The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-19
To Extend the Commercial
 District. THREE FINE PAPERS Monthly Meeting of Con- mercial Association. Mir. Davidson Suggests Purchase by City of old Baptist Church for Public Square--Com-
 mittee Raised.

monthly meeting of the Commercial and Industrial Association held last night discussed real estate conditions and heard excellent papers on the sub ject by Montgomery real estate agents and dealers.
 The papers by Frank D. Kohn and E. B. Joseph, Jr.. showed that the Montgomery real estate interests, as far as farm lands and suburban prop erty is concerned, are well. but the pa- per of w. B. Davidson showed that conditions are alarming as far as the retail districts are concerned. There is absolutely no room at present in the business districts for new stores and new buildings must be erected. Prop erty owners in the main are contented with the top heavy prices paid for in ferior buildings and refuse to improve.
 It was decided by the association to inaugurate a movement to improve this condition and a committee was ap- pointed.
 The meeting was called to order at s o'clock, President H. c. Davidson pre- siding.
 The minutes of the last meeting were read by Secretary l.. L. Gilbert and approved by the association.
 Reports of Committees.
 r. P. Chaffee, chairman of the Com mittee on City Development. made a verbal report from the committee of the association, which met with the Civic League. He said that the com mittee expressed the good wishes of the association and believed that the women are doing a great work for Montgomery.
 F. P. Glass reported that he as chair man of the associations committee, appeared before the Council in the tn- terest of securing the passage of an or dinance for the establishment of g. Park Commission. An ordinance, car rying into effect the ideas of the asso- ciation, was introduced by Alderman Leopold Strauss and was referred to two standing committees.
 He further reported that he, with other members of the association, wait ed on the Capitol Commission and urged its members to go slow in set tling on plans for the extension of the capitol under the $150.000 appropria- ton for that purpose. The committee was cordially received by the commis- sion and after a lengthy but informal session, made an impression on the commission, which they believed would prevent the commission from acting hurriedly and accepting plans without consulting more than one architect.
 c. G. Zirkle. chairman of the Real Estate Committed. reported that the real estate market in Montgomery was never so active as 1t is now Prices are going up daily, but the market has firm foundation. He said that the committee had arranged for a discuss sion of every phase of the real estate question by prominent real estate men. He introduced Frank D Kohn. who read a paper on Farm Lands"
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 MT. Kohn said that Montgomery Is right now essentially an agricultural city. It's merchants depend on the farmers for their welfare and many of the best citizens have come in from the country and surrounding small towns.
 The value Of farm lands in Montgom- cry County has passed its crisis. A few years ago farm lands could be pur- chased from $S to $1z an acre. These same lands are now selling for from s15 to $25. The future value of these lands depends on the owners of the lands. To send the prices of farm lands skyward, the only thing neces- sary is for farmers to improve their lands and some of them are improving. The general sentiment among the planters Is for improvement. Good houses are being built. artesian wells are being sunk and pastures are being enclosed. The good roads of Mont gomery County. the rural free delivery routes, the good school system, the tel ephone lines, all are factors for rais- ing the price of farm lands.
 The farmers have been buying their beef and corn for too long a time from the West There is plenty of bottom land on every farm to raise fine corn crop and there is plenty of pasturage for beef and hogs. The best invest ment possible is to improve the run down farms.
 The tide of immigration is turned The small Dutch and Swede farmers are tired of paying $100 per acre for farm lands in the Middle West, when just as good land can be secured in Montgomery for one-third of the price Here the climatic condi- tions are better and two crops can be raised annually. Montgomery would prove an attractive centre for such farm lands and the immigrants would be an excellent class of citizens,
 MT. Joseph on "suburbs."
 F. B. Joseph, Jr., read paper on the Suburbs.
 The suburbs of any city, he said. show that city's strength. In the last lew years Montgomerys suburban growth has been marvellous.
 Three years ago suburban real estate was a drug on the market. Now su- Ourban property Is as good as city property and money can be easily bor- owed on It. During the last few months four new suburbs have been Itarted. Capitol Heights, Highland
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