The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-24
HAS WATCHED CITY
GROW STEP BY STEP
Travelling Man Talks of Bir-
mingham'S Development
is LIKE A YOUNG GIANT
j.. K. Breast Sold Harness to Mer-
chants When City Was
Village. Still Handles
the Trade.
is LIKE A YOUNG GIANT

the Trade.
A we'll preserved, hardy old gentleman
with his wife sat in the ladies' wait
ing room of the union passenger station
in Birmingham yesterday afternoon for
several hours waiting for a delayed
train.
The gentleman and lady were Mr.. and
Mrs ]. X. Breast OF Nashville. Mr.. Breast
is possibly the oldest travelling man in
the south, having been on the road con-
stantly for a years.
Surglng about them, in and out of
the passenger station. 0owded the holt
day throngs and in the hurry of busy
feet and the noise of the great city that
had not altogether stopped to rest ON the
Lords Day the old gentleman became
reminiscent.
Young man." he began, thoughtfully,
as he looked up as If from long reve-
RE. 81 sold harness in this place when
it was mere village and was not rec
ognized by the geography maker 1t was
a measley, muddy crossroads hole with
out hardly a prepossessing feature.
81 sold small bills in Birmingham in
those days but cultivated the trade, and
am still selling harness here. 1t was moro
than thirty years ago that | first came
here as a travelling man. | stopped at the
only hotel in Birmingham, the Relay
House, a small, unpretentious establish
ment. located over there about where
those railroad tracks are now. Indeed, at
this late day, it is almost impossible for
me to locate the place. though l have
tried to keep track of some of the loca-
lions during the thirty or more years
that have passed
There Were Dreamers.
There were few dreamers here IN
those days, who believed they saw great
future in the community. They were pro-
moters and while some smiled at the
optimistic forecastings of the hole in the
mud these men of energy and foresight
plodded on and the village gathered mo-
mentum, but there were but few that
could realize anything of the reality that
lay before the town. Even the most san
gune promoters, l am persuaded, did not
dream of the real worth of the vast stores
of natural wealth that lay in the hills
and valleys about them
II have taken great interest In watch
ing the growth of the place since its first
inception. 1t had but few attractions fol
me in the beginning except for the small
| bills I managed to secure from the mer-
! chants of those days.
AT least once a year since the oreani-
cation OF the town | have returned to
| book orders from my regular customers
and work up new business | will say
right here by way Of parenthesls. that
have been kept pretty busy during the
past several years in working up new
business, the trade has expanded so rap
idly.
az have had an excellent opportunity to
watch the growth of the place and Its
progress through many changes of condi-
ton and many vicisstudes has been a
marvel. 1t is no miracle that the city
has attained it's present greatness, but
the great perseverance of some of its in
dustrial pioneers has been source OF
wonder to the world.
I'm seasons of great financial stress
have seen the very foundations of the
community tremble and often expected
total collapse, but with iron grip those
sturdy men who have made the district
held on to the old ship of progress and
have brought final success.
Like Young Giant.
81 have seen Birmingham. like a young
giant. rise from swaddling clothes and
with determination written on every Inca
ment of his brow, stride forth to~conquei
formidable enemies and after many fierce
combats, walk forth victor and eager
to challenge fresh foes of progress. With
steady stride he has passed many an
| other robust and promising competitor
for first honor in the list of southern
| cities and has challenged many of the
| lusty Industrial centcrs of the north and
some of these northern cities are now
looking with envy on the success of the
young conqueror of the south.
But in all its history. Birmingham has
never had brighter prospects thar at the
present time. Some of your people have
from time to time predicted that the limit
had been reached In Industrial develop
ment. In my opinion. there is no limit
| to it's growth, and that real development.
has just now begun.
"Men of brains and money In the north
have lust come to fully realize the mex,
haustible resources of the district and the
wonderful possibilities of systematic de-
velopment.
For more than thirty years I have
sold harness in Birmingham and my bus
mess has had a wonderful increase. hope
TO be able to sell harness in this district
for thirty years more, and IL I do shall
| EXPECT to see some marked evidence oil
development every time make my regu
lar visit
| ]. K. Breast is the father of A. r
Breast, night clerk at the Morris hote
| IN this city,