The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
THOUSANDS WATCH
 LIGHTS TURNED 'ON
Electric EspIanade is a Very
 Beautiful Sight
SHOWS MUCH ENTERPRISE
Third Avenue Merchants and Property Owners Are Congratulated on the Success of Their
 Plans.

Fully 10000 people saw the Electric Es- planade lighted for the first time last night.
 The switch was turned on by Acting Mayor B. H. Cooper and as the lOOo globes burst into an electric fame a shout went up from everyone present
 During the evening thousands of peo- ple walked to Third avenue and along the thoroughfare to see the new exhibition of enterprise of Birmingham merchahts' and all voted it to be entraneing and a success in every way.
 The Esplanade is the enterprise oI .ne merchants and property-holders on lhiro avenue between Nineteenth and I"enue'n street and also the merchants ana prop erty-holders on the corners ol tha' ave nue and the two streets. The oVerheau effects consists of fourteen arches "iln practically 1000 incandescent lighls' Nlhe of these arches are thrown across liiio avenue between the two streets' alioeher ia across the avenue west of Nineteenth streot and the other four are diagonaly across Third avenue at Nineteenth street and at Twentieth street.
 Most Brilliant Place
 The thousand lights make the bspiah- ade the most brilliantly lighted piace ih Birmingham. and it will be one or the features to show visitors to the city' le will he lighted every night from dark un- til II o'clock and on Saturday hisn's ''S lights will be on until midnight. The Electric Esplanade will cost apous s4oO0 annually in the way of maintenance. The Birmingham Railway, Lght ana Power company will maintain the arch west of Nineteenth street. Following Is a list of the merchahts anu nronerty-owners who are interested Tn the Esplanade: . a. I Blaeh & Sons, Loveman, Joseph Loeb, B. G. 'Covell, J. E. Reynoios' opoees cassuery, Pattoh-Pope Drug eoillpans' Barher & Bro, M L. Satterheia w. D. B. Luster, McClure's Ten-Ceh' oo". nanv S. H. Kress & Co.,, Harry Rensioro' smith E. E. Forbes, copeills cassirnus company, B. M. Allen John IL. parker. Louis w. Clark Co., frsa Romei. w. T. Waters, c. H. Napo' Irao- ers' National bank. Tillman' nrupp' Bradley & Morrow. McGeever Furniture oompany. Messer- Moore Insurance ana Real Estate company, Roberts rllli',ne company, Mrs. & E. Kinds, w, M Wa'N- CT estate, Orr & Roberts. Frank Neisoh .Jr. A. and l.. schillinger w. b. Wllsoh' R I. kiefe, J. c. Gallagher, Hanley' Lah- nan & Co. F. B. Johnson, Electric oity Loan and Pledge company, F. u Sliileh ~ Rro.. Uasonville Creamery company, U. II. Hickman, B. c. Bynum. Nick perzes' he- cent walk over Shoe company, Ben M Jacobs & Bros, s. Spiro. Cox Shoe com many. o. K. Barber shop and J. h' nu- benstein.
 Salute Fired,
 Last night at 7:45 o'clock salute was fired from the top of the building or l. Blach S Sons on the corner or ihiro avenue and Nineteenth street. and im' mediately thereafter Acting Mayor cooper turned on the current. Alderman John l.. Parker then introduced MT. cooper who spoke on the evidence or eh'erprise' MT. Parker congratulated the merehahts of Third avenue on their enterprise ana said that 1t was the beginning of new era in Birmingham, as all such eViuehces of advance were He spoke of Birming- hams greatness and of the promise Tor the future, declaring the Electric Espia- made another step towards making BIT minsham truly the greatest southern city.
 Acting Mayors Remarks.
 Mir. Cooper then said
 ,'Trying to represent our honnraple Mayor, it pleases me to throw the switch and welcome this commendable enterprise and encourage others to follow,
 This display of electricity adds beauty to our city. This city, or any other elty' should be proud of a citizenship that displays the progressiveness and liperality that is shown by the Third avenue mer- chants and property holders.
 'It pleases me to be here this evening to join this immense crowd in show ing appreciation and welcoming the sue cess and. original ideas of Birmingham s Third avenue merchants. To them we all say that we admire the splendid modern store buildings they occupy, and wish each one success. We all join you in pointing with pride and admiration to the