The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-28
FINAL DETAILS OF
 BOOSTER TRIPS Manufacturers to Hold Meeting
 This Afternoon
NASHVILLE HAS TRIED PLAN
Secretary of Board of Trade Writes Of Enthusiasm Aroused by the Booster Trains Sent Out
 of Nashville.

The Manufacturers association will hold Its regular meeting this afternoon in the Commercial club rooms. The executive committee will also meet today, and ar engagements will be further perfected for the big booster trains to be sent out In reply to an inquiry, Secretary Babb has received a letter from the Nashville Board of Trade describing the successful running of their booster trains. Every word of 1t is interesting.
 Nashville, Tenn, April 24 1908. Mr.-Joseph B. Babb, Secretary, the Com
 mercial Club, Birmingham Ala.
 Dear Sr-Your letter of the 23d to hand. The subject-mater is indeed an interesting one and if l were to write in accord ance with my enthusiasm, it would take d book.
 We are now preparing the details of our fifth trip and it will cover about $50 to 900 miles. So far our trips have not ex- ceeded 1200 or have they come under S0O miles.
 We, of course, try to interest the heads of the houses to go on these trips, be- cause we feel it is a splendid way to get acquainted with the trade. 1t is some- times hard to stir these heads from their customary seats in their offices, enjoying quiet life, though we have a few new ones each year. and in such instances the heads are accompanied by the salesmen travelling the territory the trip covers.
 We have had as many as 100 on the trip, and l think the smallest crowd was 60. At any rate they have all been enthus- iastc, l might add that one only has to take the trip to be convinced as to it's real merits. In other words, it is like the old expression of Tennesseans, "Once Tennessean always a Tennes- sean.' "Once a booster, always a boos- ter"
 We always have a special train and heretofore our party has been conveyed by three Pullmans, a dining car and two baggage cars, one for serving refresh- ments during the day, and one used for 1 advertising matter. We pay $i5 per day for the dining car and sleepers; the railroads and Pullman people, of course, furnish all necessary help to operate the train, though our club stocks the dining car, which feature we find to be popular, inasmuch as we buy just what we want and buy it in Nashville
 We usually start Monday or Tuesday morning and get home the following Tues day morning; live on the train and find it entirely agreeable, because we have suf- ficient cars to give every one a lower berth and by this means we do not have to use the curtains and railngs, it being strictly a stag party, and with the cleo trict fans, it makes things very pleasant. Our train Is equipped with telephone and telegraph service and by this means the press representatives on the train send their data to their respective papers, and you can see that by this means every thing is reeled off in red hot fashion: besides, all on the trip can talk to their business houses at home, families sweet hearts and the like, as often as they please.
 We have a committee which we term "The Cabinet" which has full charge of the trip, issuing all orders, and the differ ent committeeman see that they are executed.
 Our trips bring together business men who have been neighbors for years, but never up to taking these trips appreciated the many good qualities of their neighbor or competitor but on the other hand al- ways made it study to try to find out each others faults. in other words, ce- menting the friendship of competitors at the same time stimulating trade and also cementing the feeling of friendship be- tween the buyer and seller
 l believe in the trips. It is business getter a friendship-maker, and when you get a double-barreed producer, results are manifold. In other worlds the good comes to the city, and what helps the city helps us all.
 It is a pleasure to serve you and your people, and if l can be of further service, command me. Yours truly,
 F. s. SHANNON, Secretary.