davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
In the Magnitude of Its Industrial
Development Alabama Leads South
Corporation Enterprises
Comparys Work Being Pushed
Graphite Continues Attract Attenion-New Coal Company
With Woman It's President

only mining company having WON
, an for its executive head, and it is
said that none is more successfully
managed. The output to start with is
small--about 100 tons a day-1but Mrs
Terrell expects, to increase it shortly
to $50 tons. The coal is of a superior
quality and finds ready sale in the New
Orleans market.
Pig iron continues in brisk demand
Rogers, Brown &c Co. say:
"Rasic iron still remains very scarce.
Many thousands of tons could be placed
quickly if the iron was to be had
AS it is the countrys production of
steel will continue to suffer. when ii
is so lady needed. Bessemer and
foundry grades run close second to
basic, as regards scarcity, carload sales
comprising about the extent of present
transactions, although some occasional
fair sized lots We're closed, in most
cases, however, where furnaces feel
they are obliged to grant the plea Of
regular customers.
Southern furnaces, apparently, have
well filled order books, for it is vir-
tual1y impossible at present to procure
any iron from that district Besseme r
ferro silicon and slvery grades are
likewise unobta;nable The truth of
the matter is, we are fast approaching
a pig iron famine.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
THE HUM OF INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTH
LdrQe Increase Noted
In Louisiand's Syrup
And Rice Production


, sugar industry, however, the mule and
horse are going out of style, as in other
agricultural industries. and therefore the
purchases of tractors were heavier this
year.
1t is calculated that Louisiana viii
produce approximately 25,0o0,000 bushels
of rice this year. The acreage in rice
now, according to authentic estimates,
is about $4,000 acres. Railroad repre-
sentatsves interested in the rice belt
state that there will be a 40 per cent
increase in the acreage in the parish
of Calcasieu and an increase of from 20
| to Is per cent in the rice belt as whole.
| In some of the most southwestern
| Louisiana rice parishes the planters are
planting over the canal levees so as to
leave no land in the rice district idle
this year
A new 24O0- barrel-a-day mill VIII be
built at New Iberia. which is the heart
Of the famous Bayou Teche Honduras
rice country This is the first mill 10
be built in this part of the belt. From
tbe rice in sight now 1t counts on operat-
ing about eight months in the next Mir
ing season.
4 very encouraging characteristic OF
the situation in the rice parishes is the
fact that the use of tractors on rice
farms has increased more than 90 per
Icent since last season.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

While Industrial activity is in evil
dence throughout the south, 1T is safe
to assert that the aggregate OF new
development work is far greater in
Alabama at this time than in any oth-
err southern state. Enormous expendl-
lures are being made by the govern
ment at Sheffield and Florence and
by the United States Steel corporation
in the Birmingham district, and at
Mobile, to say nothing of the activi-
ties of some of the smaller interests.
The outstanding industrial an
nouncement of the past week was that
of the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Rail
road company, that it construct at once
an addition to the Keepers by-product
coke ovens at Fairfield, consisting of
two additional batteries of II ovens
each, together with complete by-prod-
uct recovery plants.
This is a patriotic enterprise on the
part of the Steel corporation The
government needs ammunition and in
order to increase the output, more toll
uos ammonia and benzol must be SCI
cured Hence the additional Koppers.
In normal times these batteries
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
Will Build Concrete
Ships at Savannah

shipbuilding plant for the con-
struction of concrete vessels is to Re
established at Savannah on tract Of
80 acres, which has just been pur-
chased says the Industrial Index. The
tract is on ST. Augustine creek. three
miles from the city.
War Widing, representative OF the
company which is to build the plant,
has been in Savannah for sometime
inspecting sites and collecting data
concerning the facilities there for
building concrete ships.
The location is considered ideal for
the purpose. The site is where the
river curves at Caustin Bluff and will
make possible the launching Of ships
both up and down stream. This partic-
ular feature. it is known, was instru-
mental in deciding the selection or the
site in Savannah. as locations have
been inspected as far south as Key
West
The nearness of the city to the Tybee
division of the Central of Georgia rail-
way will enable the company to con-
meet its plant by spur, thus insuring
adequate rail connections.
The company will build concrete
cargo ships. 1t is said that it has q
design to build ships of a larger car
go capacity than has ever been at
tempted. 1t is not known whether the
company has a contract with the gov
eminent to build ships. but II is said
the project at any rate. Will be under
government patronage.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
Prominent Coal Journal
Takes Pessimistic View

