The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-12
.SHELBY'S ADDRESS
 ID BOARD OF TRADE New President Heidt Also Ad-
 dresses Members
OFFICERS ARE INSTALLED
Work of Municipal Ownership and Greater Birmingham Is Given Especial Attention In Mir.
 SheIby's Address.

| ing the ensuing year took place at the regular meeting of the Board of Trade yesterday afternoon. The report of the retiring president, J. E. Shelby, was also an important feature. This report re- ferred especially to the progress which had been made in the direction of muni- cipal ownership and the extending of the corporate limits of Birmingham.
 The address of the new president, C. C. Heidt was short and dealt particularly with the question of a saloon district MT. Heidt expressed himself as being of the opinion that the establishment of this district between First and Fourth avenues and Eighteenth and Ewenty second streets would prove very ietrimen- tai to the shopping district and suggest ed that the board endeavor to have it redistricted.
 The meeting was called to order by retiring President Shelby, who introduced Representative Jere King, who explained his Greater Birmingham bill. MT. King outlined his bill, stating that he had voted for every Greater Birmingham bill which had been presented in the last leg
 
 materalize and that he thought he should have the support of the members of the Board of Trade In the endeavor to have his bill passed as it was the only really practicable one.
 He stated that he thought 1t would be a good idea to charter a special train and have several hundred people from Birmingham and the other towns affected by the making of a Greater Birmingham go in it to Montgomery when the Greater Birmingham bill came up. While the board made no official endorsement of MT. Kings bill each one of the members present expressed himself as being fav- orably impressed with it. The board thought well of MT. Kings suggestion in regard to a Greater Birmingham Spec ial' and a motion was passed instructlng the Greater Birmingham committee to confer with other organizations in re- gard to sending of a train full of repre- | sentatives to Montgomery at the time the bill comes up. The motion further stipu- lated that if the other organizations did not care to go into this matter that the board would work 1t up itself
 After Mr. King had finished President Shelby read his report and then intro duced the new president, c. c. Heidt, who made short address, after which the regular order of business was car l ried out.
 The officers installed were:
 C. c. Heidt, president; R. w. Ewing, first vice president; George McCleery, sec- ond vice president; J. D. Collins, third vice president; P. w. Gorham fifth vice president; Sol Caheen, sixth vice presi- dent John w. O'Neill, treasurer; Roy DaiI1 Ialar In son, attorney.
 President Shelby's report was as fol- lows:
 Gentlemen of the Birmingham Board of
 Trade:
 The year just ending has been an event ful one for the Birmingham Board of Tr1le-both from a standpoint of the many important matters which have been considered and from the standpoint of results accomplished.
 When I assumed the office of president one of the first important matters which the board again brought up was the mat ter of municipal ownership. The legisla- tive candidates from this county were 1 asked to express their views on this, among other questions. The municipal | ownership matter was agitated both by | the Board of Trade and outside organiza- tions, with the result that bills were l introduced in the legislature which the Board of Trade supported paving the way the way for municipal ownership of the water works by the city. These bills will, no doubt. be passed at the next session, which is shortly to be held.
 l Personally l am a staunch believer of municipal ownership, especially of the water works, and I feel much gratfied | that the Board of Trade has taken, dur ing my administration, such an active part in the municipal ownership cam paign, and I hope and believe that the board will continue this fight until sub stantial results are obtained.
 The fact has time and again been es- tablished that the residents of Birming- ham are paying higher water rates than any other city in the south, and in many cities throughout the whole country where municipal ownership revails. and now that we have all realized this deplorable con- 1 dition, each and every one of us should lend our individual support towards CO., operatingh with our legislative committee in their effort to secrue proper legisla- ton.
 In addition to the municipal ownership question. the Board of Trade has sought | to secure legislation on other matters | of vital importance. viz: The passage of a bill extending the corporate limits of Birmingham. I don't Believe that our representatives to the present legislature could diligently support an act that would
 
 terests of our great city than to support and equitable Greater Birmingham bil and to my mind the one recently framed and being so ably supported by our rep resentative, MT. King, could not be inn proved upon, and 1t Is to be hoped (and believe it is the wish of every member of the Birmingham Board of Trade) that our present legislature enact law which will permit us co create a Greater Bir- mingham.
 The Board of Trade also desires legis- lation that would resultin lower insurance rates, and legislation for the regulation of freight rates and car service charges. As to the matter of insurance rates no leg islation of importance has been proposed or especially supported by the Board of Trade on account of the fact that our rates have been recently reduced becalise of the increase in our city fire department. The merchants have reason to congratu- late the city authorities on the good judg- ment displayed by them In placing our fire | department in first-class condition, which has been the direct cause of the action Of the Southern Tariff assocition in placing oru city from a second-class to a first 1 class basis. While 1t is believed that the | insurance rates are still too night, yet in view of the i'll fortune of the insurance companies in the last few years, and the press of matters of superior importance very little attention has been given legis- 1 lation looking to lower rates The new in- surance committee will probably give this subject careful study during the coming