The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-06
Improvements Along All Lines
Have Kept Pace With
The CiBs Growth
REPORTS OF PRESIDENTS
ARE VERY INTERESTING
chairmen of Various Committees
Make Excellent Reports on Differ
ent Lines of Advancement.
Every One Shows Progress.

| Flattering reports of Birmingham's pres
ent prosperity and future were hearo at
the annual meeting and smoker OF the
Commercial club last night. At this meet
! ing President Fred M. Jackson turned
over the reins of office to President I. H.
| Motion. The addresses of the new presi-
dent and the retiring official were heard
| as well as the report of Secretary j. Is.
| Babb and reports from chairmen OF va
rious standing committees
| Every report without exception showed
that the fiscal year just closed had been
by far the greatest in the history of the
city, and that it was merely the dawning
of a new era The reports were from
men in every line of business in the city,
including those Interested in the great IN
dustrial companies, merchants, profess
sional men, real estate men and educators.
Three score or more of the well known
| and prominent men of the city were pres
| ent at the meeting, the first business OF
which was the report of retiring President
Fred NJ jackson, who made review OF
the work of the club under MS admins
tration. Mr.. Jacksons report was as fol-
| lows:
Jacksons Report.
MY two years term of service as pres
ident of your organization has now come
to its close l wish to express here and
| now my pleasure that the responsibility OF
the office has fallen on such worthy
shoulders as those of my successor.
II have undertaken to give the club
the very best service of which was cap
able. and If pressing personal business
| q. II ma m
your Just expectations, my own regrets
far exceeded any disappointment you may
have felt l congratulate you on the pros
perity which has attended the work OF
the club during the past two years. In
May. 1903, the members in gbod standing
| numbered some 25-today they number
440 Gratifying as that increase is, pause
! here to say that no duty appeals so
strongly to us as that of rallying around
our president and helping, each and all
| of u.s. to swell our membership until 1919
| good citizens are working for Birming-
| ham.
J "When the state failed to provide for
| an exhibit at the ST. Louis exposition, the
| Commercial club rose to the duty of the
hour. 1t was great undertaking Tor pri-
vate enterprise and you are entitled to
! the gratitude of the whole state for the
| display of our resources ct ttat asst M
| bly of the srts, the industries ana The
wealth of all nations Our exhibit was
success from every point of view, though
naturally the chief resources from which
we drew were those peculiar to our own
matchless mineral district
Cost a Bagatelle.
| THE cost was bagatelle compared
| with the good that was done. From all
sources including the city and county,
was raised about $4,000. This cost was
many times offset by the advertisement
birmingham secured through the wonder
fui MAN of Iron," whose rame, linked
with that of his native city, filled many
! column in many hundreds of newspapers
| aid magazines throughout America, and
| the other leading nations or the world.
| When Vulcan is erected as he will be,
! at sc me conspicuous point in this valley
of riches, he will remain for all time
! silent, yet speaking witness, of our mar
yelous resources and the undaunted enter
| prise of our people.
IAN important part of the work of this
club Is in securing conventions for Biz
mingham and in helping to entertain Wis
we have contributed of money and
we have contributed of money and time
| time toward maintaining in Birmingham
high standard of hospitality. Among the
gathering of strangers have been the
Confederate veterans of Alabama, the
Alabama Educational association, the
Southern Educational conference, the
Louisville Board of Trade. the Cincinnati
Business Mems league and the clubs in
fuence and active aid was given toward
securing the college of the Freedmen's
Aid and Southern Education society. We
also raised $500 for the encampment of
the brigade of state troops Numbers of
propositions and inquiries looking toward
new industries were patiently and care
fully Investigated and several new facto-
ries of Importance in the development of
Birmingham were located. Among the
most pleasing incidents of the year was
the entertainment of the Italian ambassa-
dor.
The Mine Disaster.
"When the terrible Virginia mine disas-
ter occurred. this organization furnished
central rallyng point around which
the forces of charity and mercy gath
cred for the relief of the distressed.
Nothing could better illustrate the value
and importance of some organization rep
resenting all the people and through which
all the people can exert their common
influence.
THE subject of larger and cheaper