The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-31
Great Construction Activity
Marks Prosperity's Return
During Year. Summary Ap-
pears Rosy as 1928 DaWns
For All Industries Here
EXPANSION ALONG LINES
PROVEN TIMES PREVIOUS
Voting of Seaport Amendment
in November Ranks as Out
standing Industrial Event of
ar--Warrior Service Bet
tered With Improvements

Win the red glare OF furnaces
flashing high in the sky nightly as
physical sign of Bir1ningham's
prosperity, a summary of the year
industrially and financially shows
that approximately $54,300,000 has
been invested in the development of
the district during 1922. Industrial
construction completed, under con-
struction and planned for 1923 ac-
counts for the bulk of this amount,
or properly, two-thirds, $780,
900. Building projects absorb
$8,550,000 and new capital invest
ed in going and new concerns ~
resents $S,5O0,0o0.
The year has seen great activity
in construction. Industrial work
completed during the year cost APP
proximately $1f,70o,000. Plants
under construction either imme-
diately in or directly affecting the
! Birmingham district will represent
$11,050,000 when finished. Indus
trial construction planned, financed
and to be done in 1928 foots up
$f4.500,000.
Major building projects of the
year in Birmingham, most of which
are near completion or finished,
have drawn investments totaling
$S,550,000. Among these are Phil
| lips High school, the Masonic Tenn
pie, the Altamont apartment hotel
and L. PizitZ Dry Goods company.
Along Proven Lines
| The Birmingham districts indus
| trial development in 1922 has been
along proven lines. The new mills
| OF tho Tennessee company are in
! tended to provide for growing needs
1 for steel products not heretofore
manufactured by tho company, but
I the need and the demand are waiting
: on the new product and the mills
will serve large domestic and ex-
I port territory from the beginning.
The new cement mills are being
/ built by two of the largest cement
producers in the United States. Their
| being built here Is vindication of
| Birminghams strategic situation for
distribution of products In the south
east and for export.
The new cast iron pipe foundries
follow success Birmil. ghi m makes
so per cent OF the cast iron pipe used
| in the country.
As the country grows, homes Al =
built and water and gas mains laid,
the demand for Birmingham soil and
pressure pipe grows. Being along
side low-cost pig iron, Birmingham
cast iron pipe sets the prise for the
| world
Important structural steel con-
Germs who have been sue sessful In
| other locations came to Birmingham
in 1922 for the lame reason that new
i cement plans arc being built here:
te profit from Birmingham strate-
gle position for distribution in the
southeastern states as well as to be
near producing steel mills.
| The makers of steel cutting and
welding apparatus and gases located
! in Birmingham because this had be-
| come an Important steel fabricating
ant. welding center, and also becau q
| of it's advantages for distribution Of
! product
! Addition to the by-product indus
try made by the Alabama By-Prod-
ucts company in 1922 and that sched-
uled by the Empire Coal company for
1922 follow success In by product OBJ
Grafton in Alabama, where the bee
hive oven with its waste is going
rapidly into the discard as the by
product ovens increase.
Harnessed Water Power Doubled
| The harnessed water power capac-
| ity of the state has been doubled dur
| ing the year by the building Of the
| Mitchell dam by The Alabama Power
| company, and forces will now move
on the Tallapoosa river to build four
| more power dams, while the work of
| building Woodrow Wilson dam q
| ~
as capacity employment of men will
permit. The job OF bringing Ala
| barna's million of hydro-electrto
| power into service made q pro-
nounced advs nee il 1922 and u
scheduled for fully as much again IN
! 1928.
While industry has been forging
ahead the city of birmingham has
| broadened out, with many more miles
| of paving. handsome and commodiouO
school buildings. imposing fraternal
| temples, churches. mercantile houses,
homes and apartment houses. The
building record of 1922 is banner
| one.
Record bank elearings attest the
| business recovery. Figures on builA-
| ing operations, gas, electric and Wa
! ter extension service low tn
growth in population and in number
| OF homes.
| Voting of the seaport aid amend
ment in November ranks as tho ouA.
! standing industrial event of the year.
| AIabama's port by that act is assured
Of the expenditure of 10000, 900 u
| eauipr ing the port and to serve ~
| the industrial. commercial and agrt-
cultural interests of alabama.
The Warrior rivers capacity to
serve was grt atty increased during
the year by the completion Of this
1900 900 Goa termi; AT Mobile. the
I establishment of raj transport
apparatus, enabling continuous COM
ml,nication With = centr.l wireless
tContinued on Page TwsD