The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-14

me OplD1OnS or MrS. Mary 1'A NS'' Duffee on present conditions will be read with interest in many parts of Alabama where this remarkable woman is known. At present she lives the lifeof recluse and student on the summit OH Duffees noun tain in Blount county, where she devotes her entire time to study and literary work Prominent men of Alabama have known her and sought her advice during the past 40 years. She was the friend of such men as Col. J. M. Sloss, Maj. P. G. King. Col. Enoch Ensley Senator John Milner and other noted pioneers of this district
 From a letter of Mrs. Duffee to a friend in Birmingham some extracts are taken as follows
 "The public has had little time to think of anything lately; the uneasiness follow ing the legislature, the dread of another session. the prohibition trials and tribu- lations, followed by the so-called panic Now that light has dawned and peace returns the weary and restless may sit down in peace. There really is no real ground for alarm, and no special dis aster at hand. There is just as much
  months ago, and bountlful crops. It will be public blessing if a large per cent of speculation is wiped off the face Of the earth As for lumber, coal, iron and cotton values they have always been too low. There never was foot of vel low pine lumber worth actually less than 1 cents GAO per thousand), and yet howl is raised at SEQ or s3O. Not pound of Iron worth less than , cents, but that would never dol
 ''The human family puts a false value on practically worthless things, and nearly no value at all on the most use full elements of civilization. You often read of the adjustment of values, yet there is mighty little of it. This railroad hauls limestone rock from Harrells quarry at Bangor to d Birmingham furnace for the princely sum of 20 cents per ton! It charges cents per mile to haul human being over it's lines.
 At last your wonderful mineral dis trict has fallen into the hands that are able to do 1t full justice. Its fortunes were made in the same hour that open hearth steel was made. It was a mighty triumph. The hour of your greatest ex- pansion and glory has come and you have seen almost nothing compared to what you will see. The new owners will need every furnace now built and hurrledly build many more. They never purchase property to lock it up and decay. They will overrun dear old Jones valley like the locusts of Egypt. not to devastate, but to build, strengthen and uplift. The purchase of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company's properties by the United States Steel corporation is the best thing that ever happened in the south, Birmingham will, indeed, become a sec ond Pittsburg. l have known for over q year that Carnegie would land among you all some day when you least ex- pected He owns one-third of the United States Steel corporation and besides re- ceives $i5, 100000 year from the other two thirds. I regard him as the smartest businyss man in America. Gates is 8 mere specu1ator. and when he lost so heavily was picked up by the Carnegie crowd like d cat catches a mouse. You will see development this winter and next spring beyond your widest dreams Now you will get your canal from the Tennessee to the Warrior. Money is power and Congress will listen when the United States Steel corporation joins in the appeal to the government for canal. There will soon be the biggest rise In land values from East Lake to old Tannehill furnace you Birmingham peo pie have ever known, and more money (real cash) will pour into your district than ever yet. All around Bessemer, Ensley, etc. will be furance after fur