The age-herald., 1900-10-25
INDUSTRIAL AGENTS MEET
Novel Convention at Jacksonville Florida, and Its Worthy
 Object.

Jacksonville, October A.-(Special) )-In- dustrial agents of the Seaboard Air Line Railway to the number of 400 and repre- senting TOT towns in Virginia, North Caro- lima and South Carolina and Georgia along the line of the system assembled here in convention today under the call of John T. Patrick chief industrial agent of the newly consolidated lines. The delegates were well comed by Mayor Bowden and President of the Board Trade Garner. after which ad- dresses were made by MT. J. B. Upham, editor of the Youths Companion of Boston; Mir John T. Patrick, Hon. E. Grasan of Elberton and others, and reports were heard from the agents.
 In his report for the year 1900 Mir. Patrick made showing of s100o0,0OO new capital brought from the North and East in set tiers, homes and manufacturing plants as against s5,0o00O0 for the year 1899, S,30O,0oO for 1898 and $S50, GOO for 1897.
 This report covered operations of the industrial department over the nine hundred miles of the old Seaboard Air Line, and one of the objects of the convention now In session is to inaugurate on the newly acquired lines, the Georgia and Alabama and the Florida Central and Peninsula the policy which had been so successfully set in motion on the parent system by its vice president and general manager, MT. E. St. John. While many more features are intro duced in this unusual departure for rall- road corporation, yet the methods In the main are similar to those brought from the Rock Island by MT. St John who was its general manager also. The other features of the convention to be considered tomor- iG hat hsa hna " nf a he lie schools along the line, which will be a sepcial work for the ensuing year.
 MT. Upham of the Youths Companion has offered 200 flags at a cost of 5 each to be distributed as premiums to schools which make the best showing in rendering more picturesque the buildings and grounds, the work to be done by the children The contest will close March 21, and on July Fourth will be hag-raising day in those schools that have won the premiums.
 There are present nearly one hundred public school teachers, including county school superlntendents and superintendents of public instruction from six States.
 In charge of the school work under MT Patrick is Mrs. E. G. McCabe of Atlanta, president of the Womans S Club of that city, and Mrs E. B. Heard of Middletown Ga, Is in charge of the circulating libraries of the system.
 There are about twenty-five libraries of
  form point to point for the benefit of the poor boys and girls who have no other access to books MT. Andrew Carnegie has contributed to the fund under Mrs Heard 5000 and recently wrote to her to draw on him for 5000 more when needed. MT. Car negie became interested in the work through the representations of Vice Pres ident and General Manager St John, and today Mrs Heard received a telegram of good cheer and congratulations from Mrs. D. St. John. Addresses will be made to- morrow by Mrs. McCabe and Mrs. Heard, and object lessons will be given with models both in the beautifyng of schools and grounds and in the manner of circula- ting the libraries one of which will be on hand for the inspection of the delegates.
 The efforts of this railroad corporation toward building up the country has been received with enthusiasm here, and much is expected under this policy for the up- building of Florida and Alabama Tomor- row will be the closing day of the conven- tion each of whose delegates is carrying forward this work without compensation of any kind.