While mining operating in the Ala-
bama field show high record proouc-
ton, complaint is heard in other sec
tions. The Black Diamond, in It's IS
suo of Saturday, discusses the situd-
ton interestingly but pessimlsticaliy
as follows:
Current statistics of the coal trade
are far from encouraging. The known
need for coal is 100000 tons per
month greater than that of, last year.
The known production for January
and February was 100000 tons per
month less than that of last year.
On an annual basis, the country
must increase production 1oo0oo,oOo
tons. 1t starts out with deficit OF
6, Geo, 900 tons. To make good the dehcit
and to meet the new demand the
monthly production from now on must
increase by 100000 tons.
Perhaps the task would not be. in
superable if the people were alive to
the need 1t might not prove impos-
sible if the railroads were dead IN
earnest about moving coal. and were
restricting their coal cars TO the
movement of coal only.
The people are not alive to the seri-
BUSINESS of the coal question. For the
last month or more, far western mines
have been closed down for lack of orders.
For three or four weeks the same thing
has been true in the southwest. For the
last three weeks, mines have been closed
in Illinois and Indiana. Reports this
week indicate that mines in Kentucky
and some mines in Pennsylvania have
actually been shut down for lack of or
ders For the first time in year and
half the operators in the Pittsburg dis
trict have unsold coal on their hands
and offered it to the jobbers this week
| Clearly the governments expectations OF
| a runaway demand throughout the year
are not being realized
The railroads are not devoting their
cars solely to the movement of coal
Coal cars are being used for other pur-
poses The writer of this review on
Wednesday of this week saw long
string of coal cars loaded with automo-
biles on the tracks of the Illinois Cen
trail on Chicago's lake front, opposite
the loop district. Other instances OF
similar character are reported from all
parts of the country.
Another influence against production is
| the fact that in the west the railroads
| and the coal mines are engaged In a
| lively controversy over price. Tne ran
roads want a concession below the gov
ernments price The coal mines reruse
and rather than sell coal to the railroads
| are closing down their properties. In
! one district this week 10 mines were
! shut on that account
| AS soon as the price question is solved
all the railroads propose to enter upon
big storage propaganda. Between today
and the middle of July is about all the
time that the mines will be able to de-
vote to this storage movement. Since the
programmes run into millions of tons.
price controversy will have to end soon
or the storage coal cannot be moved.
Everywhere the market has been de-
cidedly softer. This will indicate the
lack of interest on the part of the public
in the coal question. In a word, 1t
takes something more than patriotism TO
get the coal moving. That something
more has not been supplied.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
Former Birmingham Man
Writes on the Excellent
Roads Built in Floridt
Geo. K Armes Calls Attention to Fact That Most of tn
States Own Highways Are Paved With
Brick Made in Birmingham.

|
/ AS the motor truck is only waiting
for the right kind of roadhed to bt
used extensively for short hauls OF
1 freight, to the relief of railroad con.
| gestion. and as Alabama and other
! southern states are being urged tc
start new drives for better highways
| these excerpts from a paper by George
K. Armes, division engineer of the
| Florida. road department, printed in
| the Baltimore Manufacturers Record
will prove of exceptional interest.
| Twenty years ago there were prac-
| tically no roads in Florida worthy Of
mention. 1t is true that some Of the
cities were paved and all of the town.
were connected by trails, but it was
quite an Undertaking to try to drive
| from one county to another.
| To-day there are nearly 5000 miles
/ of hard surfaced roads in the STATE
| These highways, along with other adj
vantages, are making Florida famous,
] and tourists are coming here in great
| mum bers to spend their winters. At the
| same time the residents are realizing
more than ever what good roads can
| do for a community and they are now
i :
ress."
After remarking that the automobile
was the greatest factor in the promo
ton of improved highways, Mr.. Armes
continues:
For several years after the agita-
ton for good roads began the county
officials were confronted with some
very perplexing problems. Only few
men in the state had ever had expo
rience in road building and it was,
therefore, impossible to secure experts
in this line. Each county was a law
unto itself and each set of county com.
nissioners felt that they knew more
about road work than anyone else in
the community. Very generally they
were right, too for not many of their
fellow citizens had given much thought
TO the matter.
The big problem was the matter of
financing. The general fund was not
sufficient in most cases. to even start
road work. AS solution to this prob
lem the method of bonding was adopt
cd. This was patterned more or less
from the railroads, but it did not occur
to our county fathers to follow the
railroads lead any further. The law :
yers' work was finished as soon as
the money was raised, and little
thing like the location or the construc-
ton could be handled by anyone No
such word as maintenance was ever
dreamed of. for the roads would be
built and it was expected that they
would stay put
1T was, therefore, not to be won
dered at that great mistakes were
made. for who was there to show the
way? The highway engineer in the
United States is very recent addition
to the ranks of the profession, excep !,
in extremely small numbers.
after few years of experimenting
the people woke up to the fact that
their money was being woefully vast
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

