The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-03
By RICHARD F. JOHNSTON


 The only industrial element that was tagging Is no longer doing so. During the week two iron producers withdrew from the market after hav- ing sold greater part of first quarter capacity. Each has one active stack and one has other stacks available
 Altogether about 5o,000 tons of Birmingham were booked by three makers in the past week following prolonged lull caused by consumers stout resistance to price advances. The fight began when iron was sell ing at s2S50 and s3o was threatened. The market was beat down to s2S. The turn came at that base.
 Iron makers now feel that the crisis Is owed. An enormous business is expected in the near furture to meet the eNdemand for the enormous melt of 1923 already provided for by railroad, automobile and other re- quirements.
 Steel Mills Busy
 Steel mill operations in the dis trict are practically all on full turn The Chicasaw shipbuilding and car plant is turning out to 20 to 25 new and repaired cars per diem. Shops like the. Virginia Iron and Bridge and Ingalls, Iron Works are doing a good structural steel business. The hoop and band mills of the Corners Steel company are busy. The mills of the Gulf States Steel and American Steel and Wire company are booked on full turn for weeks to come. Deliver ies on nails are many weeks behind Bars are very strong. December set record for new wire mill business at that time of year Prosperity among southern farmers Is the cause ascribed,
 sBiggest Cement Year
 Alabama and, in fact, all southern cement makers report the best ana biggest year in their history Last year made a new high record, This one has made another. Alabamas three mills contributed approximate ly DO per cent of the total of 5,50o,- 900 barrels made and sold in the southeast this year
 Steel to Orient
 An event of the week was the de- parture of the Steel Voyager from Mobile with $500 tons of steel rails and 2500 tons of splice bars. nuts, bolts and angle bars for Yokohama, Yokkaiehi and Darien. This is the third cargo of similar size and char acter going to the Orient from Bir- mingham mills this fall.
 Paper From Sweden
 Another feature of Warrior river transportation has been movement Of the fourth cargo of Swedish paper for tie Birmingham Paper company Each of these cargoes has consisted of 100 tons and came to New Orleans by ship, thence to Port of Birming- ham In Warrior barges. The saving on each ton has been about s5.
 Pipe Plant Expansion
 Signalizing it's further growth and need of expansion the National Cast Iron Pipe company last week gave notice of it's intention to shortly in crease capital stock from S500,000 to s1,O00,000 Part of the issue will go into construction of a new foundry for making centrifugal pipe by the Dc I.avaud process. This Is the fourth pipe plant expansion made in the district this year.
 Banking Record
 That the entire district is pros porous and that the prosperity has become more pronounced as the year las grown older was shown by the report of bank cIearngs for the II months or the year, NuitH DidSe DIT mingham in the billion dollar class for the first time. The increase for the Il months over last year is 24 per cent and the increase in September. october and November has been A per cent. Very few cities in the country have made a record equal to that of Birmingham.
 Pipe Markets
 Soil pipe makers continue to mark time pending revival of buying as brokers realize needs for 1923. The base is s55 for standard and s45 for extka heavy. These prices would be shaved for large tonnage. Pressure pipe is at s43 with little new busi- ness. Report of award of 10000 tons of pipe to be made by San Juan, Porto Rico, is expected every day