The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-25
WOOD NOW HEAD IF
 COMMERCIAL CLUB
Annual Meeting Occasion for
 Interesting Speeches
REFRESHMENTS SERVE D
Greater Birmingham, Foreign Loan Tax and New Building We're Few of the Subjects Up for
 Discussion.

The installation of officers and the read ing of the reports of the president and secretary took place at the annual meet ing of the Commercial club last night. Owing to the indictment weather and the unsettled condition of street railway fla eilitiesl the attendance was limited, but the interest of those present made up for the few empty chairs scattered around. The reports of President Jemison and Secretary Babb were rather lengthy and appear elsewhere in full. together with the address of Sterling A. Wood, upon assuming the presidents chair.
 After the regular order of business a few minutes recess was taken and a "slde" report in the shape of refresh ments was made by Secretary Babb' After everyone had eaten to his satis- faction business was resumed.
 President Jemison opened the meeting and the reports of committees were called for. The reports of Henry Hidden. chair man of the committee on railroads and transportation; E. Wilkinson, chairman of committee on wholesale and expert trade, and C. w. unord, chairman of the ad- vertising committee, were read.
 President Jemison then read his re- port and thanked the members of the club for the encouragement and support accorded him by them during his admin istration. He closed by introducing ster- ling A. Wood. the new president.
 President Wood assumed the chair and thanked the club for the honor placed upon him In electing him president and gave an outline of some of the prospects of the club.
 Secretary Babb then read his report and thanked the club for the cooperation ren- dered by the members.
 General Discussion.
 After refreshments, discussion of live topics with reference to Birmingham and Jefferson county were taken up. There were talks by R. N. Rhodes, Dr. J. II Phillips. T. H. Motion. former Secretary J. B. Gibson and others.
 The greater Birmingham prdposiVon was taken up very strongly and the fact that Birmingham's sanitary condition de- manded IL was dWelt upon.
 Dr. Phillips stated that Jones valley was built on a limestone formation, and that there was nothing more conducive to an epidemic of cholera than a formation oi this kind. He explained how there was a great river under this land, which thc surface gave no indication of, and stated that Jones valley had the soil to suppor large population He showed how i was absolutely necessary that a first class system Of drainage should be provided for this district and that the only way to provide this was by the creating of 2 Greater Birmingham.
 The subject of a new building for tho club the taxing of foreign loan companies and the increased valuations for Jefferson county, as proposed by the state tax com mission, were handled by MT. Rhodes and Mir. Motion.
 Jemison's Address.
 The address of the retiring president Robert Jemison, Jr., was as follows
 As the efforts of the Commercial clut have always been directed towards mak. ing 1t an organization of action rather than words; and. in view of the fact that the spirit of Birmingham is 10 look for ward and prepare for the brilliant future that awaits us rather than content our selves with references to our wonderful past, I shall, therefore, in my effort to b, consistent make only a brief report oi the work of the club during the past year, which has been one of the mos l useful and most eventful In the history of the organization; I shall also mention the unfinished work which Is of para | mount importance, and fortunately lef to our more worthy successors for thei attention; l shall also take the liberty O | .I.G.. or rather call your attention to and makt A confesstlon of what I might have don' had my foresight been equal to my pres ent hind sight, and I trust these sugges tlons will be treated by our successor. In the spirit in which they are intended the purpose being to give them the benefi of our experience, from which they may make their own selections or ignore en tirely. A report would be incomplete without a word about the future, and ye that Is so brilliant and so vast in it' magnitude and greatness that l can only 1 leave 1t to confidence and imagination of our member, feeling that their views O 1 the situation will enable them to appre ciate my unfitness to find words suitable to voice a prediction of Birmingham'i future and likewise the future of th, club.
 Many FIeIds of Endeavor. It would be an injustice to you and tt the secretary to fail to mention the fac that there are many ways and many fieldi of endeavor through which the usefulness of your club could be increased were | possible for your executive and youi members to devote more time to thl work and 1t Is, therefore, my humble suggestion and sincere hope that thu time will come when this great wealtl producing city will have produced { number of capitalist, though retired, bu still active, who will have desire to seiz the opportunity to pay their debt O gratitude to this community by acceptln, the presidency of this club, and witt the, same intelligent persistent effort tha enabled them to make their millions they will also make the prestige of tn l club so great as to inspire in their sue cessors the feling of honor and duty tha the office should create and thus do | good service to their community, an' xa