The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-18

goods, in less bulk.
As an Illustration of the points which
I have attempted to briefly place before
you today, 1 may be pardoned for indi-
rectly referring to the effect upon the
property and business of the Mobile and
Ohio Railroad company which has result
ed from the financial relationship which
in 1901 was created between that COM
pany and the great Southern railway sys-
TEN.
Prior to that time the Mobile and Ohio
railroad had attempted to carry on an
unequal struggle with powerful cQmpet-
itors both to the east and west of its
rails. The main agricultural product of
, It's territory was cotton. moving princi-
pally during three months of the year.
Its track was poor, its bridges light in
construction. its equipment insufficient,
and with these handicaps 1t was forced
to enter into bitter competition with
powerful rivals
Just as the struggle was beginning to
grow too great to be borne unaided. tho
mana cement of the Southern railway
purchased controlling interest in the
Mobile and Ohio railroad, This great
company, which had done much for
the development of large portion of the
south's territory, and which had aided
so largely in the development of the
great cotton mill industry in North Car
the idea of supplying a new territory
which could be reached by its own rails
and from which these cotton mills could
draw their supply of raw material direct
from the farms where grown, acquired
control of this property. As soon as this
was done. measures were adopted for the
Improvement and betterment of the prop
erty in which an interest had been thus
acquired
BY reason of increased credit which
was thus given to the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad company, and additional busi-
ness, which came to II through this alli-
ance. the Mobile and Ohio Railroad com
pany has been enabled to purchase more
than 0.000 tons OF steel rail- has added
more than 5000 freight cars and thirty
engines to its equipment has renewed,
or is renewing. all of its principal iron
bridges with steel structures of modern
design and greatly increased capacity,
and has in every way been placed in
position to more perfectly perform its
functions as a comomn carrier. Its
trains can now he run with great regu-
larity and dispatch Tho improved meth
DDS of transportation of freight make it
possible for the products of the soil here
about us to be carried with express train
speed TO the people of the west and north
west, long before the first signs of their
csvn vegetation have forced their way
through the frozen cfDSIS OF the Sfpuilu.
The increased passenger train facilities
have made it possible to keep UP the ebb
and flow along its rails of the tide of pas.
senger travel composed of those who
, seek amelloratlon of the ills arising from
mal-climatic conditions of their home life,
whether it be the southerner who looks
for restored health and pleasure among
the lakes and mountains of Michigan,
New York and Canada, or the invalid
of ti,o urbo IN mn of tbp
boon, Keeps up the search beneath the
blue skies of our southland which over
hang the beautiful hills surrounding this
lovely town
Thus it is that every improvement in
the transportation facilities of any sec
ton Of country always results either d.
rectly or Indirectly in benefit to its peo-
pie, and for this reason every financial
change which benefits any railroad cor
po1atiun must either directly or indi-
rectN benefit every person in the terri
, tory which il serves.
The railroad is a barometer which ac-
curately measures both commercial ana
! industrial depression and prosperity
Show me a country i'm which the rail-
roads are broken down physically and
financially. and l will show YOU coun-
try in which business is stagnant and
property declining i'm value. Show me
country in which the railroads are pros
porous. and | will show you country
In which trade is expanding, labor proht-
ably employed and the people prosperous
and happy.
1t is with great pleasure that | notice
the evidences of thrift and enterprise
which | see about me on every hand
Your Chautauqua association has accom-
plished a great good and l have no DOUBT
will constitute nucleus around whlch
much learning and culture will gather
You have about you a fertile soil ana
salubrious climate, and, ] have no DOUBT
that the known enterprise and industry
of your people will soon have busy work
shops humming with industry. The cor
poration which l represent stands READY
to furnish you easy conveyance Tor men
and goods from place to place, SO you
can see you are not far from having
those three things which the greater
philosopher. whom quoted in my open
ing sentence. names as forming the basis
Of the greatness of nation.