davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
More Sea Food Promised

Biloxi, Miss, February 10.-(SpeciaD
 An interesting meeting of Biloxi sea
 food dealers and shippers was held in
 the Commercial club last week for the
 p srpose of taking steps to conserve the
 output of sea food and to arrange also
 for an increase in production. Ernest Desporte, Jr., was elected chairman of the meeting and D. M. Mcintosh of Gulfport, manager of the Campeche
 Fish and Oystsr company, secretary of the meeting.
 Plans for increasing the scope of the
 sea food interests were fully discussed by those present at the meeting. The action of the meetin'~ of game com missioners, sea food representatives and food administrators of five states at New Orleans was ratified.
 The sea food representatives talked over matters pertaining to production with a view to increasing the Sutput. committee of three was appointed to appear before the next re rular meeting of the board of Missisg ippi oyster commission in March witt, a view to getting oysters taken from state reefs in the she'll The commit tee consists of w. P. Kennedy, Theo- dore Desporte and George Terry An effort will be made to have the chair man of the food administration at Biloxi act with members of the com mittee. It was stated at the meeting that
 on account of the adoption of reso- lution by the New Orleans meeting permitting the use of seines for salt water fishing. a number of local fish dealers are preparing to send boats to Louisiana marshes for fish and the
 supply at Biloxi will be materially in creased.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
 MILITARY ROAD HAS BECOME A NECESSITY
By GEORGE A. DUREN State highway engineer of Texas, in Baltimore Manufacturers Record

The great need of military roads has suddenly made itself manifest to the war department as well as to the gen eral public. It is now a matter of com mon knowledge that the excellent high ways of France made it possible with the use of motor trucks to change the re- suits of the war from a sure defeat of the allies to final victory
 Pershings expedition into Mexico brought clearly to our attention the i'm portant role that motor transportation would hereafter fill in modern warfare Great troop movements have already taken place in Texas over our highways. and 1t is telling no military secrets in calling your attention to the fact that the Sixth regiment of cavalry was moved over them from Maria to San Antonio. a distance of 450 miles, and that at the same time a full regiment, being the Eighth cavalry, was moved over ti1a highways from Fort Bliss at Fl Paso to Maria, and that a regiment of en- gineers went overland from San Antonio to Corpus Christi, and that an immense army wagon train travelled overland iron, Fort Sam Houston, at San Antonio. to
 
 time trip is being made by motor ord nance repair trucks on tour of the Texas border forts. There is now & con- stant stream with traffic of troops and equipment and military traffic over our state highways. On account of the enor- nous resources of Texas and on account Of its salubrious climate, enormous numbers of soldiers are being trained within the borders of the state. Large bodies of men and tremendous amount of army equipment with vast expendi- lures of money are now found on every hand within this state.
 All of the most important points of concentration of troops in the state with a few minor exceptions, are situated In the heart of the industrial and agri- cultural portions of Texas, along with the greatest concentration of the popu- lation of Texas.
 A system of military highways has been planned for the purpose of conserv- ing the resources of Texas and for the purpose of concentrating our efforts in order to accomplish the construction and maintenance of the most vital arteries of motor vehicle transportation of the state In my opinion these highways are of vital importance to the military and also to the industrial welfare of the state of Texas, and to the nation.
 The entire system of highways consti- 'tutes one of important military high ways, but in order to accomplish tho desired results we must begin with the most important and concentrate our ef- forts on same for the fulillment of our purpose.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
THE HUM OF INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTH
Mississippii's GroWth
 As Shipbuilding State

Gulfport, Miss, February lO.-tSpe- cial )-At the present rate of progress Mississippi stands a good chance to de- velop into a shipbuilding state of prime importance. Since February, 1917, barely years time, Secretary of State Powers reports that 21 shipbuild- ing corporations have been organized and chartered since the passage of the shipyard tax exemption bill in the ex- traordinary session in September, 1917
 These 21 companies have a combined capitalization of $3,o40.O0O, and have paid into the state treasury total of $3200 in corporation fees. These con- cerns, or most of them, will undoubt
 edly become permanent industries of the state, as it will take years to make up the enormous shipping losses caused by the war. In addition, they will create heavy demand for skilled and unskilled labor, bringing consider
 able new capital to this section and distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries, wages and pur- chases of raw material. It will be in- teresting to calculate the net gains to the state by the establishment of these shipbuilding companies, over the small amount of tax exemption, even leaving
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
SOUTHERN HARDWOOD
Club Fav0rs the Open Competition
 Plan

