The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24
THROWS BOUQUET
 AT BIRMINGHAM Dr.. WyIie of New York Charmed With City AMAZED AT ITS GROWTH Birmingham Impresses Learned Pastor as "one of the Phenomena of the
 Times"-Wants Son to
 Locate Here.

q think that Birmingham is the city for a young man and I shall certainty have a serious talk with my son as to the -adyisability of locating in Birming- ham, said the Rev. Dr. David G. Wylie, pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian church of New, York city, who has been the guest of President A. H. Ford of the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company for several days.
 He is a college graduate and a mechan- ical engineer, and I know of no place in the country with a greater opportunity than Birmingham for a young man of energy, integrity and ability to make d success.
 "Dring my stay in Birmingham I have had the pleasure of seeing the city and surrounding country and suburbs very thoroughly, first seeing it in an automobile and afterwards in a special car in which i, we went over 100 miles of street railway track.
 T am deeply impressed with the pres ent commercial advantages of BIrming- ham, and no city in my opinion in the south or west has a better or finer out look for the future. Nearly every other city is dependent on other sources for its wealth and position, while Birmingham has her own resources under her very homes, a wealth of iron, coal and lime stone, and still she is close. enough to the great agricultural districts to be prac- tlcally independent in that line.
 Birmingham actually impresses me as enc Of the phenomena of the time, and l can hardly appreciate the fact that the city is only about a quarter of a cen- tury old her growth has been so mar yelous. You have here everything that constitutes a city, wealth, intellect, intel lgence admirable, schools. colleges, and particularly business men ol marked abil- ty. They impress me as nle- of broad vision and keen commercial instinct, true westerners in enthusiasm and men who accomplish things.
 T nave also had the pleasure of meet ing d number of the ladies of Birining- ham, and they without exception women of high intellect, marked culture. refined and handsomely gowned.
 T have traVeled quite extensively, throughout this country and foreign coun- tries as well, and l have never seen any city of twice the size of Birmingham that was well equipped with street car serv- ice, tracks and general transportation facilities. Not only IS your street car system thoroughly modern, but you have q large number of railroads entering Bir- mingnam, and 1 understand others to come, which will make Birmingham pie- olninently the railroad center Of the south, therefore the commercial and financial center.
 Another phase of Birmingham life that tu it,fa ft,sY ic raralf fffr, .,f temperance ncre. l am deeply impressed with this movement ;.nd have watched lr carefully since being in Birmingham, meeting some of the leaders of the ques- ton and talking with them extensively
 One comparison comes to me in going over Birmingham and studying 1t. l can. not help but compare it with Birmingham, England. First in climate you have the advantage of the English city, for your nights cool and it is possible to sleep well here, and 1 understand that the heat is never sultry and excessive, with cool bl eezes practically all the time Second. your people. l have not found much sec uonallsm here, but fine cosmopolitan atmosphere. It is fine to hear your peo. pie say that We know no north, no south, no east and no west"
 "A visitor would be lacking did he not express himself on the effect your homes have on him. They are beautiful, they ara modern and as a general rule they are placed in beautiful grounds, which greatly increase the natural beauties of the loca- tons. Evidently the home is one of the ilrst considerations in Birmingham.
 Third, it is your wonderful natural re- sources that are guarantee of the future supremacy of Birmingham over your Eng- fish namesake. Birmingham is reyela- tion to me and 1 look for city of at least half a million in the next few years. When I return to New York l will sing tine praises of this southern city of coa., iron, steel and other resources.
 Fourth, your transportation facilities are great and growing greater all the time. With others crowding in it is an indica- ton of the faith that clear-eyed and broad minded business men have in your future.
 Dr. Wylie is the sixth pastor of the Scotch church in 151 years, an average of over 25 years of each pastor that the church has had. His church is one of large mebership, wealthy and of great influence in New York, and Dr. Wyle is considered one of the half dozen strongest pastors of New York city. He is en route to the general assembly of the Presby- terian church which meets shortly. He is chairman of an important committee