The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-02
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE


our soldiers in Cuba and Porto Rico. The
northumberland assured our con-
gresham that he would be glad to send
Christmas boxes to our soldiers free of
charge; and l have asked the congressman
to ascertain the names of the transports
sailing for the West Indies, the date of
their sailings and the ports they sail from.
MANY of us here in Birmingham and
throughout Alabama and Mississippi have
relatives and friends in the army of occu-
patton in Cuba, and it would be real
privilege to send them Christmas boxes
from home. And the lads deserve such at
teLtion. Nothing could please them so
much as boxes of good things from the
homefolk. They are TO spend Christmas far
away in the service of the country, and
they are entitled to some consideration.
1 am sure that all of us who have friends
or relatives amongst the soldiers will be
glad to send them something for the Christ
mas time"
at is exacting service, that of doing gar
rison duty in the West Indies" observed
one who had discussed with p. Sid Jones
the matter Of Christmas boxes for the SOL
diers "Our troops will have no chance
there to fight; their only way of winning
glory is in the silent and faithful discharge
of the duties pertaining to soldiers in time
OF peace. Possibly that Is all the solaler
ordinarily has the right to expect; but it
is not all he hopes for. Naturally enough
he hopes that the emergency may arise
when fighting shall be necessary The SOL
dler's business in life is to fight battles,
but in these latter years he is seldom suf-
fered to pursue his legitimate occupation.
Battle offers him opportunity for distinc-
ton; garrison duty never does. Therefore,
we have all the more reason to remember
the fellows who honor the uniform of the
republic in distant lands"
A party of notable business men arrived
in the city yesterday, travelling on their
private car. They were James F. MCGOWAN,
of Augusta, Ca. General Stephen M. Weld,
Felix Rackermann, and G. A. Lowry, of
Boston. They represent the company
owning the new round bale process for
pressing cotton, which promises to be
widely adopted Mr.. MCGOWAN is of the
firm of Inman & Co., the great cotton firm
of Augusta, who own the business rights
for the newest of the new processes of
gia and Alabama. General Weld and
Messrs Rackermann and Lowery constitute
the executive committee of the company
Mr. Lowry is the inventor of the process
which presses the cotton in a wonderful
way difficult to explain. One press will
take the output of three gins in constant
operation. The gentlemen stopped over in
Birmingham to visit the Northington-
Munger gin factory to which they nave
caused to be given large orders. The
company now has many presses al work in
Augusta and Memphis and their business
is spreading throughout the cotton states.
The visitors proceed from Birmingham to
Memphis.
1.-THE other Sunday the Age-Herald con-
tained an article on the necessity of Br-
mingham business men getting together
and working in unison for the upbuilding
of this city, and am glad to see that the
Commercial club has endorsed the article"
said man of wide experience. ut reminds
me of the building of Fort Worth. There
was an old bellwether of a business man
in that city whom everybody followed as
faithfully as sheep follow their leader His
name was Peter Smith, The Santa Fe road
was being built through that country, and
the people of Fort Worth decided that they
must have 1t built to that city They sent
Peter Smith to express their desires to the
directors.
Nonsense exclaimed the directors; we
are not going to Fort Worth; we are MAX
ing for Dallas. Can't afford to run our line
out of the way to a small town like Fort
Worth
"'How much?' demanded Peter Smith,
How much whatT they asked.
"'What consideration will you demand
for bringing the line to our town.
1.-The directors reflected for a while, and
then, thinking to bluff old Peter, they said
eff you will guarantee us the right of
way through your county, give us plenty
of ground in the heart of your city and
$4,000 in money, we will run our line to
Fort Worth
"'Doner said old Peter Smith, much to
the establishment of the directors.
HE returned to Fort Worth, secured the
right of way through the fertile and high
ly priced lands of the county, and within
an hour had gotten ten acres of land in the
city for the station, s,detracks, yards, and
SO OH, anu Si0,UUU Ill SuDScrlpIlOnS. Inc
leading banker refused to subscribe, and
when that fact became known there was
a run on his bank, his depositors deciding
to no longer do business with him. He
threw up his hands and declared that If
they'd let up on him he'd subscribe more
than any other one man. Business men
who declined to aid in public enterprises
were boycotted. The result of this getting
together, this united action for the c,ty's
upbuilding, is that Fort Worth has more
factories than any other town in Texas,
and every big railroad in that state touches
there. 1t is a good lesson for Birmingham"
ST am glad to hear that Mark Twain has
recovered his health, and in some meas
ure, his fortune" said Major Mccoy. "I
came with him around the Horn from Cal
ifornia back in the fifties, and we were
great friends. We were both young then,
and full of spirit and adventure. He was
the life of our party, and used to convulse
~. xyitb bis funny stories He wrote a sto-