The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-10
COMMERCIAL CLUB
HAS BUSY MEETING
Movement Started to Get School
of Technology
COMMITTEE TO Be NAMED
r. B. smyer Makes Report on Greater
Birmingham Matter and Confer
ence Will Be Caled-lmmi-
grafton Conference.
COMMITTEE TO BE NAMED

grafton Conference.
The Commercial club transacted more
business in less time yesterday afternoon
than is on record for past meetings. 1t
was in session about one hour and in
that time dispatched many matters. There
We're no lengthy reports nor were there
| any long arguments. All the members ia
vored the motions and resolutions.
One of the most important matters
which came up was a motion that a
committee of nine be appointed to estab-
fish a school of technology in Bi.ming-
ham. The motion followed a short talk by
DIR. w. b. Phillips, who recently gave
an interview on the matter that attracted
a great deal of attention 1t was stated
that the interests controlling the Ten
nessce- Republic had accentuated the de-
mand for a chronological school ncre.
William Ryan stated that ]. a. Topping
at the head of the Republic
companies, had stated to him that he
could secure money from his associates
for such an institution, and that tech
biological school should be established by
all means. President Jemison also stated
that he had discussed the matter with
John w. Gates of the Tennessee-Re-
public.
The committee will be appointed today
| by Mr.. Jemison.
immigration Discussed.
Secretary Babb read a communication
| n of
| migration committee of the club, stating
that a ship with a large number of i'm
migrants had recently landed in Charles
| ton, and that he had sent a represeE tative
| to that city to investigate and report
| on the matter, as this was the first of
the kind. He called meeting of the i'm
| migration committee for noon Wednesday
to hear that report.
Maj r. Y. Anderson stated that a
ship with over 1000 immigrants would
| land at New Orleans within the next ten
days, and suggested that the Birming-
ham companies might we'll make plans
to secure some of these immigrants.
| T. II. Motion moved that Fred NJ. Jack
son, president of the Alabama State Im-
| migration association, call a meeting of
| the officers and members of the executive
committee of that association together
| soon and that some action be taken look
| ing to getting a bill passed through the
| next legislature so that the matter of
| immigration might have the government
sanction so that it could be officially and
lawfully conducted in Europe by this
state. Mr.. Jackson said he would call
the conference and carry out the plans
along which the association was original
ly formed
Makes Complaint.
James Bowron made a motion that the
secretary of the club and the railroad
committee take up the matter of Bir-
mingham being practically placed on a
side line of the Southern railway. He
| said that it was advertised that the South"
ern between Birmingham and New York
waited for no connections. He said that
if a person left Birmingham to go to
New York and the train was late reach
ing Atlanta, the regular vestibule train
was not held for the Birmingham con-
nection, although the equipment from
here made up part of this vestibule train.
He said it practically placed Birmng-
ham ON side line, and off the MAIN
line of the Southern. The motion was
passed. urging the Southern railway to
place Birmingham on the same basis
with other cities and give this city MAIN
line service and connections.
A report was read from Henry Hidden
of the railroads and transportation COM
| tho 81 i,
had been secured between Birmingham
and Northern Alabama on the Southern
railway which would be of material aid
to Birmingham as well as the territory
between Birmingham and Florence, Shelf
| field and Tuscumbia.
A resolution of thanks to the Southern
railway for this additional service was
passed by the club.
One of the trains mentioned in this report
his The Age-Herald's Northern Alabama
| Flyer, established after earnest efforts on
the part of The Age-Herald.
Greater Birmingham.
r. B. Smyer who framed the Greater
Birmingham bill to be introduced at the
next meeting of the legislature, urged
that a conference with various interests
be held to work out the details of the
bill. He stated that he favored the nom
taxing clause and said that the only
opposition so far shown TO the bill dealt
with that clause. He gave his reasons
for favoring the non-taxing clause, say
ing that by having non-taXing districts
industries would be induced to locate
within the city limits instead of being
forced outside.
f. NJ. Jackson moved that the secretary
and president of the club be instructed to
call a conference on the Greater Birmlng-
ham bill, and to invite the Mayor and
city attorney of every municipality in
terested, the president and secretary of
| the commercial bodies in the district, the
members of the legislature and the Mayor
! and aldermen of Birmingham TO he pres
ent and meet Mr.. Smyer and his conf
mttee to discuss and perfect this bill The
motion was carried.
Secretary Babb reported ON the Ala
| bama home coming week, and read Il
number of letters from merchants and
business men stating that they had en-
joyed exceptional business during the
home coming celebration. He also stated