The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-01
TRADE CLOSED FOR
GATE CITY LANDS
Purchased by John Shelton VIII
Iiams Syndicate.
MEANS GREATDEVELOPM
Syndicate May First Furnish Water
Supply to Suburban Cities, Wood
lawn and AvondaleM Mr.. Grasty
Predicts Bright Future.

The syndicateof Richmond and Baltimore
investors, the head of which is John Skel-
ton Williams, has concluded its purchase
of the Gate City property, embracing 1880
acres of the most valuable landed prop
erty in Alabama.
This fact is of supreme Importance to the
Birmingham district. The Age-Herald of
Wednesday stated that E. Randolph Will
Jams, brother of John Shelton Williams,
was in Birmingham for the purpose of
going over the question of titles with Col
olel James E. Webb of this city.
Means Much to birmingham
The great property at Gate City has been
purchased Nothing of greater Importance
to Birmingham and the district has occur
red since the steel plant was assured
Randolph Williams, who in many of his
brothers great enterprises has been his
legal adviser, was seen last night by an
Age-Herald reporter.
81 have carefully investigated the titles
to the property involved" said Mr. Will
iams, land l am more than pleased.
Webb. Moreover, I have gone over the en-
tire district; and 1 am amazed at its rich
ness and its possibilities. The natural con-
ditions here for profitable development
surpass anything which I had contem-
plated Concerning the purposes of the
syndicate of which 1 am the legal repre-
sentative have no right to speak.
Question of Water Supply
'1r. resrec- to the question of water sup
ply, which 1 understand has aroused good
deal of local interest it may be said that I
apprehend that the syndicate would take
steps first Qf any be contemplated) to sup
ply Avondale and Woodlawn with water,
as the needs of those two towns in that
matter appear to be most pressing.
Those investors whom / represent under
instructions acquire a property of splendid
value. In my opinion they would be justi-
fled in making extensive developments
though, as you will understand am not
authorized to speak for them.
THE great wealth and promise of this
Gate City property astounded me- Should
my clients engage in developing their prop
erty here, 1 take the liberty of saying that
such developments will be upon a scale
worthy even of Birmingham"
Property Will be Utilized
Thomas P. Grasty of the Manufacturers
Record, who first brought this property to
the attention of Mr.. OHM Shelton Williams,
said; While it goes without saying that
the attention of Mr.. John Shelton Williams.
tensive property SO close to Birmingham
is liable to raise the presumption that it
will be utilized-and that too, in view OF
the handsome profits now being made by
the furnaces of this district without un-
necessary delay-yet it would be merely a
premature prediction TO say right now just
what will DE the extent and character of
the Developments for which this purchase
Will form the basis. L have noted in the
report made for Mr.. Williams and his as
sociates on the Gate City nucleus by MIR.
Nicholas S. Hill, Jr.-a very distinguished
consulting enSineer-that iron can be made
here, in his Judgment, at considerably lower
cost than anywhere else in the district, and
so l feel safe in prophesying that some fur
naces will soon be built on the property,
but beyond this l should not venture as
much as prediction
Mr. Grasty was asked whether Mr.. John
r.. Searles, who recently visited Birming-
ham i'll private car, accompanied by Mr..
Richard H. Edmonds, who is Mr.. GraSty's
partner in the ownership OF the Manufac-
turers' Record, VISA a member of the pur-
chasing syndicate.
Il think not" he replied, but in view OF
what / have heard MIR. Searles say con-
corning his faith In the future of Birming-
hama faith founded on facts that came to
his knowledge when here in February with
Mr.. Edmonds|I think it highly probable
that he will be interested in the company
which may be organized to utilize this
property as the situs for large iron and
steel industries. Indeed, l feel almost safe
in saying that Birmingham has made a
favorable impression on Mr.. Searies mind
as a location for branch plant for the
manufacture of cylindrical cotton bale
congresses, which L am sure will be rap
idly multiplied from now on all over the
south. The establishment of such plant
here would be a very valuable addition to
the industries of this city, and l am in
clined to believe that Mr.. Edmonds, in
whose judgment on such matters Mr..
| Searles has great confidence, considers Biz
| mingham a most suitable location for the
| manufacture of the American Cotton COM
| panys machines"
What do you think OF the suggestion
| that the recent tests of the artesian water
| supply at Gate City will soon lead to the
| construction of a new system of water
| works for Birmingham"
| What Mr. Williams plans are in con-
| nection with this connection l am abso-
liz IT,, H. l.,1