The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-16
.BIG FAIR INDORSED BY BOARD OF TRADE Members Pledge He arty Sup port To Great Project COMMEND IT TO VISITORS Beard Goes On Record As Opposing Councils Acticn In Regulating
 Sicns-Report On Matters
 for the Month.
COMMEND IT TO VISITORS

At fully attended meeting of the Bir. mingham Board of Trade which is com posed of the merchants and business men of the city, strong resolutions were adopt ed, not only indorsing the Alabama State fair' but assuring the people of the 1 state that the fair this year will be a marvel, and calling upon them to join in working for its success. The resolutions are short and to the point.
 "Be it resolved, That we renew our in- dorsement of the Alabama State fair to be held in Birmingham, October to 1T inclusive, and that we pledge the fair and its promoters our hearty support "Be it further resolved that we call upon all merchants in Birmingham to dec crate as far as possible on Thursday and Friday, the opening days of the fair, and thus help to make this a gala event in | the city.
 That we call upon all Alabama to help make this the greatest fair ever held l in the state by attending in large num- bers, and we especially call upon the mer- chants and citizens of Greater Brming- ham and Jefferson county to help to ad- vertise the fair in their correspondence, in their advertising, and in every way pos sible
 That we appreciate the good work al- ready being done by the newspapers of Birmingham and Jefferson county in giv- ing publicity to the coming fair, and we would suggest that they also use their efforts to arouse sentiment in favor of decorating the city as fully as possible for the opening days of the fair.
 We feel that from present indications the fair this year will be well worth any individuals time to visit, and we know that it will be worth while for all Ala bama and even those beyond the bor- ders of our state to come to Birmingham and see our Magic City, We feel that as people know us and what we have of value and interest to them, they will come often to Birmingham, and then come again."
 Presidents Monthly Report The monthly report of R. w. Ewing, president, was read by the secretary
 Since the last meeting many of our members have been out of the city until recently, and during the past ten days our most prominent members have been very busy helping to entertain the dis tinguished visitors and guests in our city. The Board of Trade joined with the Commercial club in preparing an elab- crate entertainment and celebration on @he entrance of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad into this city on last Monday. About 500 out of town mer- chants professional men, and prominent citizens along the line of the Atlanta, Bir- mingham and Atlantic between Birming- ham and the Georgia boundary line were invited and accepted the invitation to visit Birmingham on the occasion of this cele- oration, and these people were met by a reception committee at Arkwright and es- corted to Birmingham on a special train Literature was distributed, badges were given, an elaborate banquet was served at the Hfllman at which 600 guests were seated, and fine barbecue and entertain ment was given the following day at East Lake. Members of the Board of Trade took prominent part in assisting in the various features of the celebra tion and entertainment, during the two days SOA5 this event, as 1t shows what can be &C., complished when we all get together and work together for the interests and honor of Birmingham.
 "The Board of Trade also joined in the entertainment given under the auspices of the Board of Trade and the Commercial club to the delegates to the National As sociation of Postoffice Clerks, which com prised representatives from almost every state in the union. This entertainment took the form of a smoker and Night in Bohemia, and was an enjoyable af- fair, given at the city hall, at which MT. John L. Parker, presided.
 Your president, during the interim of meetings, on September Il, extended an invitation in behalf of this body to the soveregin grand lodge of Odd Eel lows to hold their convention in Bir- mingham in the year 1910.
 "A number of letters have been re- ceived in the past several weeks by your president asking as to the names of reliable merchants, both mercantile and produce and commission houses, and in every instance the writer has given the names of the members of the Board of Trade preference as far as possible in his responses.
 Letters have been received from President H. M. Atkinson and General Manager Alex Bonnyman of the At lanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Rail- road company expressing their cordial thanks and appreciation to this board and it's members for their part in the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic cele- bration.
 By way of new business, or rather unfinish ed business, I feel that we should at this time take further steps to encourage a more systematic cam paign of general advertising in the in terest of the merchants of Birming ham, The Merchants association, or ganized a couple of years ago, proved a good thing while it was kept active, and believe that now we should either cooperate with the Merchants asso- citation in renewing the advertising and our offer to people of the surrounding territory to pay at least part of their transportation when coming to Bir- mingham to buy goods, or to organize some similar system or better system