The age-herald., 1900-02-09


 He said that Representatives Underwood and Bankinead both of whom are taking a lively interest dn the canal. have the promise of enough votes to insure the passage of the ball making the appropria- sion through the house.
 The committee of citizens to represent Birmingham before the rivers and harbors committee has not yet been named, but will be in tine next few days.
 Mir. vanHo ose's Letter
 The following is a copy of the letter itllat MT. VanIIoose has mailed to repre- sentative c5izens throughout the state:
 Birmingham, Ala, Feb. 8, 1900. Dear Sir-The committee is sending to you as an Alabamian some copies of a circular letter relating to the opening of the Warrior river and waterway to the Birmingham district. We feel sure that you must, citizen of ulls state, feel deep interest in adding to the value of your own property and that of your fellow citizens and fellow tax payers. Increase the value of Alabama real estate and prop erty and reduce rates of taxation.
 You are earnestly requested to person. ally interest yourself, and ito have your city council, board of county commission CTS, commercial and industrial organia- fions without delay, prepare resolutions and forward them to your immediate rep resentatve in congress urging him to use every possible effort to secure this great improvement for Alabama and the country at large
 You are also also earnestly requested to hand copy of the enclosed communica- ton to prominent citiens, firms and corpor- afions in your city and vicinity and ask them to help. There will be no rivers and harbors bill at this session. But the rivers and harbors committee will grant hear ing on this matter on the 20th of this month. Prompt action is therefore earnest- ly requested. Very respectfully,
 "J. A. VANHOOSE,
 Chairman" MT. VanHoose has also mailed the fol- lowing circular to influential partices in various portions of the United States:
 To Other States
 "The Commercial club of Birmingham, with the cooperation of the Board of Trade, representing all conditions and in- fterests in the district, has undertaken, through a special committee, to make known the feasibility and immense im- portance which will result not only to Ala bama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas, but to the entire manufacturing and export interests of the country at large, by the opening up of the Alabama coal and iron fields, through the improve ment of existing waterways to the Gulf of Mexico.
 'The committee charged with this duty of assisting the Alabama senators and rep Tesentatives in bringing to the favorable attention of congress the great national importance of this work, are of the opinion cnat 1t will be of great help to all interest ct, if strong personal letters are sent to as many congressman as possible from their own constituents and personal friends urging favorable considera tion of this most important movement.
 Not only will tt add vafue to every acre of land in Alabama, supply every point touched by navigable waters on the gulf with cheap raw products for manufacture, vastly increase passenger and express business and desirable tonnage on all rail- roads connecting such manufacturing cen ters, but it will, as certainly as human events can be determined in advance greatly lessen the danger of approaching competition be tween all northern iron cen- ters and Alabama.
 There is point up to which reasonable competition quickens and benefits Beyond mat 1t Is senseless, unnecessary and in- jures both capital and labor
 The markets of the world are wide and profta,Qle. Let America in dts development so conserve ana preserve its energies as to avoid this needless competition between dts own products and citizens. Let the Bir- m5ngham district get out to tide water at Mobile, New Orleans, Pensacola, and Gal
 
 ping for foreign markets
 No other iron and coal district on the Known globe Hes so near to the sea as does the Birmingham district.
 ''The prospects for the undertaking of this great work are very encouraging and daily become more so as it's great national importance becomes better known
 Feasible and Desi. able
 The government engineers reports de- clare it to be feasible and desirable' The secretary of war has approved the reports and has recommended to congress to ap- prcpriate the money necessary to its i'm provement. Strong and influential friends in the north and east are working for it
 These prrsonal letters are very inoor tant. No matter how much your own rep- resehtatiVes or senators may be alive to it's necessity, these personal letters will en- courage them to work the hearder for it. Then ask your neighbor or friend to also Write personal letters and to help along the good work. Thousands of prominent, in- huential men from the north and west are now coming into the south. The committee especially ask that they also be seen and urged to write to the representatives from their former districts and ask them to help. The need is great, the time most oppor- tune The work is national. Congress, very properly, appropriates the peoples money for Improvements where it will do the most good to the most people. The as- sertion Is confidently made that, with the exception of the Nicaragua canal, no other national work is at present before congress so vast and far reaching in it's beneficial re- suits to so many people, or to so many diff ferent states in the union as is the opening up of the Alabama iron fields to foreign markets and the removing of their competi- ton from those of the north and east.
 'Let then, every broad-guaged, liberal American citizens get to work and promptly see to it that this matter is vigorously fol- lowed up before the rivers and farbors com- mittee. There is no lobby pressing it's claims. No large fund has been raised to push it. In qufet business way it seeks recognition strictly on its merits as a great national necessity, helping all, injurfng none. .<-. "Along these lines please at once write to such congressman as are known to you and your friends. There will be no rivers and harbor bill at this session, but the commit tee will grant hearing on this water way on the 2Oth of this month. Therefore prompt action is earnestly requested.
 Every respectfully,
 "J A. vANHOOSE, Chairman.