The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-16
WILLIAMS PARTY
SEES ORE MINES
Visitors Inspect Tenn. Co.'s
Plant at Muscooda
H0SPITALITIES EXTENDED
Seaboard's Former President Talks
About the Road and Its Present
nagement-Submit C1ti-
cism-Faith in District.
H0SPITALITlES EXTENDED

train of the Birmingham Southern, in
charge oil w. II. Johnston, assistant traf-
fc manager of the road. This special
rolled out of the union passenger sta
tion at IL a. m.
L. II. Crockard vice president and gen
eraI manager of the Tennessee-R Republic,
and Edwin Ball, general superintendent
of mining operations escorted the visitors.
| Erslxine Ramsay and other citizens ia
miliar with the district, were in the party.
1t was an Indian summer day. and the
weather was perfect.
The Muscooda mines are equipped with
the most approved machinery and this
plant is regarded as a model in every re-
spect The machine shops, the air COM
pressors, the powerful hosting engines
and the great crushers We're inspected
with much interest by every member of
the party, and especially by Hennen
Jennings of Washington and James B.
Taylor of London, both of whom are en-
gineers by profession and men of large
experience in mining.
The tramp over the mountain gave the
visitors a good appetite, and never, per-
haps was a meal more heartily enjoyed
than that served on the car as the par
ty started back to Birmingham at p. m.
Mr. Crockard called it lunch. but it was
nothing sort of an elegant dinner.
On returning to the city Mr.. Williams
and his friends drove for an hour and at
I p. M left over the Louisville & Nash
Vile in their Pullman private car for
Florida, by way of Montgomery.
Members of the party said they had en-
jbyed every minute of their stay in
Birmingham. These gentlemen are not
only capitalists and men of affairs but
they are genial spirits and some of them
are wits of the first order. They were
thoroughly appreclative of the courtesies
shown them by the people of Birmingham
and expressed regrets that they could not
remain here longer
Impressed With Birmingham.
Mr. Bethoud. of Switzerland. banker
representing large associated capital, said
that while he had Travelled extensively
in America. that Birmingham district
was a revelation to him. Mr.. Jennings
remarked that the possibilities of the
Birmingham and this industrial district
were practically boundless. 81 find the
Tennessee company is pushing ahead rap
.dly on solid lines" said he, 1T is Install
ing the best sort of equipment and it has a
splendid future
Mr. Taylor said: II am amazed not
only at the natural wealth OF the Birm-
ingham district, but at the wonderful de-
velooment that has been going on here.
Birmingham is certain to become one OF
Mr.. Williams, who was formerly presi-
dent of the Seaboard, and who built it up
to be an important trunk line and extend
ed it into Birmingham, still takes lively
interest in that road and many of mis-
friends predict that he will again be in
control of the company.
Just before leaving last night, Mr.. Will
Jams was asked by a reporter as to his
end of the story published in some of
the Southern papers this week, that he
and his friends are going over the Sea-
board to learn Why it's operation has not
been more satisfactory financially. while
directors and officials representing the
interests in control are travelling over The
same course trying to collect evidence to
support their claim that the property
needs more money.
Williams Talks of Seaboard.
He laughed and said:
"Of course that is hardly a correct
statement of the situation, but the man
who wrote the story has a glimmering
of the general facts. I am satisfied that
with the present gross earnings. business.
resources and conditions of the Seaboard,
the property ought to be paying hand
somely. | have dad some pretty lively
correspondence recently in which l have
presented facts and figures to prove that
the system Is not being managed prop
erly or on sound business principles, and
to show that there is a vast deal of
waste and incompetence somewhere
even expressed the suspicion that the peo-
pie in New York are neglecting the prop
erty or encouraging bad management in
the hope of discouraging the stockhold-
crs-the Ryan-Blair party, you know
do not own a majority of the stock. but
control through the voting trust--and in
ducing them to sell out cheap. My
friends, who are now with me. and my
self own and control large blocks of
the stock. Our confidence in the prop
erty cannot be shaken, because we know
it too well. We are looking over the
Seaboard incidentally to convince our
selves that we are right and will con-
tinue to protest against present methods
and results until we bring about the
changes that should be made. How those
changes will be brought about, I am not
yet prepared to say, but / am very sure
they will come.
LAS to what the other side intends
or is doing, 1 am not informed, nor am
/ much concerned You may be sure
that any attempt to milk or wreck or
overload the Seaboard will encounter the
stiffest fight I can put up.
THE gentlemen from abroad. who are
travelling with me, have never been south
before They represent large interests
and wide connections and my chief OBJ
iect is to show them what the south
has and promises, SO that they may
understand the facts themselves and tell
their friends who are seeking opportuni-
ties for profitable investment. They are
more than delighted with their trip from
a social and business point of view, and
are accommodating a vast quantity OF in
formation which I hope will be yalua-
BILE to them and in results to us.
Il suppose 1t is unnecessary for me to
say that they are greatly impressed with
II 1-