An Alexandria, La.. special to the American Lumberman says: The mem- bers of the Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers club, composed of man. ufacturers of Louisiana and Texas, in a regular meeting here wired it's rep |resentatives at Chicago at the session |of the Southern Hardwood Emergency bureau and vehicle manufacturers, pledging 10.000,000 feet of No. l and better oak and 15.000.000 feet of No. } and better oak to be furnished within the next six months at prices to be fixed by the emergency bureau.
 They also voted to have a commit tee, of which President Albert Deutsch Is chairman, represent the club at the Cincinnati session of the Hardwood Manufacturers association of the United States to urge the powers at Washington to take steps to route freight shipments for the American expeditionary forces and allies through southern ports and thus relieve eastern congestion and release cars for com merce. They also voted in favor of the open competition plan whereby reports of sales by members are to be sent to the central office. tabulated and sent out to memb for their information and education.
 The club voted to send members to Washington for period of two weeks each to give assistance to the govern men in placing orders, and President Deutsch was named to stay the first two weeks, to begin following the con- vention at Cincinnati. The president will designate the delegates to follow him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11

out the value of permanet improve ment that will eventually be placed on the tax roll.
 The following is a tabulation of the shipyards and their capital stock:
 Gulfport Shipbuilding and Manufac- turing company. s5Oo0; International Shipouilding company, s50,000; City of Pensacola Ship company. s150,000; City of Houston Ship company, s200,- 900; Gulfport Shipbuilding company, $50000; City of Gulfport Ship com raGy, $200,000; Biloxi Shipyard and Box factory, s1o,000; City of Beaumont Ship company, $200,o0o; City of Mobile Ship company, s2Oo,0 ,0O0; City of Dallas Ship company $200,000; Dierks Blod : gett Shipbuilding company, s15O,000; Arrow Boat company, $25,0O0; Interna- tional Shipbuilding company, capital increased from s5o,000 to s200, 900; Mississippi Shipbuilding company, s10o,000; Hodge Ship company, $200, 900 !: Coast Ship company, $1O0,000; City of Galveston Ship company, s200,000; City of Lafayette Ship company, s200, 900; City of Orleans Ship company. $200,000; City of Austin Ship company, s200, 900, and City of Waco Ship company, s200, 900.
 The improvements all along the coast of Mississippi mean big things for Gulfport, as all shipping goes out to sea via the harbor of that place
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
Tile in Fifty-Four Ships

An enterprising Savannah concern, the "A. F.. Reese Tile company, has received the contract for installing necessary tile work on 64 ships now under construction In Savannah. Brunswick. Jacksonville and Tampa, says the Industrial Index.
 The tile requirements for each ship are not extensive. consisting of about $500 of work for each vessel. but the aggregate os these contracts is a substantial sum. The contract, as a whole, which was received by MT. Reese from the emer- Gency fleet corporation, is one of the largest and most interesting of it's char acter awarded in the southern states in s1esat years.
 During the years that the A. F. Reese Tile company has been in existence it has been tile. marble and terrazzo con tractor on numbers of important struc- tures in the southeast. and so MT Reese had some fine testimonials to pre- sent when he went out to capture this government contract. His record and his ability to execute promptly contract of this character was investigated care fully, according to the usual government methodz. and then the work was awarded to him.
 Mir. Reese is now beginning work on this government contract His organi- &nt1on is such that he is able to carry a his ether work iA the usual manner
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
Big Lumber Deal

