The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-13
WATER TRANSPORT
BIG ACHIEVEMENT
Visitors Will See Unfold
ing Of Refined Ferric
And Coal Processes
NEW PLANTS SIGN
OF ONWARD MARCH
Small Industry Now Keeping
Pace With Growth OF Crest
Industrial Corporations

Although SO years have roll
ed away since the American
Institute of Mining and Met
aleurgical Engineers met in
Birmingham, and much has
been done to fulfill the dreams
of the pioneers, yet those most
skilled in steel and iron devel-
opment, consider the district
as just now in its infancy. The
pioneers who welcomed In
1883 the members of the dis
tinguished body which gath
cred in Birmingham Monday
for a visit ending Wednesday,
believed in the destiny of this
district, but not to any greater
extent than the younger crowd
of achievers, who head the
enormous companies that have
leaped into being during the
past quarter of a century. The
impression that is most gem
eral among Birmingham in
dustrial leaders Is that the
past may have been promising
/ the present encouraging yet
/ the future b greater than Ill
that has gone before.
II 90 happens that two Of the out
standing events Of the past week nre
taken to be Indicative Of the future
OF Birmingham. One was the declare
tion Of Robert Jemison, ST., that in
his opinion the elimination of the
Pittsburg price fixing practice ranked
alongside the actual discovery of coal
and ore In Importance 10 Birmingham.
Mr.. Jemison may be reckoned pionner
for he came here over 40 years ag0.
He has seen the ribbon OF achievement
unfold and in It's unfolding his aetiv-
titles have not been OF negative char
acter He Is director Of the Wood
ward Iron company, OF the Birmingham
Electric, being its former president. Is
director of the First National Bank
and of the Southern railway system.
His opinion carries weight accordingly
New Ore Discovered
The second development was the an
nouncement Of Ramsay 4 Mccormack,
cautious Industrial operators, 10 the
effect that they had been fortunate
enough to discover a new field Of ore
lying between the two Warrior rivers,
which if proven will be a rival OF the
Wanted Red Mountain deposits. This
additional ore deposit was described
by MIR. Mccormack as being of "tre.
mendous Importance and value"
Despite the fact that the present
Birmingham Is somewhat removed
from the center of past indus.
trial developments, the steps taken
here have been backed with the as
surance, that as time passed, tFansper-
tatiOn would come about, which would
remove the last obstacle in the pFo-
gressiye march Of the district. The
present successors to the Birmingham
Mineral railroad which ran an ''excur-
sion train" TO the Gate City rolling mill
for the engineers in 1880, including
trunk lines, give railroad service equal
to any section of the country. The
lines have been doubled tracked, and
some Of the country's finest trains make
for Birmingham.
But most important of all is the grad
ual development of the barge line con-
nection Of Birmingham with the port
OF Mobile. Through the insistence of
local industrial men and with their
unselfish and patriotic help the govern
ment barge line has become a reality
At this time 1t is developing rapidly.
tonnage is increasing and the period
of speculation or doubt is over. Bir-
mingham is therefore a port with cheap
river rates and as the years pass the
development Of the river branch trans
Dortation service will he even qrea Ter
than has been that of the railroads.
The connection of Birmingham with
Mobile has it's chief link at the Port
of Birmingham some 20 miles from the
steel works at Ensley. A railroad
operates to the river which is soon
TO undergo an operation which will
restore the line to health and vigor
: CONTINUED on Page Three