The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-12
MR. COMER WILL
 BE AGGRESSIVE Is Greatly Interested in Rates
 on Fertilizer HOTEL WEARS COMPLETION Increased Accommodation Promise to Make Montgomery a Favorlte Place With Travelling Men.
 Other Monty News.
HOTEL WEARS COMPLETION

Montgomery, March 11.-(Speeial)- first contest of the newly organized state railroad commission came yesterday, and If 1t has done nothing else. 1t has de- veloped the fact that B. B. Conner, the new president. is going to provide some interesting reading matter for the news paper subscribers.
 He wanted to go right into the question of rates on fertilizers because he thought to wait for the regular monthly meeting of April would be too late to do anything for this season. When he failed to get consideration earlier than the next ses- sion he made it show that he was voted down. He Is especially interested in fertil- izer rates as shown by his address of last Monday when he said that as fertilizer produced tonnage the railroads should show 1t especial consideration He also wanted to take up the question of rates on farm implements and live stock, but was put off by the other members. who thought the next session had about as much as it could attend to. MT. Conner is aggressive and will keep things moving one way or the other, or he will not keep up his reputation.
 New Exchange Hotel,
 There is much interest all over the country in the near approach to complete ness of the new Exchange hotel It is a fact we'll known that there are hundreds of people who make Montgomery for Sun day because of the historic interest that hangs around the old confederate capitol and headquarters, and it is quite certain that with a modern hotel this class of visitors will be largely increased.
 Not day passes at this time of the year when persons on their way here from the south are not seen on the capitol grounds, and 1t is safe to say that enough l1odaks are snapped in the vicinity every week to set up a good photographer s business. With the knowledge that they can get the very best of accommodations here the people will be happy to make this point for the stop over. In fact, it is pretty well established that the build ing of one steel structure will be followed soon by another. This has been the case in Birmingham and it will likely be so here.
 Honor to Alabama.
 The placing of lfe-sized oil painting of the late Tennent Lomax in the gall lery of the state department of archives and history is an honor to a Montgomery man who was universally beloved and respected It is well that this Is so. MT. Lomax stood for the head in many worthy things of Alabama. As a lawyer he stood with the best, and as a legislator he was careful and wise. His work is indellibly stamped on the records of the state con- stitutional convention and ideas of gov- ernment in the adopted bill of rights. As a secret society man he stood for prin- cfples of fraternity that made him a preacher of the brotherhood of man, and as a writer of law he exhibited wonderful talent and conciseness of mind. Alabama needs men like Tennent Lomax. He was a doer of things. As an evidence of the appreciation In which he was held by the Knights of Pythias his picture adorns the walls of the headquarters in the of- flee of the grand keeper of records and seal. George G. Miles. The repeated evl- denees of the esteem in which he was held will gladden. the last days of his mother, whose pride he was from child hood.
 Railroad Fight.
 The fight of some of the minority stock holders of the South and North railroad to keep the road from being sold to the Louisville and Nashville was brought to Montgomery yesterday by H. B. Gray of Birmingham, who secured 8 temporary injunction from the city court of Mont gomery restraining the sale of the road to the said Louisville and Nashville. The Louisville and Nashville owns 90 per cent of the stock of the South and North. The allegation Is that it was to buy in the other 10 per cent at $27.50 share, of which the par value is S10O. MT. Gray con- tends that the sum is inadequate, and that if true accounting is made 1t would show that the stock Is worth far more than its par value. It Is also al- legged that the Louisville and Nashville Is in possession of the property without lease or contract Mir. Gray prays that the sale of the property be enjoined and that receiver be named to straighten out the whole matter. The temporary injunc-