The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-13
He VIII Not Accept Colonel
 Johns Offer
UNIQUE PROPOSITION
Old Pioneer, ForeetfuI of Himself, Re- members Ills Faithful Asso- clates and Pleads for the
 Poor and the Needy.
BY SEYMOUR RANSOM.


 The proposition, generously made by | Col. L. W. Johns, that he would give 5000 to pay the Vulcan statue account provided the statue be erected here n honor of Henry F. de Bardeleben has been declined, and declined, too, by the gentleman wfom Colonel Johns sought to honor.
 Moved by characteristically fine sense of personal modesty, and by a nicely discriminating appreciation of the work done by his present and former asso- ciates in the industrial field, MT. de- Bardeleben has put aside one of the greatest honors ever yet proposed to 70 bestowed upon a living citizen of Ala bama
 MT. deBardeleben has put it aside for the reason that, in his judgment, what ever monument is built in honor of the industrial pioneer movement should per petuate the character and achievement, not of an individual, but of all the men, the dead as well as. the living. who have led In the industrial development of the Birmingham district.
 Interesting Proposition.
 Though profoundly grateful for the compliment paid him by Col. Johns offer, MT. deBardeleben suggests that a fund of sl00000 be raised by popular subscrip- too and invested in coal lands to be selected by experts, with a view to pro- vidng money sufficient to support char ity patients in the St. Vincent and Hill man hospitals. He says that If this amount of money be properly invested at once, the coal lands to be purchased can be leased out on a royalty basis of 8 ,ar,f, tN., aud f1r,k ta an annuity of $50.0O0 for 100 years.
 This annuity would he says, provide treatment free of expense for all the charity patients, and especially for those from the mines and the railways, In the Birmingham hospitals which, he is ad- vised, are sorely in need of assistance. In conclusion MT deBardeleben says there will be, in his opinion, no diff ficulty in raising the requisite $100 900. The railway. coal, iron and steel com panies would he says, recognize that such a fund devoted to such a purpose would be wise investment for their corporations The proposition would also, he adds, be heartily supported by every one who is able to help, Personally, he would be glad, he says, as one of the living pioneers. to subscribe to the fund, as would be, he feels sure, all other liv- ing pioneers and industrial leaders In the Birmingham district.
 This interesting proposition was made yesterday by Mr. deBardeleben, in his home at Avenue and Fifteenth street. to a representative of the Age-Herald.
 Grateful to Colonel Johns.
 q should be glad" said MT. deBardele- ben, If The Age-Herald would permit me to make through its columns a state- ment regarding the proposition recently made by Col L. w. Johns, and to sup pement the statement with a suggestion which, I believe, will interest the people of the Birmingham district.
 "I am, of course, extremely grateful" continued MT. deBardeleben. flor the compliment paid me by Col Johns. and all the more so for the reason that 1t has not been given me to see him for more than two years.
 q have been, and still am, deeply | touched by the manner in which my 1 friends and neghbors here have en- dorsed Col. Johns suggestion. I realize, 1 however, that Col. Johns offer was due more to his generous heart than to any merit of mine. If I could do so, I would at this time express the feeling of grati- tude I have for all the kind words this 1 incident has evoked regarding me.
 Declines the Honor.
 q hope I may be pardoned," Mir de- Bardeleben went on in his modest. simple way, If I state now what it has i been in my mind to say since this sub 1ect was first mentioned. It is not be- coming, you know, In one to decline that which has not been offered In view of recent developments, however, 1t may not be amiss in me to say what think regarding this matter.
 q have carefully considered the whole subject. and I am convinced that, grate- full as am to Col. Johns, should dis suade him and other friends of mine from thus 7lonoring me so highly; and must dissuade them for the reason that, in my judgment 1t Is wiser to erect a memorial that will perpetuate the virtues | of all the pioneers in the district, and perpetuate them in some practically char l itable form.
 l A Noble Sentiment.
 Every one who knows the stuff that | the old pioneeers were made of" said | MT. de Bardeleben, with a touch of deep feeling understands they were men who 1 believed that he who serves his neighbor most honors himself best For that req | son I, as an humble member of that hon ored company would like to see built here in the Birmingham district monu- ment, the purpose of which would com- prehend the achievements not of an in- dividual but of all the heroic souls, the dead as well as the living, who have | given their lives royalty to the enrich ment of this district and to the uplifting of the men, women and children, white and black, who live in It."
 The Old Pioneers. l MT. de Bardeleben paused a moment and gazed steadfastly at the fire glowing l in the grate before him, as if thinking of | his early associates and of the difficult ties they had encountered and the sacri- | fees they had made In the effort to up- build the district.
 "Those of us who had the honor to be pioneers" he continued slowly, and in slightly pathetic tone, ''were brothers in l truth as we'll as in name. With us there were no bickerings, no jealousies, nothing ungenerous in act or word or thought. We | believed in one another. We were like | a pack of fox hounds: when one struck | trail, the others followed on behind, stuck together and were in at the death. l They Trusted One Another. "We believed that what was best for