Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-06
AN EXCELLENT REPORT
By Secretary BOIes of the Com
 mercial Club.
EIGHT NEW M E M B E RS
Added to the Already Large Roster--Commit- tee Appointed to Look After important
 Legislation at the Capitol.

The meeting of the Commercial club was not very liberally attended yesterday afternoon, but much important business was transacted, some of which being un- finished is not published.
 Secretary Boles read the following re- ports
 Birmingham, Feb. 1, 1S97
 Responding to requests of your secre- tary. a large number of merchants and manufacturers have handed me state ments of their business for the year 1Ss6, and in several instances for 1895. So far as these reports go, they make a very good showing for the city.
 In the mercantile line, one firm Of Jop- bers report an increase of 33 Is per cent. for 1896. as compared with 1895; another firm reports an increase of about 70 per cent while still others report gains rang ing all the way down from 70 per cent.
 To date I have received reports rom about fifty manufacturing concerns aSr II, ,i the city. and the comparison with lo5o IS very favorable to 1896 Almost without exception, those reporting have noted an increased output of their product for the year 1896, and some of them start III tne new year with enlarged plants ana pet. ter facilities for manufacturing than at any previous time. The foundry ana ma chine shops have done exceedingly Well considering the condition of business all over the country. The merchants ana the manufacturers alike speak hopeIuns of the future and predict greatly ih- proved business for the present year.
 The prospects for establishing new industrial plants here the present year are very good. l am now Tn correspoiiu- pu- ence with nearly dozen parties rom other parts of the country relative to their coming to engage in manu1actur- inc and some of them write very en- couraging letters.
 Railroads report large influx of north ern and northwestern people Who d.e buying land and locating along thelr lines
 Taking everything into consideration there is good cause to expect better business in all lines in the near future.
 w J. ROLES,
 On motion the use of the Commercial club parlors were ordered rendered the National Assembly of Credit men in this city March A.
 A communication from Birmingham Lodge, Benevolent and Protective oruer of Flks. was read, announcing that they intended going to the national meeting of Elks in the spring, and desired rep resentative of the club to accompany them as it would be great opportuni- ty to distribute advertising matter con cerning Birmingham.
 The following resolution was intro- duced and adopted
 Resolved, That the board of directors of the Commercial club of Birmingham respectfully petitions the general assem- bly, of Alabama to pass house Dill NO. SAP. introduced by Representative Will son R. Brown, of Colbert county, to ex- empt the capital mot the land) invested in new cotton mill enterprises, from taxa tion for period of ten years.
 The following were named as com mittee to carry out the objects of the above resolution: Messrs. B. B. Conner, Robert Jemison and B. F. Roden.
 The following were admitted to mem- bership: E. M. Tutwiler, c. W. Fergu- Massey, James G. Caldwell J. Burger and Gilbert Carter