The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-12
DE TRIMMED TO
 IMPROVE RIVER Meeting Will be Held in Mont gomeryN November II MOBILE IS ALSO ACTIVE Report Is Made on the Books of Shelby county-The Governor Re-
 stores Citizenship to
 Wiley Friday.

With Mobile in earnest about improve ments for the Mobile harbor, and Mont gomerv and other river points at work for the deepening of the Alabama river to the Gulf City, it does seem that the prospects for securing the maximum of benefit from the water courses of Ala bama are bright.
 It has been decided by the business men of Montgomery to have an Alabama river convention in Montgomery on November Ii. The Commercial club of Mobile is busy sending out letters to bodies over the state of like character. Mobile wants a 35 foot channel on iAe outer bar, while Montgomery wants an open river with depth sufficient for heavy draught river boats all the year round.
 The Alabama river convention called for November Il, Is result of work of the Montgomery Commercial and Industrial association. It is desired that representa- tives from commercial bodies and city and town councils of all the points along the Alabama river from Montgomery to Mobile be urged to attend. Representa- tives of the steamboat companies are also urged to be present. Committees on finance and programme have been ap- pointed. A brief or memorial to con gress will be prepared. and strong com mittee will be sent to Washington to ap- pear before the rivers and harbors com mittee of the house of representatives.
 The importance of this work has been pointed out by river men and govern ment engineers for some time. There is an enormous amount of traffic on the Alabama that could be developed outside of what Is touched by the railroads.
 The Mobile business men will call a joint meeting of all parties interested in the river and other waterways and the deepening of the outer bar channel at the Gulf City, in short time. With the in crease from year to year of the channel the business of the port of Mobile has grown wonderfully. If the matter has been of importance In the past, It seems doubly pressing at this time when the whole of Cuba, the Isle of Pines and Porto Rico are looking to the Alabama port to supply them of many of the com modities they will be bound to have in building up country. Alabama coal must go to Cuba; 1t should go through Mobile.
 Alabama machinery Is making it's way now, and has been for years. to Cuba and other points south. Mobile must help to take care of the business. For many years Birmingham has made much of the sugar machinery used in the Pearl of the Anteles and has shipped 1t via Mo- bile. As the trade grows the facilities for handling 1t must increase. Ensley, the great iron and steel suburb of Birming- ham, Is and has been for some time ship ping blows and other farm tools to Cuba and Mexico using the Louisville and Nashville to Mobile, and the ships from that port beyond.
 Some days since Hon. John H. Bank head member of congress from the Sixth Alabama, and democratic member of the house committee on rivers and harbors, gave 1t as his opinion that the Mobile harbor should be made adequate for the care of the big battleships of the navy. There they could coal and have refuge in bad weather-if there were a 35-foot channel across the outer bar. This would mean a great deal to the city and to Ala bama. If there were in the Mobile harbor a safe retreat for all of the warships on the southern coast then would come coaling stations wherein would be stored and used millions of tons of Alabama coal. This can be f1oated down the War rior and the Tombigbee, from mines now open, and put into the bins cheaper than any other section under the sun.
 While in Montgomery recently Capt. R. P. Hobson, the brilliant young ex-nav- al officer and speaker said there was no doubt in the world that the vessels of the navy would use Alabama coal. espec- ially in times of peace. It is necessary for them to be provided with supplies down here He also said that Alabama is being looked to for materials of which 1t is we'll supplied by all of the coast countries of the south and central hem isphere and much of this business Mobile must get ready to take care of.
 The southern California country is fast building up, and 1t is strange to note says Captain Hobson, that 1t is short on just the things Alabama has, coal and iron. Mexico Is in the same fix, as prov ed by the fact that great quantities of coal are now being shipped to that coun- try from the Alabama fields. The open