The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-09

and again for his work for the passage of the bill by the senate, in which body he recalled from the adverse calendar the bill. The cheering was interspersed with yells of "Gray for our next governor; King for Mayor of Greater Birmingham" while the band kept playing "Dixie" and "Is Everybody Happy; Is Everybody Glad?"
 Governors Telegram Read
 The speakers held forth from the yer anda of the Athletic club and the street below was packed with shouting enthus- lasts. The crowd was called to order by Attorney M. M Ullman, who read the telegram which Governor Conner sent The Age-Herald last night, and which ap- pears elsewhere on this page. MT. Ull- man then in a brief speech expressed the appreciation of the citizens of Great CT Birmingham" for the work done by lIessrs. Gray, King and Overton and in- troduced former Mayor J. A. VanHoose as the presiding officer of the evening
 MT. Van Hoose spoke of how as far back as '95 he had taken part in an effort which was made to create Greater Bir- mingham, but which failed owing to the time not being ripe for it. He stated that since then, however, sentiment had changed; that economic forces had been at work, and that the order of the day, and even the night now was for Greater Birmingham. MT. Van Hoose went on to say that when a youngster he had sworn never to yell for king" and that he would be gray before he did 1t; but now he was not even Cray and was yelling for a king" In glowing terms he then presented Representative King.
 Great Applause Greets King.
 The applause which greeted MT. King was tumultuous, and lasted for several minutes. MT. king appeared to be very much Jagged out, and indeed said he was 'I am deeply touched at this manifesto tion of your esteem," he said. "Callous must be the heart, and sluggish must be the blood, that would not be moved at this applause Sometime ago I read in the Manufacturers Record where John W. Gates had said Birmingham would have population of 100000 people. MT. Gates evidently did not know the limits of our city limits. When the railroads are building great passenger and freight sta
 
 was necessary for us to stretch out and throw the lines around into new terri tory I am glad to say that we have city of forty-two square miles. You now have the second largest city in the south"
 MT King then said that he was not the one who won the fight; that it was true he had drawn the bill, introduced it and championed 1t night and day ever since the legislature convened, but that the gal lant work done by the newspaper men and delegations from Birmingham was the cause of the victory. Secretary Babb of the Commercial club also received glow ing thanks for his splendid work. The fourteen senator's Lieutenant Governor Gray and Senator Overton also had fitting tribute paid to them for their share in | the work.
 Senator, Overton Introduced. 1 Mir. Van Hoose then introduced Senator 1 Overton as being man of genrous pro portions, both as to brains and body. Senator Overton's appearance was met with great applause and his chubby face. which is not unlike MT. Gray's, caused <
 or not he was the lieutenant governors son.
 Senator Overton stated that 1t was one of the produest moments of his life, for while he did not live in Birmingham yet he was a citizen of Alabama and that all Alabama realized the necessity of Greater Birmingham, and that he did not consider himself as being due any honor for he had only done his duty by the people of Alabama. The facetious person broke in with "Aint you proud you done it?" Senator Overton also stated that the fight | had been hard fought and that while 1t | had been necessary to ride over that dear thing, senatorial courtesy" still the question was one of such importance to demand the submerging of this particular objection.
 Lieut.. Gov. Gray Introduced. l MT. Van Hoose then gave a short sketch of MT Grays life, after which he introduced the lieutenant governor MT. Gray said: 'I was told when l was sent to Montgomery to fill the posi- ton of lieutenant governor, that 1t was A place of honor and all I had to do was to sit around in a chair and look good. I found it full of work, I went down fighting and I came back fighting One of the fruits of victory was Greater Bir- mingham" He also stated that he had fought the Smyer bill as hard as he had fought for the King bill, and that the consciousness sthat he had done the right thing was the greatest source of satisfac- ton to q man In public life. He said.