The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-10
BY RICHARD F. JOHNSTON

The steel and iron industry OF the
Birmingham district. which has
reached highest point of the year,
will glide into 1928 on the same
scale of operations as now charac-
terizes the vast majority of plants.
Holidays will be nominal
The huge tonnage of raw mate
rial placed for cars. locomotives and
rails as well as that for radiators,
automobiles and fabricated steel
practically insure capacity produce
ton for The first half of the year.
The enormous tonnage for the rail-
roads has been financed and means
cash on delivery.
Feature OF the week was the co.
000-ton waterpipe order for San
Juan. Porto Rico. secured by the U.
S. Pipe company, after competition
with foreign and eastern pipe max
ers. Contiguity of the U. 8. ipe's
Alabama plants to low-eost iron and
low-cost transportation to the gulf
via Mobile clinched this trade
The U. S. Pipe also booked 1850
tons of pine for Chicago and $500
tons for Boston. The former ton
mage will probably be made here, the
latter in an eastern plant of the
company.
The slight decrease in untitled
tonnage of the steel corporation on
November 1 compared with October
may be partly accounted for by
enormous production and greatly
improved car service, the latter serv-
ing to expedite manufacture as we'll
as shipments. The decline was e..
o45 tons. the untitled tonnage of
November l being 6,S40.o00 tons.
Iron Satisfactorily Strong
Iron masters point to the reduc-
ton in furnace yard stocks in No
veniber as adding to the statistical
and strategical strength of the mar
ket stock decreased by $4,000 tons.
or from 10000 to $4,000 tons. Basic
iron was cleaned out.
The November production was
largest of the year. length of months
considered. 1t was 2o9,0o6 tons in
November compared with 210.994
tons in October of this year and
100000 tons in November of 1921, an
increase for this year of nearly 100
per cent.
Birmingham Grows
Growth of birmingham, especially
with reference to construction and
occupancy of new homes this year.
is indicated in comparative figures
on water, gas and electric meters.
There are more than $4,000 water
meters in service in Greater Biz
mingham than a year ago at this
time. 1850 new meters having been
installed and 1870 new service con-
nections made this year.
Gas meters in use In Birmingham
increased from 1885 to 19.545 in
the year ending October 81 last and
electric meters increased from u.s.
024 to 80, s43 in the same period.
Water consumption increased no.
100000 gallons and is now at the
rate of 7,000.O0o00o gallons a year.
Coming to Alabama
There is authentic information
that a large bingham mill In Massa-
chusetts is to be moved to Alabama,
several sites being under consider
atien. Those in touch with this ten
dcncy OF eastern textile mills to come
south have received several as
surances during the week of actual
determination to make the move. 1t
seems certain that Alabama will get
some of them on account of her
dual supply of water and steam
generated electric supply,
Settling at $23
The pig iron market appears to be
settling around base of S23. sales
on that base having been made in
as well is southern ter
ritory Recent low level of s21 made
on 5000 to 1000 tons by one maker,
lasted no longer than for the booking
of that tonnage. after which s23 be-
came the low on all ordinary bust
ness. United States Pipe is believed
to have placed a large tonnage at
s22.5o to s23 week ago. No maker
can buy iron under that which this
largest consumer pays for it..
Soil pipe is still seasonably dull.
but a large business early in the
year seems a practical certainty,