The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-24
IN HOTEL L0BBIRS
and ELSEWHERE

the final correction of the only error found
attributable to him during the eight years
of his laborious and important work as
governer's private secretary. During that
time the settlement of the debt of the state
under the act of 1876 was in progress, and
the duties imposed by that act upon the
governor were devolved upon Colonel Nc
Kee In the course of taking up millions
of dollars of old bonds and issuing new
bonds for them an error occurred for
which he was advised that he was not le-
gally liable nor morally responsible. But
his sensitive pride shrank from the posi-
BILE imputation of carelessness or incom-
potency in work he had undertaken, and.
selling his little home to raise the money,
he voluntarily paid to the state the full
amount of the error, which, without an"
solicitation upon his part, direct or inai-
rect, now returns to him
The debt of Alabama, adjusted under the
act of 1876, amounted, roughly speaking,
to $32, 100000 Under the plan of adjusts
ment this debt was reduced to about $10,-
900 0OO The governor of Alabama was
made the commissioner to carry out the
practical details of the settlement; that is,
to receive the old bonds and issue new
ones, which are now the only Alabama
state bonds in existence; the constitution
of 1875 forbidding any increase in the bond
ed indebtedness of the state. Colonel Nc
Kee, as governors private secretary, as
sumed the governors laborlous duties in
the matter without compensation or reward
of any nature. 1t is a remarkable tribute
1,ic no ar office and
a practical man of affairs, that In all that
vast business transaction only one error
occurred. That error the legislature at
last makes good, and makes 1t good to the
credit of Colonel Mckee.
There is not an honest man in Alabama,
not one who appreciates manly worth and
the nober qualities who will not congratu-
late the legislature upon doing Justice to
Colonel Mckee. All those citizens who
have the honor and happiness to personally
know Colonel Mckee and none knows him
who loves him not, will feel a keen sense
of personal qualification that wrong
imposed upon a brave gentleman by him
self has now been righted by the power of
the state itself. The colonel knew nothing
about the bill to refund him the money UNI
til he read in the newspapers that it had
passed. 1t was a reporter of The Age Her
aid who conveyed to him yesterday the in
formation that the governor had approved
the bill.
Colonel Mckee is the abest writer who
has been on the Alabama press; and for
years was the most powerful individual
factor in state politics. He Is a man of
great learning, of varied accomplishments,
and is a polished man of the world. No
man is possessed of more engaging person
al qualities. He charms all men with whom
he comes in contact.
Mr.. j. w. Connella, who conducts a news
paper at Everett, Washington state, spent
yesterday in Birmingham with his friend,
Hon. w. w. Wikerson, senior judge of the
city court. Mr.. Connella is a native of
Marion, Perry county, Alabama, where
Judge Wilkerson also was born, but for
nineteen years he has resided on the Pacific
slope. He never saw Birmingham before,
for nineteen years ago there was practical
ly no Birmingham-only a scattering viii
lage, SO to speak, with canals of mud for
streets in winter and canals of dust in sum-
mer.
Birmingham reminds me more of west
ern towns than any other city in the
SOUTH" said Mr.. Connella. There are life
and energy here which 1 have not seen
equalled anywhere else in the SOUTH Other
southern cities are sleepy as compared
with Birmingham. The people here evil
IDENTIFY have some get-up-and-get about
them.
Everett, where Mr.. Connella resides, is
thirty miles north of Seattle, and Is man.
1rfu
Teller, whose private income is supposed to
be at least 100000 day. They have social
sets in Everett, as exist everywhere else
in the world. The top of the pot is COM
posed of the head officers of Rockefeller
factories, together with the families of
those officers. These individuals constitute
the "aristocracy' of Everett
Word comes from New York that the
health of Mr.. M. v. Joseph is greatly i'm
proved. Mr.. Joseph was worked down.
and so two or three weeks ago he went to
New York for rest and recreation, being
accompanied by Mrs. Joseph. The change
has done him great good; and he is ex-
pected back home about the 10th of March,
quite strong man. This will be pleasing
information to the people of Birmingham
and the district; for Birmingham has no
better, more highly honored citizen than
Moses v. Joseph, and no more successful
business man.
Former Postmaster Robert L. Houston,
of Birmingham, has been appointed a
United States revenue agent, and 1t is un-
derstood that he will be Immediately as
signed to duty. He is now In Memphis,
and will receive his assignment at the
hands Of the commissioner of internal rev.
enue. His duties will necessitate much
travel, as he will be required to inspect the
affairs of all the internal revenue collect
ors in prescribed territory, generally
covering three or four states. His pay will
be s14 day.
Mr.. Houston's friends all over the state
will be glad to know that he has been APP
pointed to such a position of honor and
| profit. He was for four years],lS89- 90
postmaster of this city, and discharged the