The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-21
open LETTER"
WAS DISCUSSED
Special Meeting Of the Commercial Club
Held Yesterday Afternoon.
BUSINESS MEMS LEAGUE
OF Florence Mace Charges Of Secret
Negotiations
AGAINST THE BIRMINGHAM CLUB
To Secure Removal of Florence Wagon
Works to This City-Committee
to Formulate Reply Will
Be Appointed.
AGAINST THE BIRMINGHAM CLUB

upon certain charges made by the Business
Mems League of Florence, regarding the
action of the club in negotiating for the re-
moval of the Florence wagon works to this
city, and happy solution was arrived at.
In calling the meeting to order President
Steiner stated that he had called special
meeting of the club in order that certain
charges made in letter from the Busi-
ness Mems League, of Florence, in regard
to the proposed removal of ethe Florence
wagon works to this city might be brought
to the attention of the club and some action
taken.
He further stated that the letter, which
was addressed to the club, had been printed
by the Florence people and scattered broad
cast throughout this as well other cities,
evidently with a view of placing the Com
mercial club in a false light.
Extracts from the Letter
The communication, which was signed by
Emmett o'Neal. Paul Hodges and w. ].
Wood as a committee, WIS read by Secre-
tary Gibson, the following extracts IF.
which give the tenor of the entire commune
cation:
"Rumors have been current in Florence
for some weeks that your club was engaged
in active but secret negotiations, to secure
the removal of the Florence wagon works
to Birmingham, and that to accomplish this
purpose you had made offers of large dona-
tons in land and money. So persistenty
were these rumors circulated that the Bush
ness League of this city, at a recent meet
ing, apo. nted us committee to investigate
the whole matter; directing us, If, after
careful inquiry, we ascertained that the ru-
mors were well founded, to take such action
might be proper to protect our interests
I'VE are disinclined to credit these ru-
mors or to believe that your club had en-
barked in a policy of attempting to build
up the Industries of Birmingham by offer
ing to manufacturing plants located in
neighboring towns in this state bribes po-
litely termed donations to locate in your
midst. We have disposition to question
the right of Birmingham to use all proper
and legitimate means to secure the location
of industries and the investment of capital
in her own borders. No spirit of jealousy
has ever marred our pride in the rapid
growth of your city, and her steady strides
to industrial greatness; but we do most
earnestly protest against this effort to dis
rupt our industries and injure our CONNER
cial progress
Cameas a Surprise
President Steiner stated that the contents
of the letter was a surprise to him he
and Mr.. Malone, chairman of the manufac-
turers' committee had as long as six months
ago been in communication with DR.. Bella
my, the manager of the Florence Wagon
Works, and had understood that sthe plant
xxrac he To- thax or Moe h
vile. He also said that Mr.. Woods, one of
the committee who signed the communica-
ton, had been here to investigate and had
been shown letters from DIR. Bellamy to
the effect that the plant would positively
be moved from Florence, one of which un-
der date of December was read to the
club.
DE. Bellamy's Reply
A letter from Dr. Bellamy in reply to the
open letter from the Business Mems
League, was then read as follows:
Noticing in an open letter, addressed to
the Commercial club of Birmingham Ala.
from a committee of the Business league of
Florence, Ala, I consider it but fair that
the other side of the question involved be
brought to the attention of those inter-
ested
First-The Florence Wagon Works, and
not the Commercial club of Birmingham,
took the tiative looking to a removal of
its plant to more suitable location as a
distributing point for its product, and the
first steps were taken over two years ago.
as correspondence on file n the Office of
the wagon works will show.
Second--Both Nashville and Memphis
have l,aar ~oriorelv CON eiderad as deeira hIa
locations, and it was thought that in time
one or the other of these cities would be
chosen.
Third-A former citizen of Florence, living
now in Birmingham, being aware of the
ultimate intention, mentioned the matter TO
one of the leading members of the Com
mercal club, with the suggestion that very
likely they could get the wagon works to
move to Birmingham If invitation was
given, he believing that the large enterprise
should be kept in the state, at the same
time birmingham being considered as good
distributing point as any in the south.
Fourth-A short time after, letter was
received by the Florence Wagon Works
from the aforesaid member of the Birming-
ham Commercial club, asking If the
wagon works would consider a proposition,
and the wagon works replied in the affirma-
tive.
Fifth-The Atlanta Wagon company, es-
tablished in a small way in Atlanta. In 1882
and prospecting there, was induced in 1889
by the Florence Railroad Improvement
company, the stock of which company was
owned mostly In Atlanta, Louisville and
Virginia, to move to Florence, agreeing to
subscribe sufficient money and land to
double the capital, which they did. 1t was
a booming scheme pure and simple in which
the people of Florence had no hand; in fact,
the factory was located two and a salt
miles from town In the woods, near the
center of the farm lands bought up at 80
per acre. which said improvement company