Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-06
Large and Representative Body ot
 Railroad Men
MEET THE COMMERCIAL CLUB
And Discuss Birmingham's ln- iereStS From a Railroad
 Standpoint.


 plimented on the success of its first confer ence with the officials of the various rail- roads entering Birmingham. There has probably never before been as many rail- road traffic men together for a common purpose in this city, with as many others expressing interest in the objects of the conference and regrets at their inability to attend.
 The conference was called at o'clock by President Moore of the Commercial club, with the following officials in attendance: Edwin Fitzgerald of Knoxville, Tenn, general freight agent of the western di vision of the Southern Railway company; H Smith of Cincinnati, general freight agent of the Queen and Crescent; R Car roll of Cincinnati, general manager of the Queen and Crescent; Theodore Welch of Montgomery, general freight agent of the Louisville and Nashville; c B Compton of Louisville, general freight agent of the Louisville and Nashville, and T Powallf Cincinnati; W B Bond, Vicksburg; Don Alexander, Chattanooga; A F Barnett, New Orleans; D D CurraD, New Orleans; w M Reeder, Meridian; Hardy, Vicks- burg, all of the Queen and Crescent, while the following local men were present: Haiden Miller of the Southern, A Frazier. of the Alabama Great Southern, Sol Jacobs of the Central of Georgia, A deFuniak of the Louisville and Nashville, M Rid dell of the Kansas City, Memphis and Bir. mingham, T F Steele of the Queen and Crescent aud w A Moody of the Southern.
 Letters were received from President Nettleton of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis railroad; M H Smith, presi- dent of the Louisville and Nashville; c c Harvey, president of the Queen and Cres- ent, and others, all wishing success to the objects of the meeting.
 MT. Moore, h very neat little address, welcomed the representatives who had thus responded to the request of the Commercial club, and in behalf of the club thanked them for their presence.
 Chairman Ross c. Smith of the confer- ence committee briefly alluded to the gen. eral objects of the conference, stating that other specific interests would be presented by members of the committee. As char man of the transportation committee, MT. Smith bad held many matters in abeyance during the past year, not thinking it pos- sible during the depressed state of affairs surrounding the roads to get proper atteu- tion paid them, but now that increased activity indicated returning prosperity he deemed the present a most opportune time to take up these matters, win a view to advancing the prosperity and development of Birmingham. Gen. R. b. Johnston followed in the in- terest of our manufacturing industries, stating that the commercial prosperity of Birmingham depended on the development of these enterprises. He was felicitous and forcible and received the very closest at- tention throughout his remarks.
 Mir. J. A. Van-Hoose, in behalf of Bir- mingham's jobbing interests, next spoke, and asked that the jobbing interests be given more consideration by the railroads, as matter of interest to them, since there was one- fifth of the entire population of Alabama within radius of fifty miles of Birmingham. No special advantages were asked over other cities, but such irregu. larities and determinations as might be shown to exist were earnestly requested to be remedied.
 Among the railroad men responding for their several roads short talks were made by MT. Smith of the Queen and Crescent, Mir. Fitzgerald of the Southern, MT. Welsh and Mr. Compton of the Louisville and Nashville and MT. Riddle of the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham. These gentlemen all expressed the highest appre- citation of the business of Birmingham, and said their roads would all do what they could to further develop business here. MT. Fitzgerald stated that 1t would be the. policy of the Southern to develop the terri tory tributary to their several lines.
 Altogether the conference was most pleas ant, and the manifest interest of the visit ing officials showed clearly that they would watch all matters affecting BirminRham's development with the greatest possible care and attention.
 After again thanking these gentlemen for fayoring the club with their attendance President Moore declared the conference adjourned.