The age-herald., 1899-01-07
FLORENCE LETTER
 WAS CONSIDERED No Definite Action But Some Warm
 Speeches. OPPOSED TO PAYING SUBSIDY Several Members Wanted to Drop the
 Whole Matter.
OPPOSED TO PAYING SUBSIDY
LOCATION OF A NEW INDUSTRY
Chairman Malone of the Manufacturing Committee Reported That a New Plant Had Been Secured
 With Capital of $3O,o0o.


 upon the reply of the Business Mems League of Florence to the answer of the Commercial club to the "open letter" there was a large attendance upon the meeting of the Commercial club yesterday after noon.
 The meeting of the board of directors was called to order by President Steiner promptly at S:3O o'clock.
 The following new members were elect ed: R. M Newbold J. F. Mclaughlin, W. J. Cameron, Judge T. B. Lyons, R. Preston Means, J. M. Davidson, Dr. Geo. s. Brown, M. P Messer. c c. Ellis, Jr., Sylvester Robertson, J. L. McGowan, H. Herzfeld, S. R. Hawley and J. R. Adams.
 The reports of the secretary and treas urer were read and referred.
 The meeting of the club proper was call ed to order at o'clock with the following members present.: B. Steiner, H. w. Kettig, C. Rainbow, J. K. Mcdonald, w. J. Milner, T. H. Motion, Chas. Roy, A R. Dearborn, J. M Caldwell, w. N. Malone, M. V. Joseph, Sylvester Robertson, Geo. Jackson, John w. Tomlnson, J. A. Roun- tree, W. B. Leedy Sig. Steiner, Sterling J. Wood, w. T. Underwood w. M Newton and B. Gibson
 President Steiner's report which is print ed elsewhere in this issue, was then read to the club. On motion of Sterling J. Wood the recommendation of the president in re- gard to selecting suitable men as delegates to the constitutional convention was re- ferred to a special committee of seven, which will be appointed later
 New Industry secured
 Chairman w. N. Malone, of the manufac~ turers committee, reported that an indus try with capital of about $3O OOO and em- ploying between sixty and seventy hands had been secured, and would be located near Woodawn.
 John w. Tomlnson, chairman of the legislative committee, reported that the several matters which had been referred to his committee had received attention and that bill to exempt manufacturing plants from taxation had passed the house of representatives and was before the sen- ate, where there is some opposition. He thought that with some support from the club the measure could be gotten through
 The Florence Letter
 ihe fioreHce letter was brought up in the report of Chairman T. H. Motion, of the special corhmittee on the "open let ter.' MT. Motion reported that in ac- cordance with the instructions of the club the committete had made thorough inves- tigation of the charges in the open letter and had found that they were not sub stantiated by any evidence which could be gotten before the committete. A full and complete investigation substantiated the position taken by the club that all propo- sitions for the removal of the Florence wagon works to Birmingham had come from Dr.. Bellamy, the general manager of the plant and that all negotiations had been conducted in an honorable and busl- ness-like manner. In accordance with these findings a reply had been formulated and forwarded to the Florence people together with several letters from Dr. Bellamy and other interested persons bearing on the subject. Mr. Motion referred to the sec- ond letter just received which he said re- iterated the charges made in the ''open letter" in total disregard of the evidence to the contrary, which had been forwarded by the committee. He asked that the report be received and the committee discharged
 J. A. Rountree wanted to know if the matter was closed.
 Sig. Steiner was of the opinion that some definite action should be taken inasmuch as the answer had promised that all ef- forts to secure the plant would be aban- doned if it could be shown that the wagon works would remain in Florence If this had been shown he thought the club mor- ally bound to abandon any further effort. President B. Steiner replied that he was in receipt of letter from Dr. Bellamy written since the last letter from the Flor ence people was sent out in which he states positively the wagon works will be removed from Florence.
 Dr. Bellsmy Ignored
 Mr Gibson, who assisted in formulating