Gulfport Miss. February lo-7(spe- cial)-A deed has been filed h the office of the chancery clerk a,t Gulf port from the Wyatt Lumber cJrnpany and others to the Edward Hives Tel low Pine trustees on which arb affixed
 revenue stamps to the spount ot $390s.
 The deed is signed by tie Wyatt
 Lumber company. Edward Hines Lunl- Der company, Champion Llhber com pany, Wolf River I1umbeT company Lumbermen's Mill company Edward Hines Yellow Pine compahy and Ed
 ward Hines. individually. The trustees named in the deed are Edward Hines c. r, Wiehl and L. l.. Earth. Lands conveyed in the instruments. together
 with all improvements thereon are To- cated in Harrison, EAfcock. Stone
 Pearl River, Lamar. Mfrion and Wal thall counties.
 A second instrumsF filed for re. ! tcording, states the ,Frpose for which
 the Edward Hines Ysllow Pine trustees
 was organized.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
Booming Florence
 Plans Improvements
Amidst Great Industrial Activity, Questions of Health and Street Work Are Not Being For gotten-Many Dwellings and Apart
 ments Under Construction
By MABEL RANDOLPH

Florence, February 10.-(SpeciaD Within the past few days even more newcomers than at any time during the period that the announcement of the location of the great nitrate plant at South Florence was made have ar rived in this city and the efforts to accommodate them by the Chamber of Commerce and other sources have been taxed to the utmost. The hotels and boarding houses are filled to overflow ins and majority of the private homes have rented rooms or taken them to board, but number have been unable to secure accommodations and have stated that as soon as the wealth. CT will permit they will live in tents until houses can be built for them. A number of cottages and an apartment ent and many more will be erected just as soon as arrangements can be perfected to that end. The majority of those employed at the nitrate plant at South Florence prefer to live with in the city limits of Florence and the demand for more dwellings continues to grow, with an insistency that can not be overlooked.
 This rapid growth of necessity re- quires strong and active campaign for better sanitation and other meas ures for the preservation of health and to hasten this important work Dr. E. N. Walker, recently of Mississippi, has been employed to assist the peo- pie, and for the past several weeks has waged an earnest and thorough
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
|OPEL|KA MAN HAS PUNCTURELESS T|Rt R. c. Spratling Demonstrat ing New Feature to Gov
 ernment Officials

Washington, February Special )-R. c. Spratling of Opelika believes that he has perfected real and serviceable puntureless automobile tire.
 He has demonstrated it's good points to the American government, and to rep rescntatives of foreign governments By the English embassy. MT. Spratling was sent to New York to appear before the purchasing agency of the British govern ment
 MT. Spratling, together with the gem eral manager of company which he has organized to manufacture and sell his tire, is in Washington at the present time. He has asked for an authority to fix his tires onto the wheels of the au-. tomobiles of President Wilson, General Goethals and Senator Underwood
 The tire in question can be punctured by knife blade or pistol shot an indefi- nite number of times without lessening its efficiency. It immediately closes over each wound and thus prevents the escape of air
 One of his demonstrations consisted in the running of car 10 miles after one of the tires had been punctured 32 times by an automatic revolver.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
WOOD AS SUBSTITUTE
Conditions in the South Atlantic Sea-
 board States
M. J. Cothran. Rome, Ga. in the Balti

