The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-07
ny RICHARD f. JOHNSTON

Industrial Birmingham entered the
new year under full head of steam.
The Woodward Iron company blew
in a furnace at Woodward and the
Alabama company announced blow
ing in of one at Gadsden February
|. Iron production is even greater
than in December, which made the
high record for 1922.
Sanitary pipe shops had expected
to take a recess pending opening of
the spring trade, but the jobbers.
sensing the big building business just
ahead, rushed into the market in a
bunch in the last 10 days of the year
and filled order books of Alabama
shops for two months to come. Last
week thu makers were engaged
principally in turning down orders.
Prices advanced from $50 to $55 and
thel to $50, and are headed higher.
Steel mill operations are uniform
ly at capacity or close thereto. The
Tennessee company is continuing its
double turn at Bessemer, Ensley and
Fairfield. The Gulf States Steel and
American Steel and Wire have all the
business they can handle booked for
at least two months to come. Fab
ricating steel plants are also busy.
johnson & Thompson have secured
contract for 400 tons of steel that
will go into nine steel barges to be
built by the Alabama Dry Dock and
Shipbuilding company at Mobile for
Warrior river use of the Tennessee
steel for the Lehigh Portland Cement
company.
Iron Mt $23
Iron is firm at s23, with disposition
to advance for second quarter de-
G,.n CO ma nj RI
ahead that they are not soliciting
business.
Coke is strong at a minimum of
$3.50. and spot coke brings IS and
$3.50.
Pressure pipe is on the active list
again. Unite States Pipe booked $50
tons for Hammond, La The base re-
mains at s43, Birmingham.
Steam coal rules at $3.50 to 1925
a ton
Mitchell Dam Completed
Outstanding event of the week was
announcement of water flowing over
Mitchell dam, which means early in
crease of 10000 water power for
Alabama industry. Another impor-
tant event was closing arrangements
for the Alabama Power company to
enter the Montgomery field by TAX
ing over the AlOIlSO III dhN
Water Power company.
On I0-Hour Turn
Manufacturers OF nuts, bolts,
rivets and spikes are very busy. The
mill of the Vulcan Bolt and Rivet
company is on 16-hCur turn on ac-
count of the demand. Its spike mill
has been at capacity ever since in
stalled shout six months ago.
The first shipment of potash by
the French government through port
of Mobile, which it has made its
port of entry for that movement.
reached Mobile last week. A second
ship is on the way.
Birmingham Exports
The steamer Susquehanna is loading
at Mobile with the cast iron pipe and
steel products from Birmingham
for the Pacific coast and the steamer
Memphis City is loading with rails
and other steel products for China,
Japan and Korea.
Export Rail Order
Japan has given an order for TO-
600 tons of rails to the United States
Steel Exporting company, auxiliary
of the Steel corporation. These rails
will doubtless be relied at Ensley as
is customary.
Principal Showings
Every financial showing of the
new year was an excellent one. The
last bank call brought out bank re-
ports last week. They showed an in
crease of is per cent in deposits
since Last September. On Thursday
the bank clearing record for a day
was broken, clearings gcing beyond
100000.
Merchant Expansion
Retail mercantile circles were en-
livened during the week by an
nouncement that the Burger Dry
Goods company had bought the cor
ner of Twentieth street and Fourth
avenue, deal involving 100000 and
up. This is a pioneer mercantile firm
and it's success Is regarded as typical
of the growth of the the city. Work
is actively under way on the large
apartment store of l.. Pizitz Dry