The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-23
GADSDEN BUSINESS
PROPERTY is SOLD
Birmingham Men Said TO Be
Interested in Deal
COMMERCIAL CLUB MEETS
Several Handsome Buildings Are Plan
ned On the Block and a Half of
Land Which Was Sold
Yesterday.

Gadsden, September 22.-(Special)-D deeds
were filed in the probate office today
transferring an entire block and a half
in the business center of the city. The
property embraces the block between Sec
ond and Third streets and Chestnut and
Broad. now occupied by the car barns of
the street railway company, the Ward
Waller Manufacturing company, and the
old Central Foundry company, the size
of the lot is 400x250 feet. On the opposite
side of Second street, the purchasers ac-
quired a strip 25Ox50 feet, and on Chest
nue. street opposite the first block anoth-
er piece of property 15Ox125 feet, fronting
on Chestnut.
A number of Birmingham capitalists
headed by W. P. G. Harding, president
of the First National bank of that city,
are the purchasers and the consideration
paid was about $4,000. Four corners of
the block were offered the United States
government for sites for the new post
office building to be erected here, but two
of these, corner of Third and Broad and
Second and Broad, have been withdrawn
as the owners have planned improvements
which they consider more valuable than
the postoffice building.
No Official statement could be obtain
ed today as the local legN representative
of the purchasers was reticent and I'M
willing to go into details. 1t was learn
ed from other sources considered reliable
that the following structures We're be-
ing planned. A ten-story office building
modern in everp respect. An opera house
building equal to anything in the state.
A modern hotel. The remainder OF the
property will be built up in business
houses, two of which it is stated have al
ready been rented. Mention of this deal
was made a short time ago but the de-
tails did not develop until today.
Commercial Club Finds Plans.
The Commercial club met for the first
time last night in several weeks and a
large and representative body of bust
ness men were in attendance. The sub
jects under discussion were a greater
Gadsden, better passenger service over
the railroads, and better streets and
roads, The greater Gadsden idea brought
forth much discussion and the idea adj
vanced was to extend the corporate limits
so as to include, North, East and West
Gadsden within the city proper. 1t was
argued that the petty jealousies now ex-
listing between the different places in
GLIDING Alfalfa and Alabama City would
be wiped out and that the citizens would
concentrate their energies to the building
of a great city. A committee on municipal
legislation was appointed to investigate
the matter and report to the club.
The miserable depot conditions of the
several railroads came In for liberal
share of attention and steps were taken
to have the officials of the different lines
informed of the exact conditions existing
here. 1t was shown that Gadsden fur
nished the roads freight tonnage equal to
the largest cities in the state, and yet
they ignore the city and seem to care lit
tie for the comfort of the citizens. II
necessary 1t was decided to have COM
mittee walt on the railroad commission
and take the matter up with them.
Good roads was the next subject for
discussion and a committee was appoint
ed to confer with the board OF county
commissioners and ask them to order an
election for the purpose of issuing road
bonds. Several other minor matters were
disposed of before adjournment.
YIN. C. A. Directors Meet.
At meeting of the board of directors
of the Y. NJ C. A. last night, Capt. j
M. Elliott, Jr, was elected vice presi-
dent and committees for supervising all
branches of the work were appointed by
the board as follows Finance, Otto Agri-
cola, C. s. Ward, r. V. Davidson, Joseph
Balfour Educational and religious, A. e
Goodhue, c. II. Webster and G. M. Cole
man. Membership and social. B. M. Stew
art, Jr., Louis Greet, Il. Walling, Otis
Wragg and Morgan Mccall. Gymnasium
James Foreman, Preston Hughes and
Harry Montgomery Boys work, r. "
Davidson, Lee Wharton. Charles Ewing
Harry Disque and Edwin Goodhue. The
committees enter at once upon their work
Locating Former Alabamians.
Capt. j. f. Adams has been appointed
commissioner for Home Coming week al
the State Fair at Birmingham, for Etc
wah county and has commenced an ac-
tive canvas of his work and is locating
many Alabamians who have left Etowah
county and now reside outside of the
state.
Turns States Evidence.
1t was reported today that one of the
men confined in the county jail on the
charge of numbering John Davis at Noun
tainsboro, had gone before the grand jury
and turned states evidence and had i'm
plicated several men In the crime, be-
sides those in jail. The truthfulness OF the
report could not be verified.