The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-29


as SIS per acre. So
"seeond-They lie at present at no great
distance from an existing railroad and are,
therefore, even now fairly accessible, Whlle
the projected extension of the Southern
road from Parrish to Ensley or Bessemer
which will doubtless soon be built, will OF
necessity make them even more accessible.
"Third-These lands have, to my personal
knowledge, been for several years much de-
sired by dealers in coal lands.
"Fourth-An effort was this year made by
Mr.. DeBardeleben to lease part or all OF
them on royalty for twenty years at mini
mum of $3.50 a month That there would
ever have been any difficulty in leasing
them if they had not been sold and II 1t
had been understood that they were not TO
be sold | cannot for a moment doubt. In
view of all these considerations, am con-
strained to believe that even though $l2.oO
an acre should represent the maximum
present market value of coal lands In TINS
section. the sale of the tracts in question
upon any terms likely to be offered at TINS
time or in the very near future is verita-
BILE misfortune to the university, for 1t was
upon these very lands that those who had
made themselves acquainted with the con-
ditions surrounding the whole body of uni
l-versity lands and influencing their value
and availability were chiefly depending for
the means of bringing the university INTO
the position of financial independence which
we all SO much desire for her."
Resolutions
Sterling A. Wood offered the following
resolution, which was adopted by unan-
imous vote:
Resolved, That the joint meeting of the
advisory, executive and legislative COM
mittee of the society of the alumni ten
der to DIR. J. K. Powers, president, their
Warmest congratulations upon the pres
ent success, condition of the university,
1,afr AieaHC tn
MIN and all of its officers in their efforts
to further its usefulness to the state of
Alabama and its sons"
g. ]. Bowie offered the following reso-
luton:
whereas The charter of the society of
alumni of the university requires them to
cooperate with the board of trustees in
all matters affecting its interests; and
Whereas, Serious questions have been
raised regarding the propriety, manner and
| validity of a recent sale of land belonging
/ to the university: and
Whereas, The welfare of the university
demands phe fullest and most complete in
vestigation possible of this matter. Now.
| therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That a committee of five be
appointed by the chairman of this meeting
to fully and carefully investigate the facts
and circumstances regarding the recent
sale of lands belonging to the university
to the Sloss-Sheffield company, and also
whether or not the sale is legally valid, and
report the facts developed from such in
vestigation, together with their conclusions
drawn therefrom to a meeting of the alrm-
nj of the university, which the president of
the alumni Is hereby requested to call to
meet at Tuscaloosa, Ala, on the 18th OF
December, 1885, to the end that such meet
ing of the Alumni will take action and
make such recommendations in regard
thereto as to them will appear proper in
order to conserve and protect the highest
and best interests of the university.
"ResoIyed further, That the president Of
the alumni mail a copy of this notice to
each alumnus of the university whose ad-
dress is known with the request that he
attend such meeting If possible TO 90 SO.
Would Applaud Efforts
Mr.. Bowie said that he believed every one
present, every alumni, every friend OF the
university and every good citizen would ap-
| plaud the efforts of the association In at
| tempting to make a fair investigation OF
| the land deal and present the same to the
| trustees. He did not believe this proper
| time to express sentiment, as all the evil
dence was not in.
Mr. Robinson said he agreed with Mr..
| Bowie in all matters contained in the reso-
| lutions except one, and upon this he wanted
| to express his views. The meeting was
| confronted, he said, by very serious ques-
ton a question that should have received
| the attention of the alumni. He favored the
| resolution up to the point where it pro-
vided for meeting of all OF the alumni IN
| Tuscaloosa on December 10.
Mr. Dixon wanted to investigate the man
| ner in which the land sale was carried
through the board of trustees, which he
! thought to say the least, was Ill advised.
He believed that there were enough facts
already before the committee to show that
| a lease was pending ana hau peeh pi"Aeii
| into by the governor.
! Mr. Brandon did not think it the purpose
| of this meeting or of the resolution to go IN
| to the facts of the land sale, although ne
| courted an investigation of the matter he
thought the committee of five would De
| sufficient to do the work without the run
| meeting at Tuscaloosa. He intimated that
| the investigation was being had for politi-
| cal profit. He said that while Treasurer
| Fitts intended no politics in his interview,
| the reporter was after politics in his EFFORTS
| TO get Mr. Fits to make a statement.
| Mr. CARRIER did not see the necessity TO
discuss the test;~rony now before the COM
| mfttee as to FAM about price IL was
| the purpose of this committee TO ma OUT
| II the sale was illegal or Invalid or whether
| 1t was regular and legal, and whether Nor
not fine board of trustees would be led to
| see their error.
! Enough to be Invegtigated
| Mr. Wood Thought that there was suf-
| ficient matter already before the ccdn-
/ mittee to be investigated Something had
4 been said about politics in connection with
| the meeting of the society called at Tus-
| caloosa. 1t would take the greatest strain
irv to find any politics in such meeting.
| Mr. Morrow had not at first favored the
| resolution. He had agreed with Mr.. Dixon
that a resolution should pass expressing the
| sentiment of this meeting. The resolution
| offered by Mr.. Bowie could not offend any
citizen of the state This committee could
not bind the society, therefore general
| meeting was necessary. He wanted free
| expression from all of the alumni. he was
not afraid that the whole society would do
| a wrong The price of lands was not the
only matter to be considered. the manner
of the sale should also be looked into. He
! referred to Messrs. Hugh Freil and waiter
Moore as being in one office and said the
latter was VIGOROUSLY known as a recent
coal oil inspector.
He also said that F. M. Jackson was
brother-in-law to the private secretary OF
the governor He further stated that Wepp
crawford had recently spent much energy
getting up those statements as to values OF
coal lands and that Mr.. Crawford hao gone
A., xn. NI,.arova and asked for statement