would have involved a large expendi-
ture, and now, when the price OF ma
terial is exceptionally high and the
price of labor is exceptionally high,
the cost of construction will be far up
in the millions. Only the war crisis
makes this expansion work imperative
and justifies the expenditure. In the
circumstances. therefore, the Steel cor
poration did not hesitate to go ahead.
The building activity of the Ten
nessee company beyond Fairfield keeps
on without interruption. Labor condi-
tons are satisfactory, and rapid prog
ress is being made all along the line.
The graphite field is still attracting
attention, but only three negotia-
tons have been reported \ within the
past Few days. Alabama is now wide
~ known as the graphite state, and
after the war great deal of new capt.
tai will seek investment in Clay and
other counties where graphite rock
abounds.
Coal production in the Birmingham
district is now at a larger rate than
ever. One of the newer operations is
the Town Creek Coal company at EN-
pre-. IN Walker county of which Mrs
=. e. Ferrell is president This is the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

A New Orleans special to the balu-
MORO Manufacturers Record says;
Greater development of the LOUISIANA
cane syrup business is indicated by Neri-
fed reports that the American Sugar Ike
Aninc company has decided to estaonsn
a syrup canning plant at ChalmetSe
which will operate in conjunction with
their already immense sugar and coop
erage plants at that point near this CITY.
A large purchase of syrup and moiasses
tank cars is said to have been made by
the company to be used exclusively In
connection with their New orleans syrup
project
At the same time come reports OF the
establishment by several syrup factories
of canning departments so as to can
and distribute Louisiana. cane syrup d.
rect from the plant of production. Be-
sides these additions of canning facto-
ries, these syrup houses are also being
thoroughly overhauled and new ana
more machinery installed.
Something like 100000 or sSeoo'ooo
were spent this year for new mules ana
horses for sugar plantations, In the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
New Jersey Graphite Co.
Enters Alabama Field

Mountain Creek, April 7.-(Special.)-lt
is reported, and the information seems
to be authentic, that the Flake Town
Graphite company, located in the hills on
Chestnut creek, three miles north of
Mountain Creek, has been taken over by
a New Jersey graphite company.
The Flake Town Graphite company has
for several years been operating and do
ing large business. The Taber in
terest is composed of Montgomery CAPT
tAlists No official statement has been
made as to the sale Of the property.
since the war created such a demand
for graphite the profits of the Flake
Town Graphite company are said to have
been immense. Graphite just previous
to the commencement of the war sold for
6 and cents per pound, and of late,
and in fact for the past three years.
graphite has been sold for as much as
n and 80 cents per pound.
Within few miles OF the Flake Town
plant there is the Dixie plant, which
has been doing considerable business
Recently The Age-Herald correspond
ent made trip to some graphite mines
and properties near Sylacauga, and
learned that j. w. Brown had closed a
deal on Or about April 4, with some Bir-
mingham gentlemen for the sale of 2O
acres Of graphite land holdings
A rich graphite vein runs from Clay
county through portion of Talladega
and on through Coosa county to Chiffon,
terminating about 10 miles east of Clan
ton. On this vein there are some rich
graphite mines owned by several Clanton
men which, it is understood. will soon
be developed.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

Birmingham council. No. es5 Knights
O. Columbus. Thomas j. Crittenden,
grand knight, initiated a large class
OF candidates yesterday. The days pro-
gramme began with the members Of the
order and the candidates proceeding in
a body to st. Pauls church at 1850
o'clock to assist at high mass The Rev.
Father Diviney, assistant pastor. was
celebrant and preacher. After reading
the epistle and gospel in English. he
delivered a sermon on the sacrament OF
penance. in which he urged all Knights
Of Columbus to become members Of the
Holy Name society and receive commun-
ion every month. In the course Of his
sermon Father Diviney sounded q strong
note Of patriotism.
After mass luncheon was served in
the Knights of Columbus hall. The work
|cf conferring degrees follow the
lunch. The ceremonies we're concluded
1T go p. m.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