M. J. Cothran, Rome, Ga in the Balti-
 more Manufacturers Record.
 The same story comes from every source-empty coal yards, empty cellars, closed schools, icy office buildings-shv- ering and suffering people waiting for delayed shipments of coal to come through the hopeless tange of transpor- tation.
 For the densely populated or treeless and thinly wooded sections of the coun- try, as the middle and southwestern states. coal, petroleum or gas are the only sources of relief. But the states of the South Atlantic seaboard should take counsel within themselves and look to their wooded hills for help against such times of need.
 There Is, perhaps. no country in the world so heavily and variedly timbered as the states bordering or crossed by the ranges Of the Appalachian system. In most sections of our own state there is literally wood to burn-enough already down and going to waste on fence rows and back lots to go far toward the re- lief of immediate needs.
 In recent years the government has turned It's attention more and more ear nestly to the necessity for wise forest regulation. Right here in the heart of our own hills We should practice the wis dom and skill used in keeping the na- tional reserve forest areas up to re- quired standards. We are under no ne cessity of sending out a small army oi men to broadcast seed over the snow, as in reforesting thin or barren places in the Suislaw national forest of Oregon In this section timbered lot may be s.coaled off by charcoal burners. Ii left undisturbed. in one generation, oi S5 to 40 years, nature will reclothe the burned area with oak, hickory, chestnut or pine sufficiently mature to be oi commercial value
 It has always been ruinous policy to burn off the woodland. Now it should be crime, punishable by law.
 The output of coal is 50,0o00 900 tons short of actual necessities. Coal yards are empty. There is wood, wood everywhere but scarcely stick to burn, and the price double that of 60 days ago!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
Where Coal Shortage is
 Most Distressing
The Black Diamond said:


 The developments of last week proved-if any other proof were needed that the coal problem is not coal problem at all but purely and simply a mater of transportation.
 That is to say, good percentage of the 2o0 miles of main line of the Amer iean railways, their multiple tracks, their sidings and their yards were un- der snow and, of course, coal could not move over them. After the snow, zero weather came In the east and further crippled the motive power, and. of course, coal could not be moved under those conditions As a direct response to this crippling of transportation there came the greatest coal shortages in New York and Chicago that any American city has ever experienced It is impossible to picture in any phrase or set of phrases the suffering for coal in these two principal centers of popu- lation, and they were merely indices of the situation Of the country. Ordinary productive energy was Suspended Transportation was almost out of the question. What was reserved for house heating and running the transporta- tion lines was adequate for neither. People were all but freezing to death or were making frantic appeals for coal and in cold houses sickness grew and death came at an alarming rate. In the meantime the mines were steadily producing coal. Every empty car was filled with it. Every empty track adjacent to the mines was filled With loaded cars, and in some cases even the pit cars were filled with coal, raadV 0 ha dl,p, ipt cars where they were available. That is. coal production was going on all the time and there was enough on cars to have relieved the distress The diff ficulty was that it didn't get through to destination.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
Biloxi's Big Oppoftunity

Biloxi, Miss, February 10.-(Special) Biloxi's opportunity to become a great shipbuilding center is before the peo- pie and will be taken advantage of if plans undertaken by the Biloxi Commercial club are pushed to com pletion.
 The Liberty Shipbuilding company, which is composed of eastern capital ists, seeks site on southern waters and Is interested in the Back Bay o1 Biloxi location and will build its mam moth plant there provided the city will furnish a site. The site will cost $3500. and has been approved by rep sentatives of the shipbuilding con- pany. being located on the north shore of the Back Bay at the old brickyard property owned by D. J. Gay. The site is considered ideal by shipbuilde-s and has been investigated by mum Der of them. MT. Gay offers the site for $3500
 The shipbuilding plant. if located al Biloxi will bring to this city iron 5000 to 40o0 carpenters. shipbuilders and other workmen. Ocean going yes sells of big capacity will be constructed to the plant
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
ADJUSTMENT OF HEATLESS MONDAY STIMULATES TRADE Coal Production of District Is Still Being Pushed
 Industri0usly
POSSUM VALLEY IS
 HIVE OF INDUSTRY
Despite DisIocatiOn in Various Indus tries Because of War, 1918 Will Be Record Breaker
 for Birmingham

