The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-18
COMMERCIAL CLUB
ACTIVELY At WORK
Committee viii Endeavor to
Get Brigade Encampment
TO SECURE NEW PLANTS
Mr.. Bowron Outlines Plan for Organ
ling a Stock Company to Aid In
dustrlaI Concerns Seeking
to Locate Here.

The Commercial club considered several
matters of Importance yesterday after
noon at the monthly meeting. Reports
were heard from many committees.
Henry Hiden, chairman of the railroad
and transportation committee, reported
that the Southern railroad officials are
considering the request of the Talladega
people to put on a new train from that
city to Birmingham via Gurnee Junction,
and that he expects to have a final report
to make in the near future.
Mr.. Hiden also reported as chairman of
the special committee to investigate and
report on the bill introduced In congress
to increase the duties of the interstate
commerce commission and to enlarge its
powers The committee recommended that
the bill be endorsed and that the repre-
sentatives from Alabama in both branches
of congress be requested to support the
BILL The report was held over until the
next meeting in order that several MEM
bers might be allowed to examine It.
The Encampment.
A committee Of six, consisting of John
w. O'Neil, Sterling A. Wood, Gen. Louis
v. Clark, Capt. John Yeatman, Capt.
John d. Elliott and Captain stokley. was
appointed to take up the matter of get
ting the brigade encampment of the A. N.
G. to Birmingham. Chairman o'Neili
called a meeting of the committee at
once, and will be in position to make some
proposition to the committee this morn
ing.
The encampment as was shown in a
letter from Col R. B. Du Mont of Mobile,
chairman OF the committee on location
of the encampment, would spend about
$4,000 in supplies in the city where the
encampment Is held. and that each OF the
soldiers might be expected to spend 80 or
$40. There will be about 25oo men In
camp.
Clubs Location.
George C. whatley as chairman of the
committee on a permanent location OF the
club. reported on the proposition for the
club to occupy the entire second floor of
the Tomlinson-Turner building. No ac-
ton was taken on the report, and the
committee was dismissed. 1t was the
tiers are the most suitable to be obtained
and that the club might as well stay
where II is at least for the present.
A report was made asking more time
to see what could be done for the relief
of the Helena Rolling mills, owned by
the Alabama Steel and Iron company
committee with Frank Nelson, Jr, as
chairman, was appointed at the last meet
ing of the club to see II something could
~ Id 10 loN, this from
going out of business.
lew members elected by the board OF
directors at the meeting held before the
club meeting were ]. M. Dewberry, James
Wilkinson. b. @. Covell, T. S. Pounds,
C. o. Simpson, d. ]. OConnell, Daniel
II. Bze. r. s. Gross, w. j. Francis and
G. M. Matthews
Promote New Industries.
At the suggestion of President Jackson,
James Bowron yesterday afternoon pre-
sented to the Commercial club the plan
to establish stock company capitalized
at about 100000 to aid manufacturing
companies seeking to come to this city.
A committee of seven. consisting OF
James Bowron, T. II. Motion, John FL.
Frye Culpepper Exum, Robert Jenison,
Ross G. Smith and w. N. Malone was
appointed to investigate this matter and
rerort at the next meeting of the club.
Mr. Uovron, in his talk, stated that
several years ago he suggested this plan
in an chen letter to one of the newspapers
but that II met with little attention
from the papers or from the people. He
sad that there were number OF plants
WI ich In moving to Birmingham, or IN
starting business here might need $4,000
or $4,000 or even $4,000 additional eapi-
tai to commence business. He said that
it was unfair to citizens to be constant
ly calling on few of them to take out
$500 to $4,000 from their business to aid
these enterprises. and that II this stock
company were organized 1t could assist
the companies conveniently at any time.
The idea of Mr.. Bowron is to have $50
shares, and make them payable 81 a
month on each share. In this way the
people of moderate means could take a
share and pay for 1t easily, while richer
men could pay for more than one share
without inconvenience. In this way sew
eral tho sand dollars a month would come
into tho fund.
In lending money he suggested that
mortgages could be taken on the plants
and that contracts be made with the
companies to pay the money back in reg
ular payments, with a certain amount of
interest Thus money and interest would
accumulate rapidly and the plan would
be self operating. He also said that II
might be able to pay per cent on the
investments Of the stockholders.
The plan met with a good deal of en-
thusiasm, and several men have stated
that they would be willing to go into
such an organization. A report Is ex-
pected at the next meeting.
DUPONT Powder Company.
President Jackson is in communication
with Eugent Du Pont. general sales agent
for the E. I. Du Pont Powder company,
relative to that company establishing a
branch in Birmingham.
Recently the company established a
branch in Atlanta and President Jackson
has called its attention to the fact that
more powder is used in this district for
blasting purposes than any other district
in the south, and that therefore branch
office here would pay better than In any
other city.
The attention Of the company was called
to the fact that all the mines In the dis
trict use large quantities Of powder an
nually and that powder companies showed
large sales from this district. A reply to
the letter has not been received but IT
is thought that there Is some prospects of
securing an agency here.
CoIored Y. M. C. A.