The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-12
PEOPLES FORUM
FORT AND PRODUCING
(Continued From Monday

South America mahogany logs at Mobile which are unloaded from steamer to railroad cars, shipped to Grand Rapids points and they, in turn, manufacture the mahog- any (which has been received Rt Mobile) into furniture and ship it back to us with the additional cost of manufacture and freight. Why | should not Mobile be the manufac- l turing point for all the mahogany furniture in the United 6tates7 1 It certainly would be great say ing to the consumer and the ex- pense of manufacture would not be any higher, If as high, than that prevailing in the manufactur- ing center of furniture in the | United States.
 Sugar Refinery: Mobile should be the center of the South in the manufacture of sugar, as we are considerably closer to Cuba than New orleans, viz, the channel at New Orleans is 112 miles long, whereas at. Mobile it is 32 miles, consequently over cargo of raw sugar to New Orleans, by way of water, there would be a saving on each vessel of at least $500 per cargo per day, on account of in- going and outgoing, that is, the difference in the length of time going in and out of the two ports, as it takes thrRe and a half hours in and three and g half hours out, going up channel to Mobile, against twelve and a half hours in and twelve and a half hours out at New Orleans. To be more exact, two working days at New Orleans against one-half to three fourths of day at Mobile. You can readily see what a saving of day and a half per cargo at Mo bile over New Orleans would mean. Therefore, sugar would cost, on the steamers time alone $750 for 5.000-ton cargo of sugar from Cuba. This would be great say ing in the cost of sugar, therefore corresponding decrease in the cost of the manufacture and the people would receive the benefit.
 Hides: There should be Q large tannery at this port for the man. ufacture of leather goods, as there Is eight days difference In the time by steamer between South Amer lea and Mobile and South America and Boston. The saving in the cost of the steamers time alone, thereby causing a saving in the cost of the hides, would Cause the leather goods. to be cheaper and manufacturedSa at g better profit, and the people would corresponds ingly benefit as the manufacturer would sell it to the consumer cheaper-and, if leather goods were manufactured at Mobile. why should not shoe factories and factories for every commodity made out of leather be at Mobile. Surely, they could be manufac- tured as cheap at Mobile as any other port in the United States.
 Cold Storage: At Gloucester, Massachusetts, the majority of the citizens of that place make their living entirely on fish. There, I believe, they have a number of cold storage plants running up to the millions of dollars in cost, for the storing of their fish, and they are practically supplying the United States with fish. Owing to the hazardous weather conditions and the equipment necessary to catch fish, there would >be a sav- ing of fifty per cent. in equipmet for the same volume of fish-catch, as we do not have the storms and cold weather they have in Glou- cester, and we. are in position to catch fish the year round, and, from my information. the fish caught around Mobile are sweeter and better than that obtainable in the Gloucester district, yet not a cold storage plant is established In Mobile nor have your papers advocated one. I understand that dividends of fifteen per cent. to twenty-five per cent. are being declared annually on the cold storage plants at Gloucester
 With these salient facts before you, can you afford to Ignore them7 There is no question tha. Birmingham and Mobile are placed in such a position that if the out side world ever realizes our nat ural position, there is no telling how many. industries and factories will be established along the river banks between Birmingham port and Mobile and Birmingham city and Mobile. Yours very truly.
 s. ZINMERN.
 Mobile. Ala, Sept. 5, 1923.
 F. S. I note that several cargoes of iron pipe have been shipped by water into Mobile on government barges at twenty per Cent. less Even this Is too high, and with
 
 that are now moving to California in large quantities could be laid down at Mobile for s1 per ton.
 Worlds Backbone Needs Lime To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Congratulations. It is indeed refreshing to find one paper that will dare to champion the peoples interest. The world needs more lime in its backbone. Success to your paper. F. o. HELLER.
 Bessemer, Ala, Sept. 8, 1923.
  Mir. SIone Favored Frnnchise Tax To the Editor of The Age Herald: wish to correct an error in your report of the vote Friday ,n the senate on the franchise tax on corporations. You state that I voted against the tax, which is in correct. I voted to strike out the committee amendment reducing the tax from one dollar to eighty cents, and then voted for the blu containing the dollar tax. Know ing that this error was uninten- tiorel,. and feeling that you will be glad to give this explanation space in your columns, l am,
 S. B. SLONE.
 Fort. Payne. Ala, Sept. 8. 1923.
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