The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-01-11
Mr.. VanHoose's Work in the In
tereSt of the Canal.
MET WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
People of the North and West Are
Greatly terested-Meeting of
Commercial Club Will be
Held to Hear Report

mas Tor the past Few months given almost
his entire attention to his pet scheme, the
Warrior river canal is enthusiastic over
the encouragement he has received, not
only from the people of this section, but of
the north and west as well.
During that time he has visited many of
the leading cities of the country and every
where met with the hearty cooperation of
manufacturers and business men. At q
special meeting of the Commercial club to
be held in the near future he will submit
a full report of the progress that has been
made.
In speaking of his work last night he
said:
"As chairman of the Commercial clubs
special committee l have recently visited
Chicago, Pittsburg and other cities in the
north and west in the interest of the canal.
Everywhere have been given a most att
tentive hearing, and you would be surprised
at the interest in the matter manifested by
the prominent business people in those sec
tions. The iron manufacturers and the
business men in the cities visited seem to
feel as deep an interest in our canal as we
Ido. They lock upon it as a national bust
ness proposition, and are willing to aid US
an our Efforts TO nave cOl5ltSo AithhN ethA ~
Precipitation sufficient for its building.
Business Reasons
1.-The ground upon which they base
tSeir support is strictly "a business cine.
They realize that Birmingham Is COM
pctitor for the iron trade of the world
that her products can be delivered at any
point in the country as cheaply as the pro-
duets of any other section. II the con-
sumption ef Birmimgnams iron Is confined
to the United States the demand for the
products of the north are to that extent
lessened and the south and north will be
reduced to a business rivalry in their own
country. Iney want business expansion
and in order to accomplish this facilities
for reaching the markets of the world
must be provided.
1.-The Birmingham district is now closer
to tidewater than any other known iron
producing district and with the building
of the canal to the Warrior river she will
be so situated that she can control the
iron markets of the world.
1.-the building of the canal will not hurt
the railroads, but on the contrary, will
tend to increase their business. This is il
Illustrated by Cincinnati, Louisville and
ether cities along the Ohio river. Cincim-
natl Is one of the greatest manufacturers
of iron products in the country, notw.th-
standing her coal and iron must come from
a great distance. Cheap transportation on
the Ohio river put this manufacturing
greatness within her reach and the oppor-
tunity was eagerly grasped. Yet the rail-
roads running into Cincinnati have not
suffered by reason of river competition,
but have been benefited. The increased
manufacturing interests and THE commerce
that naturally followed created immense
tonnage and heavy passenger traffic for
all the roads at that point.
The Same in Birmingham
$50 would 1T be in Birmingham. Steam
ers on the canal might handle heavy and
slow freights, but the railroads would be
relied upon to handle the enormous ton
mage of manufactured products and the
hundreds of thousands of passengers that
would come into and 1eaye Birmingham.
These could not go by slow steamers. Thus
would the railroads be benefited.
1.-THE canal would give a chance to
ship coal not only to Mobile and New Or
leans, as is now done. but to all ports alons
the Gulf coast in the United States, Mexi-
co, Central and South America, Cuba and
Porto Rico. Pttsburg now ships coal
down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Or
leans on barges and am told the tariff on
same is only one-third of one mill per ton
per mile. These barges are 1oated some
5000 miles. With the canal built Birming-
ham could put coal into New Orleans at
less cost, the distance not being much more
than one-fourth that from Pittsburg.
81 have assurance of very influential men
in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and else
where that they will give us all possible
assistance in securing an appropriation for
the canal.
Meeting Next Week
Mr. vanHoose says that a meeting will
be held sometime next week in the Com
mercial club rooms at which he will report
the progress he has made in the work as
signed him by the club. He is chairman of
the special canal committee and has given
all of his time the past two or three ronths
in the interest of that enterprise.
Congressman Bankhead of the Sixth dis
trict agreed last week to come to Birming-
ham at am early date and have a confer
ence with the people of this city with re-
ference TO the canai. captain banhneau IS
a member of the house committee on rivers
and harbors and to him will be committed
the interests of the canal in so far as the
house committee goes.
Recent letters from Congressman Under
wood are reassuring and indicate a senti-
ment in congress rather favorable to the
building of the canal.
Mr., vanIIoose says that with the hearty
and united efforts of the Alabama delega-
tion an appropriation for the canal can be
secured.
The meeting at the Commercial club
rooms next week will be under the au-
spices of the club. but every man in the
Birmingham district who feels an interest
in the matter is requested to b. present.
Notice of the date of the meeting will be
made in the Age-Herald two or three days
in advance.
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