The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-05
DeBardeIeben Speaks.

You ask me to make speech or give you talk at this gathering of the friends and admirers of Bessemer,
 You and the balance of my friends are fully aware that l am not a public speak or. l am barred from making speech :; that part of my education was neglected. We are all good for something, but a speech maker 1 am failure, but rather than disappoint you, Governor Johnston has kindly consented to represent me and deliver my ideas to the people of Bes- semer and it's visitors on this occasion.
 I have selected the governor to repre- sent me, as being one competent to say something in a proper way to entertain the people at this meeting. l shall have an extended talk with the governor, giy- ing him my views and ideas of the future in store for Bessemer. He has consented to. speak in my place, and l appreciate the~favor that he is to bestow upon me- IL would be easier to say, 'I would not go." but from all | can learn, your peo- i pie would really like to have me express my views, and from a sense of duty and the love that l bear for Bessemer, com mands me to take this course.
 As you know. l have been with you but little for the past five or six years, but the interest of the town of Bessemer is always in my mind.
 think that actions speak louder than words," and while 1 am not speaker l am an industrious man, and in an indi- rect way am working as hard for Besse- mer as 1 did while l was leading spirit among your people.
 At the time | left you l was a lemon with the juice squeezed out; since that time I've been getting fresh ammunition and new recruits to whip the battle that | originally undertook in the behalf or BesSemer.
 f ga. rot that which will bring the greatest re- urns tc the individual making the ef- fort and that after getting "the where wita'' to establish and build great in- dustria. plant that it is the usual cus- tom to select a point for such an enter prise that the side show money In the shape of profits on town lots IS very tempting feature of the effort.
 From the first inauguration of Bessemer | always had desire and determine ton tat Bessemer should have a steel plant, and the varied industries that would follow to convert the product or the plant into varied manufactured ar ticles to be sold in other parts of the world, which would cause an inflow of money and be redistrbuted to pay off the pay rolls that would feed a multitude of people the workers as well as the drones
 70 much for the idea that I had in mind all these years.
 While l have no interest in common with your people In dollars and cents, vet I have one of sentiment and love for the growth of your town.
 It is hard for me to shake off the Idea that I am not servant of Bessemer, and with that view strongly planted in my heart. I have surrendered the privilege of starting a new industrial town for two reasons, one is, that I am now too old to (, Of axy town, and l would not care to pluck one opportunity from Bessemers chances to x from any effort of mine. The next and greatest reason is, that Bessemer oc- cupies the territory that was thoroughly approved by me befoH 1t was selected, and it's position Is such that the ad- vantages in carrying out my plans. will be greater financial success if To- cated on the outskirts of Bessemer, than if I got the collateral money that would be taken in from the town lot Idea.
 Predictions for Future.
 l have already created four new pay rolls, that indirectly will aid Bessemer, and there are more to be made. These pay rolls, which will amount to ten in the near future, will be for coal mines that will bring a revenue to a central company yeti to be formed. This reve- nue will help to sustain this central coInpdHy III pulluihS h Hioueiu Steel pldnt, furnaces, coke ovens, and the parapher- nalia to make a financial picture that will certainly be pleasing to every citizen that lives in or around Bessemer, as well as to myself.
 The sacrifice to be made as to the loss of the town lot opportunity has been thoroughly discussed with my associates, who are broad minded people, and they have graciously consented that I shall make the selection of site for any im- provements we may make, to compensate me for the hard work. and honest effort that am making for my people, and for myself as well.
 Now for the schedule of the property that is to back up the plant to be built. We have secured the upper end of the Cahaba coal field with frontage