The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13
KEYS OF CITY GIVEN
TO THE WOODMEN
Two Hundred Delegates Begin
Annual Sessions
ARE WELCOMED BY O'NEILL
Temporary Organization Perfected Yes.
terday and Permanent Officers viii
Be Named Today-LIst of
Delegates Present.
ARE WELCOMED BY O'NEILL

World. is In session In the city hall. 1t
convened yesterday morning and will
be In session until Thursday night
The morning session was open to the
| public, and an address of welcome was
delivered in behalf of the city by Alder
man O'Neill, the reply being made by
p. T. Petty of Huntsville.
A number of matters of interest were
discussed and acted on yesterday, but the
election of officers for the ensuing year
was postponed until this morning.. when
1t will be the special feature.
The meetings are being presided over by
DR.. Ira Porter, sovereign physician of the
order, whose headquarters are in Omaha.
He explained the object of the meeting,
which was to establish a separate head
camp, Alabama in the past having been
in the jurisdiction with Georgia, Florida
and South Carolina.
Welcomed BY O'Neill.
There are about 200 delegates in the
city including those who arrived yester-
day and last night, and whose credentials
have not been acted on yet.
After the meeting was called to order
yesterday morning by l.. M. Archer,
| chairman of the local committee, the Rev.
DR.. A. J. Dickinson, pastor of the First
Baptist church, invoked divine blessings.
Alderman O'Neill made the speech of
welcome, saying:
This is the biggest camp meeting OF
Woodmen that this valley of Greater Bir-
! mingham has ever seen. In behalf OF the
people of Birmingham l welcome you. The
south's greatest Industrial center extends
to your fraternal organization cordial,
| hearty welcome.
1--WE bid you three times welcome to the
valleys of the mountains, in whose soft
ened shadows, peace and prosperity reign.
| Your sojourn within our gates does not
promise to be long enough to permit you
to see everything with which nature has
| favored us, but as long as time endures,
we hope you will keep yourselves within
easy reach of accurate information which
you can readily obtain from Commercial
club guide books, newspaper men and
brother Woodmen, any of whom would
cheerfully suffer death rather than tell
! a lie.
"I herewith give you few samples of
accurate information from Birmingham
crops:
birmingham fixes the price of iron for
the world.
Makes the best steel rail-.
"Is fourth as an iron producer In the
United States.
HAS the largest supply of iron ore in
the world.
HAS s6l0 square miles of coal fields.
PAYS out 81 600 900 a week in wages
"Melts $500 tons of iron daily.
"Glves the railroads 100000 tons of
freight yearly.
HAS 800. 0O0,0 900 invested in industries.
pays one-sixth OF the state taxes.
mines 13 .O00,0 900 tons of coal yearly.
HAS 1875 miles OF street railway tracks
HAS the best sanitary sewerage In the
the south.
| ouas a municipal tax rate of per cent
HAS a death rate of only 81 to 1000
| whites
HAS a population Of 100000
"Has $40 900 600 bank deposits.
HAS challenged Pttsburg for s'l-
premacy as an Industrial center.
"FTas cheap fuel cheap water, an open
season the year round, and Is the best
Mace in the world to live and make
living.
I'm conclusion wish to state 1t Is the
desire of Mayor Ward and Chief of Police
Wier. that I present you the keys of the
city and before I go back. back, back TO
the woods, I want you to understand you
are welcome as new potatoes
Petty Responds.
Mr.. Petty of Huntsville said that he
was proud to be a member of such an
organization to be welcomed by such a
city as Birmingham. He commented on
the excellent reputation the delegates to
all conventions of the Woodmen OF the
| World had made and felt sure that the
| reputation would be sustained In Birmins-
ham, He also explained the purposes OF
the order.
The Rev. w NJ Crawford of Mont
gomery was called on and urged the dele
gates present to be very careful In what
|
making history In their order
| After a recess of five minutes, during
| which time all the visitors retired from
the room, DR.. Porter read letter au-
thorizing the establishment of the juris-
dlction.
A number of committees were appointed
| as follows:
Credentials-E. L. Cahall. Mobile; C. r.
Moore, birmingham, and c. |. Drake
| Huntsville.
Mileage and Per Dlem--J. w. Bowser
Tuscumbia; l.. D. Holloway, Montgomery.
and w. A. Lovett, Brewton-
John A. Prultt OF Florence was made
clerk pro tenn. L. ~ Archer of Birmins-
ham was named temporary consul com
mander. He stated In taking his seat
that he appreciated the honor and would
strive to hll the office to the best OF his
ability.
Afternoon Session.
At the afternoon session Cadet Gusse
Sple of Mobile was introduced, and the
little fellow made an excellent talk on
wyoodcraft Reports OF several OF the
committees nam6N In the morning were
made A committee ON resolutions was
named, consisting of II. T. Petty, Hunts
Vile; w. j. Perdue, Avondale r. p. An
derson, w. C. Foster, Tuscaloosa, and
w. Fl. Talley, scottsboro.
The committee on laws consists of
Charles T'ompkins, Mobile: w. NJ Craw-
ford Montgomery; w. II. Chichester,
Pratt City; f. d. Whitman. Decatur,
and F. N. Bell, Talladega.
The memorial committee consists OF A.
i. Miller, Jr. WOODLAND; A. Il. Com
stock, Sheffield; w. r. McGowln, Cuba;
r. l.. Graham, Admission, and II. II. Col
son, Wetumpka.
kilograms OF greeting were sent to
the other head camps now in session in
other parts of the country, and also to
the sovereign camps, wishing them an
other successful year.
| The delegates were entertained at the
| Bijou theatre last night by the local COM
| mittee, which consists of L. n. Archer,
| chairman; G. b. Bates, Charles Pfeister,
II. l.. Farley and NJ. willows.
Tomorrow there will be a trolly ride
over the district and tomorrow night
| banouet at the Hotel Hillman.