The age-herald., 1900-10-19
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

fortunate"
 .The young will court. "A child born on this day will be generous and obliging, but unfortunate in business; it should keep in employ" Astrologer Raphael.s prophecies for Saturday, October 20, 1900: An unfortunate day
 "Thou wilt have an active year for thy business. and it will succeed; thou wilt be somewhat inclined to pleasure and com pany.e
 "A child born on this day will be active and quick. and rather fortunate" The recent decrease in the prices of building material has perhaps served to in- crease the activity in the building trade. Prosperity is the main cause and whatever be the incidental cause, the amount of building in progress in Birmingham and the district is unprecedented. The demand for skilled labor is very great, and it is said to be difficult to secure competent workmen on odd jobs:" practically all such men being engaged in regular work according to pre-arranged details. Add- tional houses are in constantly increasing demand; and it is believed by men com petent to form estimates in this particular that thousand good new dwelling houses could be let in Birmingham within week. One citizen knows of five highly respecta- be families of good position who remain away from Birmingham because they are unable 10 secure desirable residences: and hundreds of people who had arranged to come to reside in Birmingham have been compelled to go elsewhere because of in- ability to rent houses.
 The most marked result of this extraor- dinary demand for houses is the great in crease in rents. One large building that is said to have been rented three years ago for $250O, is now said to have been leased for period of years at $7000 a year. A citizen last night was telling of four room cottage miles from the county court house." which is near the city's cen ter. that had been rented to workingman at $20 month Five dollars a room for a small house miles away from the business district is pretty steep. An investor who is building first-class residences has leased a new house of thirteen rooms for a num- Der of years at $e5 a month, which is pre- cisely five dollars a room. An ordinary room for a lodger commands twelve dol
 
 house that costs perhaps s25OO or 5000 to build.
 What is true of Birmingham proper is true also of the surhurban towns. A we'll known citizen of Ressemer in town yaster- day stated that there were hundreds of peo- pie demanding houses in that city, which is now enjoying extraordinary prosperity He says that it is next to impossible to engage skilled men for odd jobs" Similar reports come from Ensley, Pratt, North Birmingham, East Birmingham, Avondale, Woodlawn and East Lake. Everywhere abundant prosperity has produced an un- precedented demand for good houses in which people can reside decently.
 There is much just complaint regarding the hideous blue and white circus ban ners that Haunt their ugliness from the electric wire poles all over Birmingham. That is objectionable philistinism even for a circus; and the people are likely to draw their own conclusions from such an exc crable display of bad taste
 
 Friends of MT. Thomas McAdory Owen and Mrs. owen throughout Alabama will feel earnest sympathy for them on account of the death of their siX-year-od son, John Hollis Bankhead Owen. The little fellow was remarkably bright and beautiful boy; was extraordinarily well developed mentally and physically. There was in him bright promise of brilliant and useful manhood; and these facts concerning the lads char acteristics would seem to make his death all the sadder, the more mournful Yet there is perhaps no degrees in tAe love or the grief of parental hearts. When parents are bereft of child, no matter what the minor circumstances, it is a child of their bosoms lost, and their hearts break and bleed with out comfort.
 The child was the grandson of Congress- man Bankhead, whose name he bore his mother being Marie Bankhead Owen, Colonel Bankheads second daughter. His father is widely known as historian, scholar, and lawyer.
 Senator Morgan and the Misses Morgan will be the guests of Maj. Joseph Hardie and Ms Hardie the South Highlands for about two weeks, possibly until the national election, two weeks from next Tuesday. It is hoped that the Senator and his daughters will be present at the Wo- mans Club reception tomorrow. The Sem ator's health continues excellent.
 
 Last night was unwholesome backness after day of unwholesome brightness and warmth. The day had been sickening be- Cause of the brilliant sunlight and the warm breeze that blew all day. One had to gasp for breath. After nightfall the temperature fell so rapidly that dew was as heavy as a small shower The night was intensely clear, intensely dark, and intensely damp and chilly. From the roofs of the trolley cars the dew dripped as if considerable shower of rain had fallen. Everybody in Birmingham is afflicted with cold, and therefore last night was exceedingly dis agreeable to everybody. Upon invalids the dampness and chillness were especially trying, and the doctors will be buster this morning than they were twenty-four hours ago.
 One by one the front fences fall. They