining and versatile in A Vaudeville Table D'Hote," which in cludes songs, dances, batter and char acterizations. MT. Henshaw and his part ner are proficient in the lighter forms of comedy.
 Ed Morton was called back repeatedly He soon made himself popular with his audience by his clever parodies. MT. Morton's songs while based on more or less familiar themes, are better written and contain more humor than the average comic song. The last stanza of each one can be depended on to win several en- cores.
 The Ham Tree mule did not create
  0oO.0O0 in December, 1915, and dividend disbursements will be $70000,000, compared with $49,000,O00 a year ago.
 Building operations at 152 cities in No vember totaled $71, ,000000, compared with $6S, ,00O,c0O in November, 1915, an increase of per cent. Building costs have in- creased considerably over a year ago and it is possible that. in spite of in creased expenditures. building operations in November were of less volume than in the same month last year.
 The lumber cut during October was again larger than lumber shipments to- taling 1,1S6, ,000,000 feet, compared with l. 140, ,000,0 coo feet in October, 1915, while Oc- tober shipments were 1,o67, 900 feet, compared with 1167 ,0O0,000 feet shipped in October of last year. The October cut was composed of 1,104, 100000 feet of soft woods and S2,OO0,o0O feet of hard woods, compared with 1,066, ,00O,000 feet of soft woods and 74,O0000O feet of hard woods cut in October a year ago. October ship ments consisted of 974,000,000 feet of soft woods and 93000,000 feet of hard woods, compared with 1,075, ,000,0O0 feet of soft woods and 100000 feet of hard woods in October, 1915. The October cut was 1 per cent larger than year ago but ship ments recorded a decrease of nearly g per cent. There would appear to be good promise of slightly lower prices on some grades of soft wood lumber.
 According to present estimates, the 19l6 cotton crop has been Il, ,511, GOO bales, which compares with 11,192.OO0 bales last year and 14, ,259, 900 bales the five-year average Cotton ginned from the 1916 crop to De- cember 1 amounted to 10359,0O0 bales, compared with 9.704,000 bales to the same date a year ago and 13O73,000 bales for the same period two years ago. Domes- tic consumption of cotton in November totaled 5S4, 900 bales, compared with 515,- 900 bales year ago. Stocks of cotton in consuming establishments on Novem- Der 30 amounted to 2,192O00 bales, conn pared with 1,614,000 bales on November 30 1915, and stocks in public storage and at congresses were 4.099,000 bales, compared with 4,9S2,0 bales year ago. There were g, T54, 900 cotton spindles active dur ing November, compared with 31. 4S9, GOO ac- tive in November of last year. The price compared with liz cents a year ago and a five-year average of 10.2 cents.
 The December 1 selling value to the producer of the 25 principal grain, fruit and vegetable crops of the year was ST. 642 000,000 compared with $5,S71 100000 for last years crop on December l, 1915.
 The shaping of business in preparation for the possible end of the war has all ready begun and this preparation will mean much in simplifying the readjust- ment which will naturaly come with peace in Europe, regardless of when that time may arrive.
 The officers and directors of this insti- tuition take this opportunity to wish you and your business associates a full meas ure of prosperity and success in 1917
 Compiled December 21, 1916.