The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-04
With Burst Of Enthusiasm Bt-
minghams Leading Men De-
termine 10 Succeed
GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
Eloquent Speakers Point Out Need and
Hundreds of Men Make Up Their
Minds To Help Next
Monday.

| the spirit which has been lying dormant
in regard to Greater Birmingham reused
| itself and broke loose in a grand out
burst of enthusiasm at the Good Cheer
smoker given at the Hotel Hillman last
night. From the opening words of Sterl-
ing A. Wood, president of the CONNER
| cial club, enthusiasm reigned supreme
to the final words of the last speech,
which was made by Mayor Ward. II
| believe that on next Tuesday morning
there will be entirely new feeling in
this city. There will be exhilaration,
business will be better, everything will
be bright, and Birmingham shall start
| on the greatest career in the history of
America, for Greater Birmingham will
| have carried"
Several hundred men were in the ball
room of the hotel when President Sterl-
ing A. Wood, of the Commercial cub,
raped for order Mr.. Wood touched the
fuse of enthusiasm which grew greater
, and greater as the evening wore on.
| Speaker after speaker called on the men
of Birmingham to awake to their future
welfare and do their duty next Monday,
lest they regret
FuHu dQulCkiY ndlScu.
! Despite the fact that is was emphati-
eally announced that no subscription was
to be taken, when it became known that
at least $500 was needed by the citizens
campaign committee to complete the cam
paign, the audience overruled the an
| nouncement and insisted on making up the
amount, the sum of $4l4.50 being raised
in a very few moments.
After Mr.. Woods opening address he
called on Jere c. King, thunderous applause
greeting Greater Birmingham's hero as he
arose to his feet. Mr.. Kings work was
repeatedly referred to in glowing terms
by the speakers. The other speakers who
| followed in quick succession were B. M
Allen, Col. r. G. Bush, DR.. A. P. Mon
tague, Frank P. O'Brien, ]. r. Copeland
J. 8. Urquahart Rev. John w. Stage,
C. c. Heidi, president Board of Trade;
Rufus N. Rhodes, James Bowron, Dr..
George w. Brown of Pratt City, DR.. G.
C. Jones in behalf of East Lake, H. j.
Davis, for the T. P. AS; Charles S.
Wilson of the u. C. It's, Judge N. b..
Feagin. j. Be- Babb and Mayor George
B. Ward.
Mr.. Woods opening words were:
1--WE have met here extending the good
hand of fellowship for laying and predi-
cate for what we are going to do next
Monday. Alabama and Birmingham have
changed their motto from Here we rest
to Here we hustle and that is what we
are going to do from now on Greater
Birmingham is already a fact, and we
have only got to emphasize that fact
next Monday to make 1t reality.
This club feels under obligations to
all who have aided, promoted and helped
the good cause, and they are many. Some
came early and stayed late and others
came late, but thanks are given alike to
all, for all were needed and all we heed
ed. Our governor, our lieutenant gov
ernor, our senator, our representatives,
our Mayor and our aldermen are all en-
titled to and deserve thanks. And then
there are many individual citizens who
have worked early and late And all
the commercial organizations have done
their part well.
IF there be any doubter here, dispell
it, for this if no other reason. When you
see the T. p AS in line, jump in the
wagon or you will get left.
ut will be just 100 years from the time
that the Indian chief looked at this smil-
ing valley in green, from Red mountain,
to the time when Vulcan, from the same
height, looked through the smoke trying
to count it's 100000 people. They are here
u
breath before again sending its steel
and iron to bind the great heart of the
world closer to us.
And now for action. Give your first
Monday of 1908 to Birmingham. 1t is leap
year, and so ye mothers and maidens
may without comment propose how your
husbands and sweethearts shall vote. And
you will do it, for you have your hand in
at this kind of work.
he a ncit OF 70
on next Tuesday, and be kind to the de-
feated, for they will be better off than
they know. For the present, let us pro-
coed to vote early for self and often for
those whom we bring to the polls, and go
home satisfied that a great opportunity
has been accepted"
Calls On Jere King.
Mr.. Wood then referred to Jere C.
King and the splendid manner in which
he had fought for the passage of his
Greater Birmingham bill by the legisla-
ture, and how he had continued his fight
through the campaign, despite the fact
that everyone was preaching its funeral.
He then called on Mr.. King for a speech.
prolonged applause following the call
Mr.. King responded with Il feel that
the big city is springing into line. l
have seen this proposition killed re-
peatedly, but it has had wonderful vital
ity. This city has been sleeping and ViciS-
STUDIES have come upon US, but in the
hearts of those here tonight there Is the
determination to make Birmingham take
the place which belongs to her. This fight
has been on for eight and half months,
and this is no time to be making con-
verts. 1t is simply a question of whether
Or not the people of Birmingham are
going to wake up. Here are the people
who made Birmingham, and here are the
people who are going to waken this town
up and put her in her proper place"
Allen Is Applauded.
B. NJ. Allen was introduced by Mr..
Wood as the man who wouldn't get mar
ried in a town as small as Birmingham.
Mr.. Allen, always witty, kept his audience
in a roar of laughter and applause in
describing the troubles and embarrass-
ment caused by Birmingham's being split
up into several corporations. Said Mr..
Allen:
MY trouble has been in explaining such
big city with such few people.~ When
we go away and begin to talk about
aggerators. There are many reasons why
we should have Greater Birmingham, and
none that know of as to why we should
not" Mr.. Allen commended the enlarging
of the city limits as being a good method
for the getting of large population; that
1t was much better than raising large
families. He spoke of the troubles met
~ he xuhn bapDanpd n n