Exhibit (24)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

         The undersigned director of Vulcan Materials Company, a New Jersey corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints William F. Denson, III, and Amy M. Tucker, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 of said corporation to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Vulcan Materials Company has executed this Power of Attorney this 1st day of March, 2004.

/s/ Philip J. Carroll, Jr.                     
     Philip J. Carroll, Jr.

/s/ Livio D. DeSimone                     
     Livio D. DeSimone

/s/ Phillip W. Farmer                       
     Phillip W. Farmer

/s/ H. Allen Franklin                       
     H. Allen Franklin

/s/ Ann McLaughlin Korologos      
    Ann McLaughlin Korologos

/s/ Douglas J. McGregor                
     Douglas J. McGregor

/s/ James V. Napier                       
    James V. Napier

/s/ Donald B. Rice                         
     Donald B. Rice

/s/ Orin R. Smith                          
     Orin R. Smith

/s/ Vincent J. Trosino__________
     Vincent J. Trosino