The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-13
ENGINEER SPEAKS
 HIGHLY OF CITY
Birmingham'S Future Prosper ity Certain as United States
CONVENTION IS A SUCCESS
George w. TiIlson, City Engineer of Brooklyn, Impressed With South ern Hospitalty-Says Good
 Things of Julian kendrick.

George W. Tillson of Brooklyn, secre- tary of the American Society of Munici pal Improvements, which office he has held for five years already and to which he was recently reelected for another year, was greatly impressed with the meeting of the society here. Last year. said MT. Tillson, when the proposition was made to come to Birmingham. was not very enthusiastic in favor of il, for I was afraid this city was too far south for the northern members to at tend. and that there would not be at tendance enough from southern people to make good meeting. But am very glad now that we did come for we have not only had a good attendance from the north, but I feel satisfied that we have permanently interested many engineers of the south in the work of the society And I also feel that we have had one of the most successful meetings In the history of the society.
 "The society membership now extends from New Foundland on the east to Call fornia on the west, and from the prov ence of Manitoba on the north and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. so that the | ship will be to fill in with the intermediate cities. The success of the Birmingham meeting is due in very great measure | to the enthusiasm and untiring efforts of your city engineer, MT. Julian Kendrck. Able, But Modest.
 "Mr. Hendricks ability for planning and carrying out such work is as great as his modesty which prevents him from saying anything about it. He is an old member of the society and the older mem bers who have recognized his ability at former conventions are glad to meet with him at his home city.
 "One thing which has surpassed the delegates from the northern cities in their trips around Birmingham has been the general good condition of your paving, and the fact that so few openings of any kind are found. The bane of the municipal engineer at the present time is the con stant tearing up of the street pavement by plumbers and the different corporations. If Birmingham can keep it's paving as free from these openings as they are at the present time, he will unquestionably | lengthen the life of these pavements at least % or 30 per cent.
 1 "An the delegates have been very much surprised at the remarkable growth of the city Those of them who have never visit ed the south before have all read of south ern hospitality, but never had they ex perenced it before. They will all return home with the feeling that too little, rather than too much, has been said of this typical trait of southern people. The memory of the many courtesies tendered the society by the city and corporations will remain with them long as they remember Birmingham or the thirteenth annual convention of the society.
 Mineral District.
 '"rhe trip made Thursday around the mineral district of Birmingham was con elusive proof to the delegates that as long as the United States Is a progressive and growing nation Birmingham must grow and it's prosperity must be constantly on 1 the increase. While most of the industries visited were new to the northern people, all the visitors could appreciate the ad- vantage of having ore. fuel and Aux prac- tically within stones throw of each other. This visit made clear to them the reason of Birminghams wonderful pros perty and the creation of a great man ufacturing district in section wn.,. had been considered in the past to be only agricultural. It has also put at rest any ideas that they might have held previous l lN that the growth of Birmingham was not permanent or still on the increase Although comparatively familiar with the south and it's industries, 1 personally was very much surprised to see the wonderful 1 faclnlies existing in this locality for man l ufacture and the great possibilities for the | future. l shall go home much pleased m | every respect with my visit