The fuel administrator action in re- scnding his heatless Monday order so far as it related to this section has had a brightening effect on local trade and on all industries to which it applied, As the worst of the winter in Alabama is past there doubtless will be a speeding up of certain lines of work.
 Coal production in the Birmingham dis trict is being pushed and at some of the mines the output is greater than ever before, but at others the miners are not putting in full time
 A prominent operator reports that the men at his mines are not working more than three days in the week. On the other hand, Horace Gibson of the West Corona company said last week that never in the long years of his experience in the mining business had labor been so satisfactory.
 "Our men are working six days in the week." he said, "and we are highly pleased with results. l know of other mines that are being operated at prac- tically a full capacity rate"
 There seems to be small doubt but that Alabama's coal production this year will make new high record. 1t will be so if the railroads can supply the cars
 The pig iron market is showing inn provement and production is again nor lnal. It is predicted that the make in this short month of February will exceed that of January.
 The cast iron pipe industry continues quiet and it may not become active for several weeks yet. Only such products as, come under the head of war necessi- ties meet with brisk demand now, but sewer pipe IS such a sanitary necessity that the time cannot be very far of when municipalities will be obliged to have it, and that, too, in considerable volume
 The Bartimore Manufacturers Records Birmingham correspondent notes that foundries and machine shops are still busy: the outlook is for a continuance of an active condition.
 The Ensley and Fairfield divisions of the Tennessee company are humming as yond Fairfield, the new construction work of the company is progressing at top speed. As much development enter prise on large scale as the Birmingham district has witnessed since the coming of the United States Steel corporation nothing was ever known hereabouts in an industrial way to equal the Tennessee companys vast expansion.
 Despite the dislocation of business as a result of the war. this year will mark Birmingham's greatest industrial activ- ity
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11
New Enterprises For
 South Are ConapiZed

vide transportation facilities. This Ken lucky coal enterprise was Incorporates in November with a capitalization of $25O.O00 by Virginia and Massachusetts capitalists
 Oklahoma lead and zinc properties Will be developed by the Magnolia Lead
 and Zinc company, Oklahoma City, in
 corporated with s250,000 capital by Oklahoma City investors Oklahoma lead and zinc mines will
 be operated by the King Bee Mining company. Miami Okla, incorporated
 with $250,000 capital by Oklahoma cap- italists.
 North Carolina mining property will
 be developed by the Carolina Rochester Mining company chartered with s2OO,- 900 capital by New York investors.
 Lead and zinc properties in Oklahoma will be developed by the Coalgate Lead ana Zinc Mining company Coalgate, Okla, incorporated with $150,00O capi . tai by Coalgate investors. Portable laundry equipments will be
 manufactured by the Broadbent Porta- : ble Laundry corporation, Washington, D. o., chartered with $10O,O00 capital by Washington investors Development plans are being consid-
 cred by the Georgia Iron and Coal com pany, Atlanta, for developing 45000
 acres or coal, iron and manganese land
 in Barrow. Cherokee and Dade couu
 ties They include the installation of
 mining machinery and blowing in the
 iron furnace at Rising Pawn. Ga
 A site of 466 acres on Hutchinson
 Island has been purchased by the Ma
 tional Shipbuilding and Drydock com
 pany of Savannah, Ga. which will build
 plant for constructing wooden hulls
 and barges. This company has $3 .000.- QUO government contract and recently announced it's intention to establish shipyards.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-11

canvass of the city, examination ol liie school children being included and on next Sunday afternoon will give free illustrated lecture on sanitation at the Theato theatre, to which all are earn est1y invited to attend. Arrangements arc under way for employing Dr. Wal ker as an all the year round field di- rector in the interest of the sanita- tion of the city.
 As soon as the weather will per- init, all the streets of Florence are to be improved, with the exception of those which are in splendid con-
 dition It is proposed to pave the downtown streets, where a white way will be installed. The streets in the residence section will be improved by a layer of chert, followed by limestone and the work will be started with Mo- bile street.
 The extension of the sewer system of the city is another important mat ter which is to be taken up at an
 early date, and 1t is planned to cover the entire residence section of Flor ence where not already in effect This will be of immense benefit from a health standpoint and also of cleanli- ness.
 The city commissioners are deter mined not 10 stop with half-way meas ures and everything tk&t will mean progress and betterment In public well fare will be pushed to completion as rapidly as circumstances will permit.
 With an active Chamber of Commerce,
 with Tive wire" secretary-manaeer
 at the head of 1t. great things are
 not only possible but certain, as the
 cooperative spirit Is strongly in evi.
 dence with the city commissioners and
 the citizenry all combined