The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-19
NEW PASSENGER
 STATION IS OPEN Building Represents Expendi- ture of S575,000 BRILLIANT CEREMONIES Prominent Railroad Officials From Many Sections of the South Take
 Part In the Exercises
 of the Day.

Mobile, April 1S.-(Special.l The open ing of the new union passenger station took place this afternoon at o'clock in the presence of an immense throng of interested spectators, numbering many thousands.
 The new station was thoroughly in- spected by the visitors and the exercises were held on raised platform which had been erected about the middle of the spacious train shed. The platform was filled with the speakers and many prom inent citizens, including the clergy, bus iness men and professional men, their wives and daughters.
 There were many magnificent floral pieces shown. on the platform from vari- ous friends of Col. Edward l.. Russell and of the enterprise.
 Sidney Prince of the Mobile and Ohio was master of ceremonies and Colonel Russell read many congratulatory letters and telegrams from such men as Col. William Batler Duncan of the Mobile and Ohio's executive board, President w. w. Finley of the Southern, Congressman George W. Taylor, A. F. Thom, general counsel of the Southern railway; Charles S. Clark, vice president Missouri Pacific, , and many others
 Addresses were made by Mayor Lyon, Hon. E. M Robinson. Erwin Craighead, M. Y. Richards and Eyre Damer.
 The first train from the new station will leave a 80 in the morning, the regu- lar morning train over the Southern, ana in honor of the occasion the train will be made up entirely of new equipment John Rawls, for many years one or the most trusted passenger conductors or the Mobile and Ohio railroad, has been made station agent of the new depot.
 Is Presented Punch Bowl.
 At the conclusion of the opening exer- cises Francis J. 1nge, on behalf of the Merchants of Mobile, presented Col. F. L. Russell with a very handsome and mas sive silver punch bowl, as an evidence of their good will and appreciation of his efforts in causing the building Of the new station. The colonel was taken con- pletely by surprise, but voiced his thanks in feeling and eloquent words.
 The New Station.
 The new station represents an expendi- ture of $515 000.
 The building runs east and west on Beauregard street for a distance of l99 feet and on St. Joseph street for dis tance of 147.6 The distance from the front wall to the 1lOTlH sue ol IhS pi"t forms is 500 feet Eight feet of space on Beauregard street is devoted to semi circular enclosure in which parterres or flowers and plants and fountain arc features At the distance given from the line of the street curbing the driv3way approaching the station leads under a porte cochere, with columns of gray brlch, ornamented with terra cotta mouidings and capitals. the roof being of ornamental iron and prism glass. Between this conVen- fence for passengers in cabs and car riages and the main building, there is a wide colonnade running the entire length of the Beauregard street front, supported by columns, equally as ornate as the supports of the beautiful vehicles en- trance. The depth of the main building is 12S feet It has base course of granite and granite door and window sills. The building is surmounted by dome, the apex of which is 100 feet from the ground This portion of the structure rises on ornamental columns above the third story and gives the building a fin- ished appearance, the ceramic holdings and capitals in buff contrasting with the red tiled gables of the roof.
 Pleasing Appearance.
 The pleasing appearance of the exterior