The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-16
THREE MORE DAYS BEFORE CONVENTION Reduced Rates Granted on Sev-
 eral Railroads LETTER FROM JOHN CRAFT Tells How Much More Alive Texas Is To Her Interests Than Is Ala bsma-Recent Convention
 In Houston.
LETTER FROM JOHN GRAF I

There are but three days before the waterways convention to be held here next Tuesday and the arrangements for 1t are about completed. Perhaps the two most enthusiastic towns in the stata over the convention are Mobile and Mont gomery. The interest in both towns has developed strongly and delegations num- pering at least 20 men will be in atten- dance from both places. The convention was called by the Birmingham Commer- cial club at the suggestion of John Graft. who is one of the most enthusiastic men in the state on the subject of waterway improvement.
 The Seaboard Air Line, Southern rail- way and Alabama Great Southern rail- road have granted a one and one-third cents per mile rate for delegates to the convention, and it'i is expetced that the Louisville and Nashville railroad will also grant it. The Central of Georgia declined to grant the reduced rate
 In addition to the large delegations from Mobile and Montgomery, practically every other town in the state of any im- portance will have a number of dele gates. Towns in Mississippi and Geor- gia will also send representatives. In addition to these delegations Governor Conner, Senators Johnston and Bankhead and congressmen from Alabama Mis- sissippi, Tennessee and Georgia will be in
 
 inent men have also been invited to at- tend and have signihed their intention of so doing.
 An illustration of how Pennsylvania has and advantage over the Alabama coal and iron fields in having waterway to the sea was shown at a waterways conven- tion held at Houston, Tex, few days ago, which was attended by John Craft of Mobile, who represented Alabama. The following letter. which was received from him yesterday, explains it. This letter is written on letter head of the Mobile Commercial club, which has printed across the top in red letters '"rhe City that Pays Dividends" Alabama Only Seaport" Natures Best Route for Freight and Passengers to the Panama Canal"
 ''Mr. Joseph B. Babb, Secretary Commer-
 cial Gu. Birmingham
 Dear Sir-I have just returned from Houstons Tex, where had the pleasure of attending very enthusiastic inland waterways convention, which had about 800 delegates in attendance.
 "I was surprised and amazed at the fact that while Alabama is a neghbor- inpr cfata faaf Tor fr.nt, I tel ana and Texas in telling of how the i'm provement of their waterways would re- suit in getting cheaper coal and iron only referred to the Pennsylvania and Ohio field. The Alabama and Tennessee fields were never once referred to. This astounded me, and when I was called on to speak 1 made the fact known that Alabama had the largest and best deposit of coal to be found anywhere, beside the largest deposit of iron, and also that the cement rock deposits in Alabama were not equalled by any otffer place in the world. I told them Alabama was the place to get the most for their money; that if Texas and Louisiana wanted to get coal and iron cheap they could ob- tain it from here, 600 to 1000 miles nearer than they could from fields of Penn sylvania and Ohio.
 But this is merely to call your atten- ton to the amount of advertising that was done for Alabama in just this in- stance. It is necessary for Alabama to be alive to it's interests. Texas and Louisi- ana have gotten much more money for their harbors and rivers in the past than Alabama for the reason that their con- gressmen stand together in a solid de- mand for this interest, whereas our mem- bers have not. We must insist that they do so in the future. Yours respectfully,
 JOHN CRAFT"