The age-herald., 1899-02-19
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

Slngularly enough, the hotel lobbies were practically deserted yesterday. At o'clock In the afternoon there were not over a doz- en loungers in the lobby of the principal hotel, yet there were no vacant rooms. The springlike, sunshiny weather had induced men to stay out of doors And those per- sons who lounged about had nothing which they appeared to be willing to discuss. They smoked and were uncommunicative. They had nothing to say Some of them
 ate tobacco as if they had been hired to
 eat 1t. Others ate gum. There was notable lack of cheerfulness, notwithstand- ing the notable improvement in weather conditions.
 MT. John H. Serles the famous ''sugar king of New York, MT Richard Edmonds. editor of the Manufacturers Record, of Baltimore, and their party now travelling through the south in MT. Series private car, have accepted the invitation of the Bir- l mingham Commercial club to visit this city and will arrive here next Thursday, ac- cording to letters received yesterday morn | ing. The Age-Herald contained week ago l an exceedingly interesting interview with MT Thomas P. Grasty, travelling editorial correspondent of the Manufacturers Rec
 ord, in which was set forth the main object
 of Mr. Serles' southern tour. It was urged
 at the time that an invitation be sent to MT. Series to visit Birmingham, The invitation was sent by the Commercial club and has been accepted The visit of the dstin- gushed millionaire and his party should re- suit in much good to Birmingham. MT. Series has never visited this city. As the Age-Herald has stated, the chief purpose of his tour of the south Is to study in the cotton fields the science of economy in the manufacture of cotton, and incidentally to take notes of other industrial matters in the south. He is man of great enterprise and public spirit and of vast fortune. Birmingham is certainly a splendid town.' said J. P. Meyer, of Chicago "1t l has the air of prosperity and every indica- l ton of wonderful development Birming- ham is a city, and it will probably be the | first city of the south. It Is a comfort to l the traveller to get to Birmingham. for the 1 city is so broadly cosmopolitan that every l body who comes here feels very much at home.''
 Birmingham is certainly a splendid town," said J. P. Newer, of Chicago. Tt
  tion of a wonderful development. Birming- ham is a city, and it will probably be the first city of the south. It is comfort to the traveller to get to Birmingham, for the city is so broadly cosmopolitan that everybody who comes here feels very much at home.' There is story told on an honored cit iZen of Rirrnnpham Some wears ago. while he was resident of the blackbelt, friend of his got into trouble with ne- gro tenant who lived on the Birmingham mans plantation. The white man was about to shoot the negro, when the negro's landlord called out: Hold on there, Jim; hold on! Don't shoot his. He owes me $SO!' The shooting did not take place.
 Hon. William H. Skaggs, who has been in l Chicago for three weeks, and who has been i'll most of the time, is again at home, somewhat improved. Mr.. Skaggs had a severe attack of the grippe, and it will be l a good while before he fully recovers
 William Morris, of New York, is in town. |
 Willis Darby, of Montgomery, was in | town yesterday.
 MT. Thomas P. Grasty, the noted staff | correspondent of the Manufacturers Re- | cord, was in Birmingham yesterday en route east
 The Commercial club is now reaping the | fruits of its faithful work during the win ter. Yesterday the arrangements were completed for locating important in dustry in the corporate limits of the city Several other industries are virtually se- cured. The club has been successful in securing cheap telephone rates, and in perpetuating the appropriation for the fast mail from the east to the south. On last Saturday the club entertained the north western editors, and on this coming Thurs day will detail an escort of honor for MT. Series and party on their trip through the mineral district.
 Politicians are beginning to return from Montgomery. The leading Birmingham matters have been practically disposed of, and within three more business days the general assembly will adjourn sine die 'There have been much crossness and per- verseness in the present legislature" said a politician wha has spent much time in in Montgomery. Members have quarreled and struggled, and thought hard things of one another, so that outsiders could al- most never tell how any two members re- garded each other. That was perhaps best for the state. I give no opinion as to that. But in my experience of legislatures in this state, covering twenty-five years, I have not known any general assembly so quar- relsome and fussy the one whose ses- sion is now closing"
 Jefferson county has loomed up largely during the session. More largely than ever before, perhaps. In spirit illustrative of the part Jefferson plays in the proceedings of the assembly. Representative Wilson R. Brown, of Colbert has good-humoredly de- clared that he would be glad to see the premier county provided with a legislature