The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-15

The Vulcan fund having for It's oo- 5ect the erection of a colossal statue of Vulcan. fifty feet high and q min aral exhibit at the St. Louis Expossi- sa bama, will in all probability receive some substantial assistance from the State of Alabama
 The assistance will not come from the Governor of Alabama. The law does not allow the Governor to pay out funds for that or a similar purpose. It will. in all probability. come in the of Agriculture and Industries, R. R. Poole. The question of helping the Vulcan fund Is now up to Commission- CT Poole he has the matter updsr Ss,.sass aa, that he will assist the exhibit as much as possible, as he Is known to have favored an exhibit by the State at the
 A petition for aid to the Vulcan fund was made to Governor Cunningham in 0 letter signed by number<of the most prominent citizens of Birming- Der of public spirited citizens of the Birmingham district had determined that Alabama should not go unrepre- ceh ceived and n s carriea IHa out the % idea o of erecting q mammoth statue of Vulcan at St. Louis composed of iron dug from Alabama hills and moulded in an Ala fanked by a mineral exhibit gathered from half the counties ot the etate. The petition asked that fnasmuch as the exhibit represented the gaoie .,tit.e that Jefferson County should not be permitted to bear the burden of the ex- hibit alone. The exhibit. it was repre- sented, would cost $52,oo0. The Bir- raised s1s.00O for the fund.
 The letter was reinforced yesterday by visit to the Governor Of Secretary ). B. Gibson of the Commercial Club nf .tre rtor n P. Gaut of Birmingham. These gem tlemen had an audience three hours long with Governor Cunningham. Com Adams % of the os Hsriculturai a nepartment' & esse were called into the conference. Att torney General Massey Wilson was also summoned to the Governors office to advise on the legal questions in-
 At the end of the conference the gen. tiemen participating declined to dis cuss the matter. Later in the day Gov his letter to the Birmingham gentle men explaining his position.
 The correspondence in full is as fol- lows.
 Birmingham, May Il, 1904. Hon. R. M. Cunningham, Governor,
 Montgomery Ala:
 Dear Governor-Believing that the failure of the State of Alabama to make an appropriation for an exhibit of its IIdlCillcSS resources dL tne WOTlu fdIF in St. Louis was a great misfortune, the Commercial Club of this city has determined that in some measure the State should be represented and to that end adopted the idea of preparing a colossal statue of Vulcan. fifty feet high, moulded of Alabama iron. by an Ala bama factory. typlfying the great metal industry and making this the central feature of an exhibit of the resources of the State.
 This idea has been carried out: the Vulcan is now being erected in the Mines Palace. and the work of installing the general exhibit will be finished in few days. In this general exhibit articles will be found from nearly half the coun-' ties of the State. Cement and chalk from Marengo, ochre from Montgomery, marble from Talladega, praphite from limestone and dolomite from Bibb, Blount. Talladega. Shelby and North Alabama, with clays, kaolin, Ignite, green sand, shalemarle, phosphate, rocks, etc, from number of other counties.
 The scope of the exhibit is broader than the Birmingham district and 1t is known at St. Louis, by legends, plac- ards, and otherwise as the Alabama MinS' eral Exhibit and 1t will secure to each Alabama Commissioner free passage to the grounds with all the courtesies and privileges accorded to the representatives of other States. ttA
 "The cost of preparing and maintain ing this exhibit will be $22,0O0 Blrning-l ham has raised already $16.000 The addi- tional $6,000 must be secured in the next few days. It does seem that since. the entire State is to be benefited by this exhibit 1t might contribute something to this fund. With the hope that Birming- ham and Jefferson County may not be allowed to bear all this burden, we ap- peal to your broad, business judgment and statesmanship, in keeping with this great commonwealth and progressive era in which we live.
 I've assure you that we will appreci- ate and remember any help that may be given. Most respecttully'
 James J. Banks, James Weatherly, M. V. Joseph. B. B. Conner. E. w. Bar rett, Ross c. Smith. E. F. Enslen, F. M. Jackson Rufus N. Rhoades, Robert Jemison, Jones G. Moore. E. F. Harding, JI W. Mcqueen, James J. Smith, Leo. B, Steiner, A. D. Smith, John D. Mo