The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-07
|BATTLESHIP !, TESTIMONIAL
 Y Committee Awards Con-
 tract for Silver Service. MEETING IN MONTGOMERY E. 0. Zadek & Co.,, of Mobile, Successful Bidder.
 Presentation to Warship Alabama Will Take Place in Mobile and Hon. E. M. Robinson Will Be Orator.

| After many months of arduous work.
 the members of the Alabama Battleship Commission saw success crown their | labors yesterday when the designs of the | silver service to be presented to the great warshlp by citizens of Alabama were | selected and the contract for the manu- l facture of the same was awarded to E. | O. Zadek & O., of Mobile.
 At the meeting of the commission. held | in Montgomery in the latter part of March, the nfial details of the patriotic | work were entrusted to an Executive | Committee consisting of three members, Max Hamburger, Jr., chairman of Mobile, Dr. H. s. Persons of Montgomery and General Rufus x. Rhodes of Brning- | ham.
 Leading jewellers were asked to submit | designs and bids and number of firms were represented when the committee met yesterday at noon at the Exchange Hotel | The designs were carefully inspected, | the number of pieces and weight of same were compared and every detail closely | investigated before the committee an- nounced its decision. All of the designs were beautiful and elaborate, making 1t an uneasy task for the committee. but | after a thorough comparison and general | discussion of the bids the gentlemen were | unanimous in selecting the design offered | by E.. o. Zadek & Co.,, for thrty-iive years prominent jewellers of Mobile. | The silver service for the Alabama will consist of thirty pieces as follows: Ono punch bowl, enc table, one tray to match, one centre piece. including mesh. twenty ! four cups or goblets and two candlebrac, | of five lights each. Each piece will be | of solid silver. gold lined. with appropriate scroll work representing the resources of Iah u,bi ba lar0ar articles will | bear the coat of arms of she State. An inscription will appear on tho beautiful punch bowl to wit: "To the United States battlcship Alabama from the citi- zens of the State of Alabama"
 On motion of General Rhodes all the | details of the presentation ceremonies | were left in the hands of Chairman | Hamburger.
 To representative of The Advertiser,
 Mir Hamburger said last night.
 "I shall call a meeting of prominent citizens of Mobile to arrange for the proper reception of the Alabama when tho big battlesh.p comes to Mobile waters to | receive the splendid testimonial. The eX- act date of the event Is not known now, but we expect to have everything in readiness in sixty days. Hon. Edward M. Robinson of Mobile will be the orator of the occasion. Tho people of Alabama will be given ample notice Of the date to DC selected, and everybody has cordial in- vtation to come down and be with us on the memorable occasion.
 The work of raising the money for purchasing a silver service for the Ala bama was assigned to the commission by the Legislature, authority being given to Governor Sanford to appoint the mem ,bers from tho various Congressional dis trcts. Three or four of the members appcinte by Governor Sanford found it impossible to serve on the commission, and notified him accordingly. hut his sick
 ness and death left me in ignorance of the vacancies. and as result the work of raising funds was delayed couSdcraly. Other annoying delays occurred but by crsistonce and patriotism. energy and enthusias m, the commission has at last achieved success. and. looking backward over the past eighteen months. | feel that for whatever work l assisted in accom- plishing. | have been amply repaid hy | the kindness, courtesy and consideratio
 shown to me by tho clever gentlemen who
 compose the Alabama Battleship Com. mission"
 l Mir. Hamburger. who is well-known | young newspaper publisher of Noble re- | turned to his home last night. and Cen cral Rhodes went to Birmingham.