The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20
WAGES'AT T.C.L. WILLNOT BEClDT''
Other Companies Expect ed Not To Follow Wood
 ward Reduction
fEnsIey Bureau.l

(EnSAey Bufo3u.I
 The ten per cent decrease in some of the wage scales at Woodward will not be followed by any further cuts in this district, according to well inform ed industrial men in Ensley Saturday. For the past few days, there has been felt some apprehension as to whether the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company and other well known com panies would follow the Woodward lead.
 Inquiries at the office of the Tennes- see company, made during the week brought the information that so far as known there was contemplated no such step on the part of the local unit of the steel corporation. The suggestion was made that the cuts of the corpora ton affect all portions of the country and that local conditions did not enter into reductions with quite as much seriousness as if the company were entirely local.
 No offical statement was obtainable on account of George Crawford, presi- dent of the company, being absent.
 Other officials were inclined to fol- low the established policy of not mak- ing official statements in the absence of the president. However, those mak- ing inquiries were given to understand that the local organization was una ware of any such contemplated step by the Tennessee company. It was sug- gested that to make cut at this time would be out of the question as several weeks are necessary for the readjust- ments necessary in such a wholesale job.
 The lead of the Tennessee company is usually followed in this district and it is not believed that the larger com panies will make reductions at this time on account of the Tennessee atti- Jude. So far as the Ensley plants are concerned, information was given free ly that operations were satisfactory, orders were not being seriously reduced and there was every indication that the situation would continue as it has. The commercial inactivity which is no- ticeable in this section is traced di- rectly to midsummer dullness' and to the average buyer diverting funds to vacations.
 The bankers from Pratt City, Wy lam, Ensley and Fairfield all report satisfactory conditions, there having been marked increase in deposits at the larger banks during the past two months, and this has taken place even . in the face of the establishment of two other banks.
 The Ensley district is very much like the remainder of Birmingham in that all records for construction are being smashed, there having been no volume to compare with the present, in the mind of the oldest citizens. Aside from the construction of homes and business houses the residential addi- tions being opened now involve more than $1 100000 which money is being spent day by day for grading and the installation of necessary improve ments.
 Contract Awarded-The OwentOn- Ensley Highlands Land company awarded contract Saturday to com pany headed by Jere Gwin for the grading of it's properties between Ems ley and Birmingham. The price was. not given, but it was stated the total improvements to be made would cost more than $10O,O0Q. This will include the necessary grading sidewalks, sew CTS, electric, gas and water connections. Irby Zeigler, who is in active charge of the properties visited the develop, ment Saturday morning and said upon his return to Ensley that the grading commenced within an hour after the contract was signed. The company ex- poets to rush the work to completion, it being planned to make rapid strides in the development and disposition of the properties.
 SupscTiptiOn AnnOunced-The action of Erskine Ramsay in donating $1O0,- GOO to Montevallo was the cause of un- usual interest in Ensley where Mir. Ramsay has his largest and perhaps most valuable holdings. The donation which Mir. Ramsay insisted must be credited to the Birmingham Kiwanis club, was also gratifying to the mem bers of the Ensley Kiwanis club which Mir. Ramsay has encouraged in. many ways since it's formation here. MT. Ramsay and his associate George Me Cormack are the owners of more prop erty in Ensley than any firm or asso- citation. They have contributed large amounts to the establishment of Ems ley.
 New Exchange Club-Plans are un- derway for the formation in Ensley of an Exchange club, according to in- formation obtainable here Saturday morning The Kiwanis club of Ensley