Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-03
GOOD MEETING OF THE CLUB General Nelson Among the New
 Members Elected. sa
 THE RETAIL TRADE QUESTION Comes Up on the Report of the Committee
 and Is Discussed.
THE RESOLUTIONS ARE SEPARATED
And That Portion Relative to Commits
 saries Is Referred to Committee of as Five-Gen. Underwood Deliv- CTS an Inspiring Address.

The Commercial club held it's regular monthly meeting yesterday afternoon with goodly number of members pres ent. The feature of the meeting was the address of Gen. John c. Underwood of Chicago, formerly of Kentucky.
 Il The directors held a short meeting be- fore the club convened and elected the following members
 Gen. R. M. Nelson, Capt. James D. Webb, w. l.. Sims, A. D. Smith, H. School, E. Gates, Il. B. Haylow, E. E. Jones, D.. J. Hummer M M. Boggan, A. R. Wilson, II. F. Wilson, R. H. Hagood, J. Mudd Martin.
 The meeting was called to order al 410 o'clock by President Rhodes.
 Secretary Thompson read the names of members elected since the last meeting, after which MT. Sawyer read the resolu- tions adopted by the retail trade com nlittee at its meeting Thursday after noon. The resolutions were published in the Age-Herald yesterday.
 MT sawyer said 1t was the wish of the committee that the resolutions be adopt ed by the club, but if they could not be indorsed as whole, then as a part. The committee wanted some suggestions from the club.
 President Rhodes said he indorsed the resolutions of the committee. He thought the convict system in this state an abom- ination in the sight of God and man. But when the commssary question is touched you strike delicate subject. He announced the question of the adop- ton of the committees report open for discussion.
 MT. Black of the retail trade committee said the resolutions expressed his views, and moved their approval by the club
 MT. Hopkins didn't approve the reso- lutions as a whole. He said the jobbers of the city depended on the commissaries for a great deal of their trade.
 MT. Sawyer said 1t was not the wish of the committee that the commisSarieS be entirely abolished but they did de- sire that the retail merchants be put on an equal footing with the commiSsaries That was all the retail merchants asked Unless there is a change in the system, he said, some of the retail merchants will be forced out of business. All the retail merchants wanted he said, was their rights.
 Secretary Thompson suggested that the resolutions be separated and the part re- ferring to the commissary question be referred to committee to further inves- tigate. He wanted both sides treated with perfect fairness.
 MT Sawyer said the retail merchants wefe-willing to have the matter investi- gated by special committee, and made motion that committee of five be ap- pointed to investigate the matter.
 The balance of the report was adopted on motion of R. F. Johnston.
 On motion of MT. Sawyer that portion of the retail committees report regard ing excursion rates was referred to the transportation committee.
 Mir Beitman, chairman of the manufac- turing committee, submitted his report, showing the location of the following in dustries since the last report;
 Cotton mill.
 New cotton compress
 Knitting mill, removed from Mobile.
 Enlargement of Birmingham Mattress factory.
 Packing house.
 Several other things have not yet pro- gressed far enough 10 report.
 President Rhodes stated that Birmng- ham had at last secured the long worked for and much mooted question of cot ion mill He said he had a letter yester- day from J. B. Cotton and associates say ing they would be here Monday to pay the cash for the land and to go to work on the factory The letter stated that by September 15 they would have 5000 spin dles running.
 MT. Stanley of the Trades council re- ouested that the Commercial club meet at o'clock next Friday, as the Trades council wished to meet with the club to discuss matters of mutual interest. gs A motion by EX-Mayor D. J. Fox that the club meet as requested was adopted.
 President Rhodes introduced Gen. John C. Underwood of Chicago, who was pres entI In introducing General Underwood President Rhodes stated that the general had recently raised a large sum Of money to erect a monument in Lincoln park to the Confederate dead buried there. He said this ex-Confederate soldier had been placed at the head of a body of more than 1000 people who would move on Atlanta during the exposition.
 General Underwood explained the cause of his visit. He said he resided in Chicago, though he held his citizenship and lived in Kentucky He said Chicago was the great metropolis of the country, New York not excepted He said indi- viduality was great thing and it was a combination of this char acteristic that had built up a considerable city here. He said we had the iron. the coal and the eli mate to make Birmingham great city and he believed 1t would become one at no distant day.
 He said he came here as representa- tive of the Chicago and Southern States association, a non-political association. It was formed to help the south.
 He said he moved to Chicago in 1890 and in 1891 they organized Camp No of Confederate Veterans. They began to raise a small sum to put a monument over the graves of 5000 Confederate sol diers buried there. General Underwood was given carte blanche to raise the money and do as he pleased. It was arr ranged to dedicate the monument during the. Worlds fair and to take the United Confederate Veterans from the reunion here to the dedication, but the reunion was postponed and the scheme fell through. After that he went to the citi- zens of Chicago and collected money for this purpose and then to the national con gress to get proper recognition from that body. Four cannons were obtained and placed in the cemetery. The statue was made of southern marble and designed by General Underwood, southerner. The principal living generals south and north were invited and attended. the 30th of