The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-01
PAPER PREDICTS
 BRIGHT FUTURE
 FOR BIRMINGHAM
Daily Metal Trade Cites Reason For Expansion
 Of Industrie-

the Daily Metal Trade in the final of a series of articles dealing with the dis tricts pig iron situation, which have attracted considerable interest in indus trial circles recently.
 These articles, written by J. F. Frog gett, editor of the journal, point out that Alabama is now absorbing large percentage of the pig iron produced here. In outlining the reason for this, MT. Froggett says:
 Two factors operated almost side by side to compel the Birmingham district to become self-contained in its pig iron consumption. First was the adverse decision handed down July z, 1914, by the interstate commerce commission in a complaint brought several years be fore by the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company and other southern fur mace concerns against the Louisville and Nashville and other southern rail- roads. The pig iron producers were denied substantial relief in Bwer freight rates prayed for.
 ''The other factor was the wartime control of the industry by the federal government. South, as well as north, which drew a line around local indus tries by its priority" rules, kept south ern iron from moving northward and eastward through its accustomed chan nels. This threw Birmingham pig iron back upon its local consumption and market. New sources of outlet were created at home and started Birming ham upon her shining way. In con- trast to other southern pig iron pro- ducing districts, such as the states of Tennessee and Virginia, which have not flourished approximately because, al- though affording some home consump- tion in Tennessee by local stove and gray iron foundries and in Virginia by some cast iron foundries, yet the bulk of these irons still have to find some outside outlets. These outlets are being plugged especially in the ast by keener competition from local furnaces
 Started Ball Rolling
 "The adverse Sloss-Sheffield rate de cision really started the ball rolling for Birmingham"
 The present situation is summed up by MT. Foggett:
 Steady absorption by Alabama i'm dustries, as well as the industries of neighboring states, of the mounting pig iron production of her blast furnaces furnishes hope of still further expansion in southern industries. Some keen 
 is not far distant when the industrial south will absorb practically every pound of pig iron she produces.
 'sThe growth of this southern ab- eorbitive power, particularly in the Bir- mingham district, due to expansion of the cast iron pipe industries, makes one of the most interesting stories of indus trial development in the United States.
 Whether Alabama actually wall be the scene of additional blast furnace building fin the near future will prove an interesting question. Leading trade authorities hold this development can- not long be delayed, especially if north ern consumers of the southern brands insist upon continuing the practice.
 'GToday, one important producer of pig iron, as it did in 1923, is shipping 6S.3 per cent of its Birmingham fur mace production to southern consuming points. Back ten years ago, it shipped only S5 to 40 per cent in that dIrec- tion, the rest going north Another ships about 75 per cent of its output through the south. These figures line up with the total pig iron shipments of 624 to southern consumers
 Names Consumers
 "But where are the southern indus tries absorbing these vast tOnnages of it's own pig iron? Considerable of 1t goes into the steel mills of the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad company, of the Gulf States Steel, and the AmerI- can Steel and Wire company. Much of it goes into gray iron, steel castings, malleable iron foundrieS, stove foun- dries and the like. But a vast lot of it goes to make cast iron pipe, both high-pressure water and gas, and soil. The rise and progress of the Alabama cast iron pipe industry is one of the business romances of the day
 "In the United States there were produced in 1922 total of S56y 900 tons of soil pipe alone, this used in new building. Four southern states pro duced 228,O00 tons of this total Ala hama herself turning out 1SO,OO0, or more than one-half of the total Ameri- can production. Of this Alabama total more than 75 per cent is produced at Anniston, which now appears to have won the undisputed right to claim to be the largest manufacturer of soil pipe and its fittings in the world.
 Southern pig iron producers have been caught in the vast industrial de yelopment which has come along swiftly and silently. No additional blast fur naces have been built in the south for years, nor, so far as is known, are any planned. Old plants have been ex- handed to meet conditions. But one day in the not far distant future, more blast furnaces will be built in Ala bama.
 Other Advantages
 Birmingham, with her wealth of good iron and fine coal at hand, with excellent labor supplies, has another ad- vantage. Today she practically con trols the territory to which 70 to 90 per cent of her finished products are shipped and manufacturers are receiv- ing compensation for their goods which permits and justifies their paying req sonable prices for pig iron. Some keen northern observers say they would not he surprised if, within another year, the Birmingham district will be consuming every ton of pig iron it produces.
 "FIorida is taking enormous tOnnages of the various irons and steel products since the state is developing rapidly. California and the entire west coast is taking large tonnages, much of 1t shipped by water from Mobile, and prices of the manufactured products thus maintaining themselves at reason able and yet profitable figures. Bir- nningham's industrial future grows brighter every day"
 
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