The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-18
PRAISES BIRMINGHAM.
Mobile Judge Thinks Reunion Was
 Admirably Handled.

fTOul Iu6 AlOpHc Rt6l9tOhs
 Judge saffold Berney, who attended the United Confederate Veterans reunion at Birmingham. returned to Mobile Friday night last, and when seen by Register reporter in his office yesterday morning and asked as to his impressions regard Ing the reunion, had this to say:
 "The reunion was in every respect a great success and reflects the highest credit upon the executive ability or the gentlemen having the reunion in charge and upon the city of Birmingham and its enterprislng and nervy citizens. I esti- mate the number of veterans in atten1- ance at from 5000 to 5000, and the num- Der of visitors, at least on the day of the veterans parade, at not less than 30 ,0OO, while the number of visitors who remained in the city throughout the three days of the reunion was probably not jess than 10000. So you see that Bir- mingham had a big proposition to deal with, and a condition confronted 1t which was we'll calculated to appall city of it's size, but they buckled to the propo-- sition like men and carried the reunion out to a triumphant success.
 q estimate the number of veterans who had to be provided for at Hotel Gordon, with lodging and meals, at the expense of the city, to have been in the neighbor- hood of 40O0 This Hotel Gordon con- sisted of the exhibit buildings on the fair grounds, distant about four miles from the center of the city of Brming- ham and reached by the street cars. These buildings, which were quite com modious, had been cleaned and the vet erans were provided with comfortable cots and mattresses on the floor of the main building. At every reunion I have attended I have made it a point to go out and personally look into the provision made for the accommodations of the vet erans who are unable to pay their way and am of the opinion that they were better taken care of in Birmingham than at any reunion I ever attended except. possibly, the last reunion at Nashville.
 What struck me with equal force was the splendid order maintained throughout the three days of the reunion, which re- fleets the highest praise upon the Bir- mingham police department I did not see a drunken or disorderly man and the best of humor prevailed among the crowd. The streets were dense with people and the pushing and jostling considerable bur good humor prevailed among all and I did not hear a harsh or unkind word snoken while I was in Birmingham. The f,r1 fhn facf I ever saw and was one of the features of the reunion. The singing of the chill dren and of the Confederate choir in the cony ention hall also greatly pleased me. The reception given by Governor anI Mrs. Conner to the veterans was a bril- hant and most enjoyable affair, and was attended by a great number of the vet erans, all of whom came away charmed with their reception. The veterans pa rade, on the last day of the reunion, equaled any that I have ever seen, and notwithstanding the length of the march snd the heat of the day, the veterans greatly enjoyed the parade and so far as I know there was no falling out of ranks for any reason.
 q saw many handsome men in Br- iningham, but Col. Frank Inge of thu governors staff, as he sat in his uniform astride his horse, by the governors side, at the review stand was far and away the handsomest man I saw and my heal t swelled with pride as I waved my hat at him and received his return salute, that he was a product of our Gulf City.
 You ask me about the chance of se- curing the reunion for Mobile in 1910? I am satisfied that the reunion could be secured for Mobile, but 1t is such a big affair that we should be sure of our ground before we invite them here. Tn order to take care of the reunion we would need not less than $s0,00O and an auditorium building that could seat com |. fortably at least 5000 persons. With these two essentials I see no reason why Mobile could not entertain the veterans and wis., itors as well as they have been enter tained anywhere, and it would be one of the greatest advertisements Mobile could