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


 honor all belonged to Jere King, for he had fought hard and long for what he saw was right. Ut is due to the efforts of King, Overton and the united press of the state of Alabama that you have in reality a Greater Brmnghab."
 Captain White Lauds Vlctors.
 Capt. Frank S. White was then intro- duced by MT. Van Hoose. Captain White was enthusiastic and praised the courage, manhood and wisdom of everyone who had worked for the bill stating that the meeting was one of Joy and overflowing with gratitute. He then proposed three cheers for Jere King. The cheers which followed were ripping in every respect. Then he called for three for Gray and three for Overton, each of which rivalled in volume those which had been given for King. He then praised Governor Conner for signing the bill and proposed three cheers for the governor, and three more ripping cheers rent the air. He then praised the legislature for the other splendid laws which they had passed and called for three cheers for the legislature. 1 The crowd, however, could not get over the fact that a very large number of the | members of the legislature had fought Greater Birmingham this cheer was not so enthusiastic He finished by describing the benefit to be derived by the whole state. His speech met with great ap- plause
 MT Van Hoose then presented Joseph B. Babb, secretary of the Commercial club, praising him for his magnificent work for the bill and comparing him to outbursts of Tennyson.
 Babb EIectrlfes Crowd.
 Mir Babb electrified the crowd with his eloquence and with the picture he drew of the future Greater Birmingham He described the fight and said that when the people had prayed Tor q Moses they were given King, and when they prayed for Joshua they were presented with Gray. He also eulogized Senator Overton.
 MT. Babb also took shot at Joseph H. Hoadley, saying that when John w. Gates had said Birmingham woull have a population of one million Hoadley had called him a "pessimist." and that all he i (Babb) now had to say to Joe Hoadley was that he was "piker.' He drew a glowing picture of the future prosperity of Greater Birmingham and of the great | Van Hoose canal connecting Birming- ham with the Warrior river
 Dr. George w. Brown of Pratt City then made a short talk expressing the appreciation of the citizens of Pratt City 
 ] the fight at Pratt City had been a hard one as 1t had also been necessary 10 fight off the grasping hands of Ensley
 Shelby Makes Suggestions. J. F. Shelby, former president of the Board of Trade, followed Dr. Brown with a tribute to King and Gray. He stated how the board has assisted in the great fight and spoke of the benefit to be de- rived from the making of the greater ] city by the advent of new industries and | new commercial houses on account of the increased show in population. He sug- 1 gested that as a token of the appreciation that Henry B. Gray be made the next | governor of Alabama and Jere C. King 1 the first mayor of Greater Birmingham.
 Judge John II. Miller was then intro l duced. He dealt with the municipal gov ernment, referring to the municipal code ] bill passed by the legislature. He also i eulogized King and Gray and wound up by saying that no man could make l better governor of the state of Alabama l than Cray and no man a better Mayor 1 of Greater Birmingham than King; that | Birmingham had been grown man in a l boys suit for twenty years and that she