The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-18
Wl interest paid on Savings &
 Time deposits
SIX COUNTIES ARE
 CLAIMING HONOR
SPIRITED RIVALRY AS TO WHICH COUNTY FIRST MADE IRON IN ALABAMA-A COMMITTEE HAS QUESTION TO DECIDE,

The situation among certain counties of the mineral belt claiming to be first In iron making In Alabama is becom- ing acute. This honor Is now tenacious ly claimed by the following counties: Calhoun, Talladega Franklin, Shelby. Bibb and Tusca loosa-the loyal citizens of each claiming that they have the facts to back up their claims and the data to prove every statement made
 During the past week Miss Ethel Armes who Is writing "The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama" reeeRed one hundred and thirty-six letters from various citizens of these respective counties, all holding fast to the honor Of first place In the history
 Erskine Ramsay as a committee mem- Der will act as umpire In the delicate matter. assisted by General Louis V. Clark. on his return from Europe. ", II. kettig and the committee chairman, Truman II. Aldrich. The facts as gath cred and authenticated by Judge G. B. Randolph of Calhoun, Charles E. VII son of Franklin, Frank Fitch of Bibb. W. H. Avery and George Peters of Shel- by, W. D. Riddle of Talladega, and others of the various county commit tees will be presented before the board and on comparison. date with date. will rest the final decision on whose brows the laurels shall be placed
 Mir Hobson. one of the prominent civil engineers of the Birmingham dis trict and brother of Richmond Pear son Hobson, stated recently that the Franklin county people who had al- ways rested secure in the belief that their county was the first of the state In iron making had been greatly sur prised at the claims of certain of the other counties. and were quite wrought up over the matter.
 Charles E Wilson one of the widely known and most influential men of that section, now acting as chairman of the Franklin committee, has lately appoint ed W. A Orman of that county as one of his committee members, MT Orman being dSrecognlzed authority on points of county history. And Franklin coun- " does not intend to take back seat in the affair.
 In an editorial of the Talladega Re- porter of recent issue the paper is rath- CT caustic in its comment on the ques- ton and the Reporter hands over to her sister county what is technically term ed "a lemon," winding up it's columns with
 But why need we stop to discuss th csc questions that are as well estab- fish ed as any historical data of Tal- ladega county? The facts are verttable history, and are not only established by indisputable data, but by many citi- zens still living who personally knew these pioneers"
 Jefferson county is rather out on the matter, as she had no early forges to have contest over. and came into the business late in the day as compared to the other counties. The Talladega Reporter states that certain of the iron making claima ants must have made iron in tn cir respective counties long before getting there, according to the dates they put up."
 Miss Armes Is receiving, in addition to the numerous letters, some long dis tance phone messages relating To the question at Issue. Truman Aldrich stat ed al the last Commercial club meeting that they were going back to Tubal Cain to prove 1t. As the facts now are to be finally and fully recorded to take their place in the history of the state" said MT. Aldrich 1t is small wonder that each county wishes to hold it's own after all. And it will be in teresting to see which county wins out.