Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1890-1895, 1895-02-13
COMM ERCIAL CLUB
Preparing for the Coming of Colonel
MeC. C.ure-Interesting Letter
From John j. Telford.

On Friday the Commercial club will hold
a meeting which promises to be very inter-
esting as we'll as beneficial to Birmingham.
Among other important things to be
brought up before the meeting a report OF
the cotton mill committee will be made.
A programme for the coming visit of Col.
A. K. Mcclure of the Philadelphia Times
will be mapped out.
Then there will be repo- from several
other committees.
GOOD MOVE.
The Louisville board Of trade is pushing
big scheme, VIII ,eh will Dsnefit the south
in various ways II success is met.
For long time there has been q discrim-
ination against many cities in freight rates
throughout the southern states. This evil
is bad one and each place has been COM
PEELED individually to night its own battles,
many of which have been lost. Birming-
ham has had this to do and tor long time
The Southern Railway and Steamship asso-
soclation. which has been very justly and
appropriately named the Atlanta and
Nashville Railway Steamship association,
has discrininated against her, thus having
very great effect npon The mercantile
growth OF this city.
The following letter to Secretary Thomp-
son of the Commercial club tells exactly
what is to be done, and the board OF trade
cf Louisville hopes to be successful:
LOUISVILLE BOARD OF TRADE,
OFFICE TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE. )
LOUISVILLE, KY, Feb. l, 1895.
N. F Thompson, Esq, Birmingham, Ala
DEAR SIR: Towards the latter end OF
1894 this committee issued a circular letter
to various commercial bodies in the south
and toutheast in regard to the establish
ment OF an association, which it was pro-
posed should be known as the s.Southern
Transportation association The OBJECTS
or some OF them, were attempted to be set
In Ipff far httf of 1,
could not very we'll be done on account of
space. The more investigation this COM
miitee gives to this subject the more 1t is
impressed with the importance OF the es-
tabiish ment OF such an organization as has
been referred to.
OF course only general matters can be
handled by the association. Anything
that is not absolutely of a general nature
cannot be brought before it. II would per-
maps illustrate this point better ii would
give you an example.
There is a reform which the entire south
err. territory is especially Interested in, and
that is TO secure uniform classification on
all lines south OF the Ohio and east OF the
Mississippi rivers. Today in that terri
tory there are probably more than 100 dif-
ferent classifications in use, the Southern
Railway and Steamship associations g clas.
sification governing 10 competitive points
only.while every railroad in the association
has it's own individual local Classification,
which applies on business to its local
points. The consequences is that in order
to make rates to local points on any OF
these lines 1t Is necessary that the maker
shall have in his possession or, at any rate,
be familiar with the local lassification and
rates OF every road in the south.
10 have this change made would OF
course bea work OF considerable magnitude,
and, therefore, cannot, with any hopes OF
success, be undertaken by any one COM
mercal body. 1t can only be handled by
the Southern Transportation association
as such, aud even then it would probably
take years OF accomplishment. That is
part OF the work that this committee had
in mind When the organization OF the
Southern Transportation association was
proposed 1t has now become absolutely
necessaryto have unity of action on gen.
eral affairs among the commercial bodies
OF the south in order to either advocate re-
forms or work for the abolishment OF
abuses now existing and to meet the unity
of the southern railroad companies, In the
shape OF the Southern Railway and Steam
ship association, through which alone they
will speak on general matters.
We think there Is NO doubt about ths ad-
visibility Of having an association OF this
kind, and this letter is to make formal
request OF your exchange that you will APP
point a delegate 10 meet delegates from
other cities at some central point to con-
slider the matter of organization on such
mined upon hereafter. Atlanta would
probably be the most central, and there
fore the most convenient, point. So soon
as your answer shall have been received,
and il a sufficient number of commercial
bodies in the south approve the suggestion,
a meeting will be called, OF which each
shall have due notice. Very truly,
JOIN j. TELFoRD,
Secretary Transportation COMMITTEES.
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