The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-06
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

famous Jere Murphy has been defeated for
reelection to the mayoralty by Alderman
Alfred Moore The public is not informed
as to the identity of Alderman Moore. He
may or may not belong to that family of
Moore's famous in Alabama for upwards of
fifty years. Branches of this distinguished
family are found in Huntsville, Florence,
Birmingham and Mobile. but The Age
Herald chronicler is not informed as to
whether the new mayor of Huntsville is
one of these. However that may be. Al
derman Moore, the new mayor of the beau
tiful city of the Big Spring. has suddenly
leaped into the forefront of public charac-
| tiers by defeating Jere Murphy for the
| mayoralty.
Jere Murphy is the most unique oharac-
| ter in Alabama public life. He has served
as mayor of Huntsville for twenty years,
off and on. Nobody could defeat him.
| The legislature passed an act not allowing
the mayor of Huntsville to succeed himself.
This threw Jere Murphy out time or two,
may be more than two times; but he was
elected mayor every time the law allowed.
The voters would have him whenever they
| could get him. But the law must have
been changed in some way, for the dis
patches say that Mayor Murphy was de-
feated in the race to succeed himself.
This cannot be accepted as the political
passing of Jere Murphy. He cannot pass
till he passes from a world that to him is
very attractive. No figure in the public
eye in Alabama is half so picturesque as
the rosy-faced, white-haired, great-hearted
old mayor of Huntsville He Is one of
those few men who make the world the
better by living in it. Once upon a time,
after his noble old mother had watched in
vain for his return from the war between
the states, and had asked every passing
veteran the question: Have you seen my
Jere?" the grey old mother lost patience.
Great numbers of the ragged rebels"
passed by, but none could answer her low
ing inquiry. Finally she said to the last
band of returning braves to pass her house:
You are a lot of cowards-every one of
you! You have run away from the war
and left nobody but old Bragg and my Jere
to fight them Yankeesi"
Jere Murphy cannot pass from the public
eye. He is too true, too strong too brave
too loving!
Turning from politics to business, there
is an intensely figure now in Birmingha
Reference is had to Mr.. Ignatius Pollak
the great dry goods merchant of Montgon,-
cry. MIR. Pollak is an owner of extensive
coal properties in this district, and he has
held on to his possession as best he could
through the troublous times now happily
past. Mr.. Poliak is a man OF wide culture
Ind ripe literary, musical and artistic at
tainments. Moreover, he is one of the most
agreeable and companonable of men. He
can tell innumerable good Stories is thor
oughly hospitable, and at all times genial.
and at all times acuated by the best rules
of courtesy. No man dwells In Alabama
more gifted with social graces than Igna-
tlus Pollak. An engaging man withal, and
one worthy of all good fortune.
DIR. Lewis Morris has purchased of the
Birmingham Trust and Savings company
the dwelling house. No. 212O Highland
avenue, now occupied by Mr.. and Mrs.
Similar. 1t is understood that DR.. and Mrs.
Morris will take possession of this beauti-
full place next october. The price paid is
said to be very satisfactory to the late
owners. This sale is one of the innumera-
BILE evidences OF the great activity in Biz
mingham real estate. Values are bounding
upward every day, and sales are very nu-
merous. On the South Highlands E. N
Cullom is now building twenty-three SUBJ
stantial dwelling houses, and another in.
weston is building ten such houses Great
activity prevails in the building trade, as
well as in strictly real estate business.
SO
The heat and strife of the municipal
anti-primary election had subsidized yester-
Gay, and everybody accepted the result
good naturedly Ross c. Smith himself a
commendabla example. Nobody who met
Mr.. Smith could have guessed that the tide
of politics had not gone favorably. Mr..
Smith was urbane, as courteous, as civil,
as courtly in his manners as he had won
the presidency, rather than lost the may
orally of Birmingham. Ross Smith wes
very graceful in defeat. In point of fact,
he is always graceful, as he is always civil
and considerable. He bore no trace of re-
gret or disappointment He bore himself
as the true gentleman that he is. On all
sides he received congratulations as If he
had been a conqueror because the people
know that he has lost nothing of self-re-
| sEect, and has not sacrificed any part OF
their esteem. Mr.. Ross Smith Is a strong
man and a true one. and it is not deroga-
tory to him at all that another good man,
an old personal friend, defeated him in tho
contest for the mayoralty of Birmingham.
This town does not contain citizen more
worthy of its respect and kind considera-
ton than Ross c. Smith. He is almost o
youth In years. and he will always remain
| young in the affections of his own home
| folks here in Birmingham.
All day yesterday Mr. Mel Drennen was
busy receiving the congratulations of his
| friends and supporters. Amongst all those
who heartily felicitated Mr.. Drennen upon
his success was great number who voted
in the primary for Mr. Smith, and these
| gave the successful young candidate as
much comfort as he derived from those
who worked for him. The fight for the
high honor of being first magistrate of Biz