The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-24
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

Hhat marred by the building BOOM" said
a citizen yesterday. .-Ihe streo.s are filed
with unsightly structures surrounding the
business houses now being erected and the
sidewalks are 0bstrueted by huge piles Of
materials 1t is impossible to have a city
pleasing to the eye when an epidemic OF
building is on. But for the present We are
content to have the towns beauty tenn
porarily destroyed when something more
ma terial than mere perspective is the cause
of It,"
president Mckinley iaeEs come near
breaking the record in cabinet ch9nges,'
said a politician at the Morris yesterday.
1T has oeen many years since the official
family of the executive has seen so many
different faces during one administration
Sherman, Day and Hay have held the port
folio as secretary of state; McKenna has
been and Grisgs is attorney general; Gary
was succeeded as postmaster general by
Smith, Hitchcock now occupies the office
of secretary of the interior that was filled
by Bliss, and Root now holds down the
job that one Alger at one time attempted
to fill. 1t is now rumored that Root has
already become tired after his few weeks
incumbency and that ne will shortly throw
up the sponge. Long, Gage and Wilson
have held on thus far, but there is no tell
ing when they will get tired of their jobs
1t is whispered in Washington that Long
is becoming weary of exalting Sampson by
the orders of Mckinley. He is said to
recognize Schley's credit for the victory
and he may on account of this step down
and out. And still Mckinley has some
time to serve yeti
admiral George Dewey at present holds
the highest regard of the American peo-
pie, and justly so, too. but to a certain
extent this glory is untarnished through
circums tances merely said gentleman
yesterday. ut was a lucky thing for
Dewey that he escaped from Manila before
the rottepness of the Otis regime on the
islands was brought to the attention of the
Americans. While at Manila Dewey was
in command and as he trusted Otis 1t is
hardly possible that If he had remained
the acknowledgement would not have &C.
Cured. That Otis is wholly incompetent
is longer denied, and Dewey would
have been held partly responsible for the
his way to receive the plaudits of the
American people before the newspaper cor
respondent at Manila exposed the manner
in which Otis was taking the administra-
ton and the country at large, and SO the
.lustre of Dewey's name is as yet un-
dimmed."
at is a mystery to me-" said a proml-
nent Second avenue grocer yesterday,
why the city authorities do not take
some steps for the improyemnt of the
numerous parks here. The one at the
head of Twentieth street, for instance, Is
a beautiful place and should be improved
at once. If the city does not feel able to
Put all of the parks in shape, would sug-
gest that every one of them. with the ex-
llception of the one l have mentioned, be
sold and the proceeds be utilized in beau
tifying Capitol park
Even as small a place as Avondale has
park. and pretty one, too. The peo-'
pie of that little town frequent it, as evil
denced by the crowds to be seen there al
most any day in the week and especially
on Sunday afternoons. l think it is a
shame that Birmingham cannot have a
place like this where people Of every con-
diton in life especially the laborers who,
tired with a long days work, can find
genuine rest in such resort"
THE triad of Captain Alfred Dreyfus Is
exciting more interest in Birmingham
than one would believe, especially among
members of my profession" said an atter-
ney yesterday, "but the defendant in the
world famous case excites no more interest
than does his two principal attorneys,
Demange and Labor. Opinions differ as
to which of the two is the better lawyer,
though 1 am inclined to believe that the
majority is in favor of the latter. Both are
unquestionably brilliant members of the
profession. Dreyfus, by the way, could
make fortune by lecturing. His houses
would always be crowded. 1t has been a
long time since case has commanded
such attention anywhere"