The age-herald., 1900-02-14
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

The public library maintained in eonnec- | tion with the High school is one of the best institutions of the city. It is seldom refer red to, and probably large proportion of the city's population is ignorant of its ex-
 istenee. still it's influence has been felt by a good part of the reading class of the city.
 The library contains about 6300 volumes and is increasing this number at the rate of about 800 a year. Of the $500 volumes in the library, 16O0 are in the reference de-
 pertinent and tie, balance in the circulating department.
 Judging from the books issued by the librarian, the number of fiction readers in Birmingham exceeds all other readers by about s to 1. The last report of the libra- rian contains a statement as to the charac- ter of the books issued during the year. The number of books of fiction issued was S22S. compared with 2,933 of all other kinds, including biography. travel, education, | science, history, civics, poetry, art, etc. The Anniston Hot Blast has undertaken to build cotton yarn mill at Anniston, to cost $10O,000. The Hot Blast proposes to build the mill with home capital and to that end few days ago started subscrip- ton list around the town. To date $l4,oOO of the capital stock has been subscribed by seven men, and three of these will likely | increase their subscriptions by 5000, s2,5OO and $2.000, respectively, thus swelling the total amount to $22.OOO. The first subscrip- tion of $1, GOO was announced Sunday morn- l dng, and the other s13, 300 was added Mon- | day. Such successful business and profes- sional men as L. H. Koplan, J. T. Gardner, W. W. Stringfellow, W. H. McKleroy' John B. Knox, Lowery Mallory and B. l.. Turner have subscribed to the stock. The Hot Blast is an enterprising paper and IS published in one of the best towns in Ala bama. Milton Smith, editor of the Hot Blast, has worked faithfully for Anniston a great number of years, but the best mon- ument to his energy and zeal outside of a | first class newspaper, would be cotton
 l mil He will succeed in his latest under I taking, and he deserves to.
 Hon. John B. Knox, of Anniston, was in 1 the city yesterday.
 Postmaster c. w. Buckley of Montgom- | cry was in Birmingham yesterday. John Horkins, former representative in | the general assembly of Alabama from Jefferson county, was at one time British soldier. He served in the Fifth Northum | berland Fusileers in India and was in Lord | Roberts command. MT. Harkns says Lord | Roberts is little. wiry fellow. something like General Joe Wheeler, and a fighter, every inch of him.
 W. H. Skaggs, formerly of this city, but who now resides in Chicago, is just recov- | ering from severe illness. MT. Skaggs is l manager of the Southern and Northwest ern Immigration association, with head | quarters in Chicago.
 "The passenger business continues to in crease,' said Captain Jack w. Johnson, the Birmingham general ticket agent. "Ihe sales last month amounted to S13,22 22.63 more than they did in January, 1899, and in the two weeks of this month the sales have been $4 636. .24 in excess of the first two weeks of last February. The bulk of the business beyond the state Is to points east | and north-New York, Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville. There used to be a good sale of tickets for western points, but not now. The Florida business from Birming- ham has been light this winter.' "The commercial interests of the country have been urging congress to create new cabinet portfolio-secretary of commerce, but 1t looks as if the mining interests might vet get ahead of us," said Morris avenue merchant. "Since the government has department of agriculture it should certain ly have a department of commerce. There is a bill pending for the department of com merce and industry and this bill will pass some day. but just now more is heard about the bill creating the department of mines and mining than about the other bill do not know that a secretary of commerce would do much good, but since all other interests are being represented in the pres ident's cabinet merchants and manufac- turers should not be sighted" Hon. Frank L. Pettus, of Selma, is at the Morris.