The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-05
MEET ID DISCUSS HISTORICAL WORK Offers of Assistance Come from Many Quarters MUST BE ON HIGH PLANE Mir. Ramsay Says It Will Be of Value Only So Far as Written With
 Careful Regard for
 Facts.

of" said Ersl1ine Ramsay yesterday, this history of iron making in Alabama is written with a careful regard for facts, and those mistakes so commonly made in magazines and so-called histories of steel and iron in America, all be avoided, why there is no reason why this book should not be of value, not only as a history but as a work of reference.
 Take for nuisance this recent series that's been running in one of the current magazines, why it's absurd. The thing to do is to get hold of the facts, and hold to them"
 MT. Ramsay has recently been elected member of the committee on publication of 'The Story of Coal and Iron in Ala bama," now being compiled and written by Miss Ethel Armes
 Although not one of the pioneers of the Birmingham district, Erskne Ramsay has been and is so prominently identified with the present day progress, and is so inti- mately and intelligently informed in re- gard to industrial conditions here that his services on the committee will have a particular value
 At the recent meeting of the commit tee, taking place in the office rooms of the chairman, Truman H. Aldrich, in the Brown-MarX building, subscriptions from the following prominent people were en- tered
 A. NJ. Shook, W. T. Underwood, Mrs. Y. T. Hillman, Rufus N. Rhodes, Robert Jemison, Jr.. J. ". Worthington, A. W. Smith, H. F. DeBardeleben, H. L. Bad ham. Walker Percy, w. E. Leake John E. Ware, Webb Crawford, David Roberts, J. w. Mcqueen, Walter Moore, B. r. Roden and Mrs. Mary Ware.
 Letters from Lieutenant Governor Hen " B. Gray w. T. Underwood, John Du- Bose John Bowling, James M. Swank and John Birkinbne were read by Miss Armes.
 George B. Mccormack suggested that the tharks and appreciation of the com mittee be accorded to T. F. Adams for his active services in behalf of the his tory; to T. ". Mcqueen, to Frank P. O'Brier, to John F. Ware, to J. w. Bush, to Cunningham Wahan of Brierfeld, and to Superintendent J. H. Phillips.
 'Dr. Phillips has given special priv HtScS Ol lIe DuDlC llDdIdIy AeIti lO Miss Armes in connection with this work" said MT. Mccormack; Captain O'3rie has prepared a biographical mo- ti os Levin Goodrich and an interest ing account of old Oxmoor plant. Colonel J. w. Bush, as I understand, Is gather ing all the data relating to the old Hende son company, of which MT. Has singer was formerly one of the directors, and Colonel Bush president. MT. John E. Ware, Horace Wares son, is to con- tribute a sketch of the life of Samuel Noble of Annston, as well as informa ton.
 'I think that special acknowledgement should be made to these gentlemen in be- half of the committee for all assistance they may render in the compilation of this work" MT. ..cCormack sugges- tions being heartily approved the chair man placed them before the committee. eel letters, among them one from Ar thur w. Smith, is as follows:
 Mir T. II. Aldrich No. 1oOS Brown-Marx building. City.
 D ar Mir. Aldrich: I have yours, 2d
 instant, and am pleased to assist you in your work by making the contribution you suggest, and enclosed hand you check
 As you know, I fully appreciate the place in such a history that should be occupied by Mir. Debardeleben, Colonel Sloss and yourself who were instrument tai at the beginning in the first success | full development of the coal and Iron in- terests of this district. 1 know of no other people from Prattville who are en- 1 titled to a place. except MT. Daniel Pratt who in 1871, or 1872, with MT Noble of Montgomery, became interested in the re- building of the charcoal blast furnaces at Oxmoor, and at which place MT. De- Bardeleben was in active charge, repre- sen.4ng Mir Daniel Pratt's interest. 1 will get up data in reference to Col. J. w. Sloss which will be at the com mand of Miss Armes at any time that she wishes 1t.
 If I can render you any further assist ance in this matter please call on mo. Sincerely yours,
 ARTHUR w. SMITH.
 The following letter to MT. Aldrich from j. w. Worthington, vice president of the Muscle Shoal Hydro Electric Power com pany at Sheffield, Ala, was also placed before the committees
 Dear Mir Aldrich:
 I have yours of June 22, and have read the same with interest.
 l have pleasure in enclosing herewith my check made to your order as sug gested in your letter. You may say to Miss Armes that all the facts 1 have that may be of any service to her are subject to her disposal If any further subscription may be desired from me you have only to advise me of the same, and l will respond.
 I am particularly pleased to respond in this matter as l note in the list of names whose biographies are to be writ ten by Miss Armes a number of names hitherto unknown to me in the develop ment of the iron and coal industry of Alabama, and l shall be very glad indeed to see what she has to say about them Please impress upon Miss Armes, if she desires me to. l shall be very glad to furnish any facts touching Mir. M. H. Smith, who made it possible during the early days for those great men in the iron business to have become eminent in later ones.
 Such work as proposed by Miss Armes, if properly and truly written, will be as you say of historical value,