The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-01
TESTIMONIAL TO
MAI. ". ]. MINER
On His Retirement from Man
agement of Water Works.
EMPLOYEES OF THE COMPANY
Present Him With a Beautiful Cut
Glass Punch Service as an Express
sion of Their Esteem Was
25 Years in Harness

The officers and employees of the Biz
minsham Water Works company presented
Major Willis ]. Miner yesterday at noon
with a superb punch service of cut glass.
The occasion arose from Major Milners
retirement from the vice presidency and
general management of the company after
a service of twenty-five years. The COM
pany was chartered in 1872 and Major Mil
ner took charge two years later.
The presentation took place in the head
offices of the company in Third avenue,
and there were present about thirty of the
officers and employees, behind the latter
being a half dozen colored laborers; the
group presenting a picturesque and deeply
affecting appearance.
Secretary and Treasurer J. F. Graham
made the presentation speech, and spoke
as follows:
Dear Major Miner: We have learned
with sincere and profound regret of your
intention to resign your position as super
intendent and general manager of this COM
pany October l. We, the employees of the
company, have asked you to meet us at
this hour that we might together express to
you our high esteem and sincere affection
for you.
During our long years of service under
your management the kindest treatment
and uniform courtesy have been extended
to all from the humbest colored employe
to the office force. Our admiration for
your great business qualities is equaled
only by our respect and love for you per-
sonally. Your gentleness and culture,
along with your frmness and energy, have
made us feel that we are members of one
common family rather than employees OF a
great and exacting corporation. the sep
aration, therefore, which your retirement
will bring about is accompanied on our
part With profound sorrow and regret. In
the years to come We trust that time will
deal gently with you and that our gracious
God, whom you honor and serve 50 WE'LL
may grant you many years of uninter-
rupted health, happiness and prosperity,
which we who know you well assured
will be spent for His glory and the good
of our fellow-men.
Dear Major Miner, I am more than
happy at the request of our officers and
employers to present this slight token of
our admiration and affection. 1t is no
costly mansion, such as a grateful people
tic dDcul " pIcSeul u lHt
Dewey for his unique and unparalleled mas
tery of the sea, but the admirati ton and
gratitude which accompanies our small tes-
timonial is as sincere as that of our Ameri-
can people for the great admiral
Major Miner was taken entirely by sur
prise, and he had a strong struggle with
his emotions before he could respond to
such affectionate words so happily spoken.
He said that the officers and employees had
served the company well, and for them
he had formed a warm attachment that
would not end with the severance of his
official relations. The Water Works were
in a large degree the creature of his con-
slant labor and solicitation and in build
ing them up he had spent the best years of
his life He felt now as if he were in a
sense leaving his own family, so well did
he know all the men in the service and so
strong had grown the ties binding him to
them. He was doubly grateful to them for
this manifestation of their good will.
The gift is exceedingly handsome. With
the splendid punch bowl are dozen cups.
the whole resting on large circular mirror
which rests in turn upon beautiful
tal,