The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-06
CLUB ENDORSES
HUNTSVILLE ROAD
Want Direct Independent Rail-
road to Huntsville
APPOINTS A COMMITTEE
Prominent Men Spoke on Matter and
Only One DIssetIns Voice Was
Heard--Wlll Open New
Territory.
APPOINTS A COMMITTEE

|
built from Birmingham to Huntsville.
There was not a vote cast against the
motion.
| Almost the entire afternoon was con-
sumed in hearing from the delegation
/ from Huntsville and Cullman. The plan
as outlined yesterday afternoon is to or
| ganize stock company of Birmingham
and Huntsville men, and probably others
along the proposed route. and commence
work surveying and mapping out the
/ route.
No figures have yet been submitted. This
question of cost will be worked out by
/ the committees from the Commercial
| club Board of Trade and the Huntsville
chamber of commerce.
After several discussions by visiting
committees r. N. Rhodes made the mo-
ton that the club endorse the plan. 1t
was carried and N. F. Thompson moved
that the committee of fifteen be named
with Fred M. Jackson as chairman. The
motion was passed. The committee is
F. M Jackson, NJ F. Thompson, James
Brown, r. N. Rhodes, r. NJ. Goodall, B.
B. Conner, George E. Lum. F. w. Dixon,
j. A. Rountree. M. v. Joseph, T. H.
Aldrich, NJ. P. Messer, J. A. Montgom-
cry, w. H. Kettig and w. M. Drennen.
Kettig's Report.
The matter was brought before the club
of the committee appointed at the joint
meeting of the Commercial club and
Board of Trade committees several days
ago He reported that conference had
been held between the committees and the
delegation from Huntsville. He stated
that the visitors had agreed to come back
to Birmingham and be present at the
meeting of the club, and that he noticed
they were on hand.
President Jackson introduced w. L
Wellman, who was acting as chairman
of the delegation He stated that he was
not a speaker, but had brought some
speakers with him, and introduced B. p.
Hunt, Milton Humes, r. e. Pettus and
A. J. Murdoch of Huntsville, and Judge
s. L. Fuller Of Cullman.
Hopeful View.
Captain Humes was the first speaker.
He stated that he expected the road to
be built in twelve months, and that 1t
would be If Birmingham would get be-
hind II. He said that there Is road
started north from here in the direction
of Huntsville, and one started south from
Huntsville towards Birmingham, and
that there is only a gap of about thirty
miles to be filled. He suggested that a
stock company be formed, to be known
as the Birmingham and Huntsville Rail-
road company, and that the road be
known as the Birmingham and Hunts
vile.
He pointed out the advantages of the
road both to Birmingham and Huntsville,
and stated that 1t would be opening new
agricultural region to Birmingham and
that It would enable the people here to
purchase choice vegetables and farm pro-
ducts at greatly reduced prices. He also
stated that Huntsville would use a large
quantity of Birmingham's coal, pig iron
and manufactured material, which would
pay for the produce and fruit brought
here.
r. Z. Pettus, president of the Hunts
Vile Chamber of Commerce, stated that
the men and women of Huntsville have
been in the habit of going to Nashville,
Chattanooga and Memphis to purchase
what they wanted because 1t Is easier to
go there than to come to Birmingham.
He stated that with direct route all this
trade would come to Birmingham, and
that 1t would be considerable.
He said that Huntsville people can go to
Nashville, Chattanooga or Memphis in the
morning, do their trading and return
home that night, whereas he had to start
from Huntsville Thursday so as to get
to Birmingham yesterday. He said that
in Madison county there are more nur-
series than in any place of similar size In
the country, and that Birmingham could
get all her fruit and produce fresh each
day. He stated 1t could start from Hunts
vile early in the morning and be here in
time to put on the table for dinner.
Mr.. Pettus also called attention to the
fact that there are ten cotton mills In
and around Huntsville and that a num-
Der of times they have been forced to
shut down for want of coal He said that
with direct route to Birmingham these
mills could run all the time and could
Al. .4.~r~ z.aI
there would not be the high freight rates.
His talk was warmly applauded. and r.
N. Rhodes was called on to respond. He
stated that he was for building the road
and that he thought the Commercial
club should take 1t up at once.
To Connect the Cities.
Ben j. Hunt was then called on. He
said that for fifteen years he had been
working to get the two cities connected
by railroad, and that he thought this
was the right time and that Birmingham
and Huntsville were both ripe for build
ing the road. He said that 1t would be an
outlet to the Tennessee river and through
that to the coast, and that Birmingham
would control the outlet and would get
the advantage of water rates. He showed
how the road would pay and some, of the
benefits to be derived from it.
Mr.. Hunt took several very fine
peaches from u SdCh anu mat lle
brought those to show what kind of fruit
was raised in Huntsville and that these
were picked from a tree in his back
yard He showed several decayed places
on the peaches. and stated those were
caused by stopping over in Decatur walt
ing to get to Birmingham.
A ]. Murdoch was called on and stated
that he was a worker and not a talker,
but when the time comes to work he
would place his shoulder to the wheel and
help start the road to Birmingham.
Judge Fuller of Cullman said that he
was present as self appointed commit
tee. but that he could not resist the OPP
portunity to encourage the people of
Huntsville and Birmingham to connect
these two rich territories by rail. and
they wanted the road to pass through
Cullman IL possible and that there are
a number of other good cities between
Birmingham and Huntsville which would
be great feeders to the road. He called
attention to the immense coal fields which
lie between here and Huntsville and stated
that the coal business alone would pay
for the road In a few years.
He said that high freight rates now pre-
vented much of the products of the rich
agricultural section from coming to Biz
mingham, and that these products could
be shipped to their markets at greater
advantage owing to the necessity of their
having to travel over two roads to get
here.
Rich Section.