The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-16
Many Delegates and Visitors Are in Birmingham to H.
 lend the Convention
PRESIDENT JOHN T. SMITH
 DELIVERS ANNUAL ADDRESS
Mayor Drennen Welcomes the Visitors to the city-WilI Be Entertained This Afternoon at the
 Country Club.

The sixteenth annual convention of the National Association of Railroad commissioners is in session in Birming- ham, The first meeting was held yester- day morning and the convention will be in session until Thursday.
 The sessions are held in the city coun- ell chamber in the city hall and the head quarters of the delegate are at the Ho- tel Hillman. The interstate commerce commission is represented at the conven- tion and the delegates form a most rep resentative body notwithstanding the fact that several southern states are without representation.
 large number of CO., .lssioners ar rived yesterday morning and others reached the city in the afternoon.
 John V. Smith. who IS the president Of the Alabama Railroad commission, and who secured the sixteenth annual con vention for Birmingham. Is presiding at the meeting. He is president of the or ganization.
 large number of ladies attended the opening session. They came down with the northern and eastern delegates who arrived on a special train on the Louis vile and Nashville railroad yesterday morning
 There was only one session yesterday and 1t lasted only about an hour. Yes terday afternoon the delegates and visi- tors were the guests of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company. visit was made to the steel mills at Ems ley, on special cars. The industries in the steel cities were visited and the party returned to the city late in the afternoon. Last night was devoted to work in the committees.
 Country Club Reception.
 A reception will be rendered the dele gates and visitors this afternoon at the Country club, between the hours of 3:3O and o'clock. A reception committee of Birmingham ladies will receive the party, and a pleasant afternoon is anticipated. Other entertainment will be provided.
 The citizens of Birmingham are invited to attend the business sessions of the as- sociaton.
 The constitution of the organization de- termnes the membership in the associa- tion as follows:
 Active membership shall embrace only the interstate commerce commissioners, the railway commissioners or deputy com missioners of the several states and ter ritories of the union, and in those states and territories having no railway com missions, state officers who by law exer- else active supervisory powers over the affairs of railways; also the secretary and assistant secretary of the interstate com merce commission. and the secretary or clerk of each state railway commission where such office is created by law.
 Honorary membership shall include for mer members of the association, com mittee of three from each steam or street railway accounting, the statistician of the interstate commerce commission and of the several state commissions togeth- CT with the engineers of said commissions.
 "Active members shall be entitled to one vote each, if present, upon all ques- tions coming before the association. Hon. orary members shall have the privileges of the floor and the right of debate, but shall not be entitled to vote"
 Mayor Drennen's Speech.
 MT. Drennen said:
 Ut is a distinguished honor as well as a great pleasure as the representative of the citizens of this city that I welcome you here rOday-
 After you have transacted such busi- ness as comes before your august body and have mixed and have co-mingled with the citizens of our city, l trust that your visit will have been so beneficial and pleasant that after you have gone you can cheerfully help us in maintaining our reputation not only for our progress and great development, but for our hos pitality as well.
 Birmingham Is almost centrally To- cated in Jefferson county, and in speak ing of Birmingham it is necessary to in- olude Jefferson county and the Birming- ham district as well.
 T regret to say however, that owing to our small corporate limits we have a city with a majority of it's population who call Birmingham their home, but who live outside of the corporate limits.
 Number of Furnaces.
 "In 1900 we had forty blast furnaces that used coke for fuel, and we now have fifty three, of which thirty are To- cated in Jefferson county, requiring about 9-10 of the coke from 5000 coke ovens to supply them with fuel.
 Although a strike has been in effect at