(, ed The roads were not holding ul
and the bonds were rapidly maturing
The poor county commissioner had Il
stand the brunt of the numerous in
! dignation meetings, with the usual rel
suit of the election of an entirely ne1
| board.
/ The Florida legislature was finall]
! petitioned to provide for state high
| way department. After several session.
| of this body of lawmakers a bill cre
| ating the state road department " al
enacted. In the fall of 1915 Governo|
Irammel appointed five of the besI
known good road boosters in the stat
! 70 serve as a commission. These mel
all serve without pay and they devotl
great deal of their time to th|
cause.
me department has worked out
general plan for a system of roads co,l
meeting all of the county seats and I'M
portant towns with one another TIL
missing inks in these main roads vii
nrst be built and then attention will b
turned toward widening all of the na1
row roadways.
Two trunk lines have been DESIGNATED
as federal aid projects. One of them vii
De highway from Pensacola to Jackl
sonville, following the old Spanish trail
across the northern part of the eta 4
and passing through De Funiak SpringJ
Mariana, Tallahassee, Live Oak AMI
Lake City. The other will start at th|
Georgia line and run southwark throu4
lhe center OF the state, passing through
Lake City, Gainesville, Ocala, LeesburpI
Eustis, Orlando and Arcadia
During the past three years the traf
tic on our roads has increased tremenI
dousiy. What was considered the bes|
simply will not support the heavy moto|
trucks. and more permanent paving ii
now required.
There are several very acceptabll
forms of paving in use, among which arI
the Dunn wire-cut lug brick, with eel
ment grout filler; bituminous concrete|
asphalt, in it's several forms, properll
laid on good foundation. and concret|
constructed of some hard rock TIL
concrete. however, has been found tol
expensive. as hard rock has to bl
brought here from other states, because
our native limestones are too soft fol
wearing surfaces and the local deposirI
of flint are too small for general use
Most of the brick used in the stat|
for paving comes from the Birmin CHA Il
district, with fair percentage beinI
shipped in from Tennessee and Georgia.
The freight rates make it quite fexpenI
sive, so only u Of the 81 counties havI
adopted that type of surface.
THE majority of the county commits
sioners are now beginning to realizy
what the road department means to-thI
state, and a great many of them arI
seeking advice and instructions at ever]
opportunity. Some of the counties arI
turning over their entire trunk-line word
to the department, and it is now up II
the engineering staff to secure results.
A Hungarian inventor has succeed
ed in sperfecting a wooden soled sho{
Z that iS fIayifxfn $50
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
South Not Only Feeds
Itself But Helps to
Feed Other Sections

L. ". McCollister of New Orleans has
compiled for the Manufacturers Record
valuable statistics Of food production,
showing that the south is outstripping
certain sections that were believed to be
ahead of us. Sixteen southern states
produced farm crops in 1917 valued at AZ
per cent Of the total yield of the United
States as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

$4193. ia, 900
The above is indeed interesting, says
the Record, and will doubtless surprise
even those Of the south who are best in
formed in regard to what the south has
actually done in the way of increasing
its production of food and feed supplies
since 1915.
ures 81, 800, 600 900 of AGRICULTURAL nroducts.
900.
From the above it will be seen at a
glance that the south is not only already
feeding ITSELF but is really overlooking
itself, and the records show we are ship
ping considerable of our food and feed
supplies to our sister states.
In fact as Mr.. Simpson so aptly re-
marked to friend, "the above figures
show that the New England and the Do,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
brought from Scotland several years
ago by his grandfather

Literature for the third Liberty
Loan campaign has been received by
Mrs Frederick B. Dodge. general chair
man for the Ensley district, and has
oecn distributed to the members Of the
committee. Actual work in the car-
vass will be started on Monday.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
TimberIand Sales

Little Rock. April THE Arkansas
Timber Land company has recently
purchased an $4,000 acre timber tract
in south Arkansas The consideration
was 1925. AMI was one of the most
significant transactions that have been
effected here. W. ! Hemingway, presf-
dent of the Mercantile Trust company.
represented the former owners. Hough
& Redw-iEe of Cunne.ticu. and others.
The land lies in solid tray. in Ash :
ley, Brady. Calhoun. Onachita and
Union counties and contains some Of
the largest hardwood forests il. Amer
lea, which the present ownership will
develop and put on the market
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

Lady Bathurst, who is proprietress
OF the London Morning Post, is an adj
vocate of conscription being applied to
women for war SERVES.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08

A Hungarian inventor has succeed
ed in .perfecting wooden soled sho
that is flexible.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
ADJUSTMENTS

The general meeting of the Ladies' Aid
and missionary societies Of the Ensley
Baptist church will be held Monday aft
ernoon at 2:30 o'clock at the church.
Tuis is the last meeting Of the societies
for the convention year and a good at
tendance is especially urged.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-07-11
NAMED SECRETARY
Of COUNTY FAIR

S. A. Pelton has been named secre-
tary of the Sank County Agricultural
society to succeed w. E. Baringer, who
has resigned. Before the election Of
Mr.. Baringer, Mr.. Pelton had been Sec
rotary for seventeen years, and he is
thoroughly acquainted with the ms
and outs of the necessary things to
be done to make a successful fair. At
the time of his election Mr.. Baringer
was secretary of the BarabOo CONNER
ciaI association, but since the war
came on he has again taken charge of
the Corner Drug store and the COM
mercial club has become inactive for
the present. The president of the fair
association has been interviewing the
farmers and all are enthusiastic to
hold an exhibition this year. There is
every indication that there will be
fine crops, and since a number of
neighboring fairs will not exhibit, it
seems opportune to have bigger fair
than ever at Baraboo this year. Mr..
Pelton will begin at once to prepare a
program which will be superlative in
character.