The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1908-05-22

that Of last Friday night when a
smoker was rendered by the Aber-
deem Business League, at the Elks
hall, TO the officers Of the Aberdeen
IL Tom bigbee Valley Railway and /
the several contractors and develop /
ment promoters, capitalists and I
others attracted by the beginning Of /
active construction work on that
enterprise. The purpose Of the oc
casion was that Of bringing the /
prOprietors, superintendent and .
managers of our manufacturing es-
ia blishments, and leading bankers, .
merchants, busint - and profession
al men into touch with those asso-
ciated wiGh our new railroad pro-
Jet, and it was a brilliant success
in every particular.
After an hour Of social chat and
due justice to a luncheon, the as
semblage was called to order by
Mayor James NJ. Acker who was
master of ceremonies for the
evening. Addresses were made by
Messrs. H. H. Scrape, President Of
the League; ? A. Dulin, Agent Of
the Illinois Central railroad; J. T.
Savage, president OF the Jackson
Business League and former citizen
Of Aberdeen; p W Lusk of the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad Dr. W.
G.. Sykes, Grand Protector Of
Knights and Ladies of Honor Of
Mississippi; DR.. A. l.. Alexander,
and others The speakers on the
part Of the railroad company were
Hon. B. II Mcfarland, General
Counsel; Chas. J. Peters Of st.
Louis, Of the Peters Construction
Company, general contractors; II
E. Reynolds, President; H J Jen-
nings, Vice-President; Geo. II
johnson, contractor for terminals;
John J MacIntire of Philadelphia,
who has been invited here by Presi-
dent Reynolds to investigate the
possibilities Of this section Of Mis-
sissippi. Among other guests Of
the railroad were Messrs. Chas. B.
Hopkins, Secretary and Treasurer;
W. T Nickel, Chief Engineer;
f. NJ. Peters of the Construction
Company; Robins & Moody, tie
contractors, and Robinson, Lion
ba1ger 4 Craney, bridge contrac-
tors.
Hon. Ben Mcfarland outlined
the plans and intentions Of the com
pany, and gracefully acknowledged
the welcome and cordially extend
ed to his associates. In closing his
interesting speech he set up a claim
for 5000 population for Aberdeen
in 1912. which was responded to
with enthusiastic applause.
Mr.. MacIntire represents large
capital and in his speech said that
he was impressed with what he had
already seen Of the State and enum-
Grated several Industries that would
be eminently adapted to our sec
ton and certain Of success with
proper management. The arrange
ments for launching one of these
industries is practically completed.
Referring to Mr.. McFarland's esti-
mate of a population of 1000 in
1912, with great confidence he rails
ed it to 1000, which brought the
house down again.
Mr.. Peters spoke of the organiza-
ton of the Peters construction com
pany for the purpose of building
this road and stated that in a few
days six hundred teams would be
at work. Seventy five of these
teams have already arrived and
were put to work Monday at Butta-
hatchie river. 1t was plain from
his talk that his associates in this
company are men Of means and ac-
ton.
Vice President Hugh J Jennings
spoke interestingly of the difficult
ties encountered by President Reyn-
olds and himself in the East when
they endeavOred to secure financial
aid in New York and finally of
having to abandon that section,
coming to St. Louis. presenting
their proposition to the moneyed
interests there, easily securing the
necessary aid, the bonds being over
subscribed several times, making it
a Southern enterprise, managed by
Southern men and financed by
Southern capital.
President H. E. Reynolds made
few closing remarks, in which he
said that upon completion of the
line from Okolona to Pickensville,
there is no doubt of its extension
down the Tombigbee valley and on
to Pensacola. The benefits to this
section would be tremendous in the
development of timber, agricultural
and industrial resources. The line