The age-herald., 1900-02-19
IT IS ATTRACTING
 WIDE ATTENTION
Other Section of Country Inter-
 eSted in Warrior Canal.
MIR. VANHOOSE ENCOURAGED
Receives a Strong Letter from Former Congressman H. Dudley Coleman of Louisiana-What w Water Trans
 portation Really Means

| Hon. J. A. VanHoose keeps begging away 1 at his canal scheme, and every few days
 receives the gratifying information that | influential business men and manufacturers
 in other portions of the country will give their support and cooperation to the
 movement to build the Warrior canal Several days ago MT. VanHoose received | a letter from former Congressman H. Dud- | ley Coleman of Louisiana, who seems very
 much interested in the canal MT. VanEoose's Communication Accompanying MT. Coleman's letter MT. VanTIoose sends The Age-Herald the fol- lowing communication:
 | "After reading the exceedingly interest," | ing statement in your mornings issue in reference to the coal supply in Europe, and dn connection with the splendid effort of the Southern railway to introduce Alabama | coal in New Orleans, feel sure that the l enclosed letter from New Orleans will be | of great interest to your readers. It sim ply means that America is destined to be- come not only the great granary of the world, but if its natural resources are properly handled by intelligent legislation and marketing, that our country is also destined to supply the whole world with | cheap coal, iron and steel.
 "In other words, that the coal fields of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama can and should so market their products as to help all and injure none Hence, this waterway to the gulf, enabling coal barges directly from the AL abama coal fields to unload at the docks | al weston and all gulf ports, will be a com summation greatly to be desired by every interest By that time the railroads of AL abama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennes- see will have so much other tonnage offer ed to them, which will pay them far bet ter. ltliat they will undoubtedly be glad to- see the waterway relieve them from unde- sirable business. After consultation with MT. Bowron, we thought best to forward MT. Coleman's letter to General Burke at Mobile, who will present to the rivers and harbors committee on the 27th proximo the national importance of opening up the Ala bama coal fields by water transportation to the Gulf of Mexico. General Burke Is also an authority upon this question, and has given it careful and intelligent study.
 Yours truly,
 "J. A. VANHOOSE'
 Strong Letter
 Former Congressman, Coleman's letter to MT. Van Hoose is as follows:
 " New Orleans. Feb. 13, 190e
 "TTon. J. A. VanHoose, ex-Mayor Birming- ham, Ala.
 Dear Sir-I learn from the New Orleans Picayune of last Sunday that you are work |
 mile canal to connect the Warrior river
 with the Alabama coal fields near Birminss- ham.
 'In my opinion New Orleans is much interested in such project Birmingham can possibly be, because all water transpor- tation from the Alabama coal mines to New Orleans means cheap fuel for New Or leans, and cheap fuel means manufacturing industries, and manufa curing industries
 mean wages for the unemployed. and em-
 ployment of labor means general prosperi- | ty.
 q have been trying for twelve years to assist in securing s2-a-ton-coal for New Orleans. When I was elected, and re-elect- | ed president of the New Orleans chamber | of commerce I helped to agitate this mat | ter, and when I served in the Ffty-first | congress representing the Second district | of Louisiana, I voted for liverel appropria- | tions for improvements in waterways when | ever I had the opportunity
 q think know what influence has been and is now so persistent in preventing the
 consumation of what is desired by the own | CTS of Alabama coal mines and the users | of Alabama coal The record shows that : at,1 | Alabama coal. in this city, and I am proud | of that record. Please tell me the prices | at which Alabama coal is now loaded on | cars at the mines, and could be loaded on | barges to be placed near to the mines | as the ears are placed at present. In the | F'ifty-first or Fifty-second congress evil | dence was secured and printed by United | States senate committee to the effect, that | Alabama coal could be loaded on shipboar1 :, in Mobile harbor for SIPS a ton I have | been told by party largely interested In | Tennessee coal mines that coal could be l loaded on barges lying in the Tennessee | river for 75 cents a ton, which price in- l cludes the mine owners royalty or profit
 and the wages of the miners, the mouth of the mine being so located that the barges | could be loaded by gravity therefrom. I hope have not wearied you with too long l letter, but hope to have your reply in time for the next meeting of the New Orr | leans Progressive union, of which associa- I tion I am director, for I am still at work | on s2-a-ton-coal for New Orleans. Yours | very truly,
 HI. DUDLEY COLEMAN" | Another Arrest