The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-25
BIRMINGHAM MAY
 WIN BOTH POINTS
 RESPECTING RATES
Committees to Atlanta and w ashingt ton Return. After Water and 'Steel
 in Transit" Rates

Two of the freight rate propositions Birmingham recently put up to the United States railroad administration seem to be in a fair way of realization
 Delegations, which were in Atlanta and Washington last week conferring with officials of the railroad adminis- tration with reference to modification or readjustment of rates to Birming ham have returned home and they bring very encoura ging reports with them.
 One of the committees went to Wash- ington to confer with officials aoout the proposed rail and water rates by way of the Warrior river to Birming- ham and the other appeared before Re- gional Director B. l.. Winchen at AL lanta to push the petition for fabrica- ton of steel in transit rate to Bir- mingham.
 Both of these matters mean a great deal to Birmingham and if granted, which now seem altogether likely, will enable Birmingham merchants to en- large the trade territory now served by them.
 FOR WATER RATES
 On the delegation to Washington were: James R. McWane, chairman of the Warrior river development com nittee and president of the American Cast Iron Pipe company; o. L. Bum, secretary of the Birmingham TraHlc association; S. L. Yerkes of F. A. Grider & Co.,; J. Frank Rushton of the Frank lin Coal company; w. Carson Adams of Adams, Rowe & Norman Unc); E. l.. Adler of the Corona Coal company; Phil Lynch of the Tyler Grocery com pany; Nick Carter of G. w. Hopson X Sons, and A. B. Aldridge of the Stith Coal company.
 They had a conference with Direc- tor General Walker D. Hines, G. A. Tomlinson and Judge Chambers of the railroad administration, and M. J. San ders. director of the Mississippi-W War rior waterways. They asked the ad- ministration to put into effect at the earliest possible moment a through rail and water rate to Birmingham from St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans, Mo- bile and other ports. They asked for a rate based on so per cent of the all rail rate. Judge Chambers, who has charge of the rate section of the rail- road administration, listened attentive ly to the delegation, manifested great interest in the matter, and. while not committing himself, gave the impress sion that the request would be granted.
 'IN TRANSIT RATES
 The delegation to Atlanta consisted or O. IL. buIIn OI the dSSOSidliOit, and Mir. Allen of the Birmingham Steel corporation. They had talk with Regional Director B. L. Wincheu and placed before him data upon which they based their request for a steel fabrica- tion in transit rate to apply to Bir- mingham Mr. Winchell, after listen ing to their statement, said he would consider the matter carefully and ad- wise them at an early date of his de- cision. MT. Bum and MT. Allen ex- press themselves as hopeful that the rate will be granted.
 With the granting of this rate, which will enable Birmingham to compete with cities in the north and west in this character of work, the Birming ham Steel corporation will start the construction of a second unit to it's plant at Fifth avenue and Thirty fifth street. The present unit is fabricating steel for the Britain shpbuilding plants at Mobile and Savannah, but when the second unit is completed steel will be fabricated by the Bir- mingham corporation for structural work and other purposes.