The age-herald., 1900-03-13
BIRMINGHAM GETS
 A SPANISH CANNON
Secured Through Influence of
 Congressman Underwood.
PLACED AT HIS DISPOSAL
Comes in Nature of a Loan from the Navy Department = Was Taken from the Cristobal Colon
 57 Millimeter Gun

Birmingham will get one of the guns cap tured from Spain during the recent war with that country. The gun is now at the , disposal of Congressman Underwood, and will be shipped to this city at any time des- ignated by the Commercial club, through whose influences it was secured.
 At the meeting of the club he'd in Feb ruary President Anderson was authorized to appoint committee to take up the mat ter, and ascertain if one of the captured guns would be either loaned or donated to | Birmingham In accordance with the resolu- tion, the president of the club appointed on the committee Sterling A. Wood, chairman; Culpepper Exun, ". J. Wheeler Joseph Beltman, and J. J. Banks This committee communicated with Congressan Underwood with regard to the matter, and yestes day re- ceiyed from him a letter stating the sec retary of the navy had given an order to the ordnance department to set aside one of the guns taken from the battleship Cris- tobal Colon for Birmingham.
 After receiving the letter from MT. Under wood the committee held meeting yester- day afternoon in the office of the chairman, Sterling A. Wood, and prepared its report which will be submitted to the club at it's next meeting.
 Cong Underwood's Letter
 The following is a copy of the letter re- ceived from MT. Underwood:
 Washington, D. C., March S. 1900 Hon. Sterling A. Wood,
 Birmingham, Ala:
 Dear Slr-I am in receipt th.s morning of letter from the secretary of the navy stating That in compliance with my request the department would lend the city of Bir- minsham one Of the Spanish cannon cap tured off the Cristobal Colon-'the peop.e at home to pay all the expenses of handling and transporting the gun. You unders 5and that this is, in reality; a gift of the gun to the city. In order to approprat te appro- prlation by congress it is placed in the na- ture of a loan, but the gun will never be called for again. l am glad that I sue ceeded in getting gun for Birmingham from the historic Spanish battleship. I en- close you herein the secretary's letter, and will be obliged if you will let me know when the committed desires to have the gun moved home. Yours truly,
 (SigneD 70. w. UNDERWOOD" SStiCtdlS lAoHS S leller 10 MT. OnueTWOOQ is as follows:
 Navy Department, Washington, D. C.. March ', 1900.
 'fSf-In reply to your letter of the 9th ultifno, requesting the loan of a cap tured Spanish cannon 70 the city of Birn- fngtham, Ala, 1 have to inform you that the bureau of ordnance, of this department has this day been authorized 70 loan to the city of Birmingham one 57-millimeter gun, taken from the Cristoibal Colon, all the ex- penses of handling and transportation of the gun to be paid by the municipality.
 "The gun will be held subject to instruc- tions from you concerning it's shipment. Very respectfully,
 (SigneD "JOITN. D. LONG,
 Secretary" Hon. O. w. Underwood,
 House of Representa- tives.
 May be Placed in Central Park
 The trophy of iron will probably be for mally received by the municipal authorities and while nothing definite has yet been de- cided 1t will in all probability be placed In Central park
 In this connection it has been suggested jhat the gun be mounted on the pedestal which was built for the Confederate monu- ment near the south gate, overlooking Twentieth street.
 At the next meeting of the club arrange ments will be made for shipping the cannon,