The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
HISTORY CONTRACT
 NOT YET AWARDED Local Firms Asked to Bid on
 the Work ABOUT READY FOR PRESS Mccormack and Ramsay Discuss Problem That Confronts Commit tee on PubIlcation-FulI List
 of State Committees.
ABOUT READY FOR PRESS


 company. There may be some delay in coming to the final decision. The book Is practically complete as the chair man, MT. Aldrich, announced some two months ago. It has been decided, how ever. to add certain recent details re- ferring to the Southern Steel reorgan- ization. And further cooperation on the part of all of those interested is desired
 Capt. Frank P. O'Brien and MT: J. w. Mcqueen were among those at our recent meeting. I asked the mayor who as we all know, is informed on these subjects what he thought of cer- tain of the samples of book page of this history prepared by the University Press of Cambridge. He said they were most excellent in every particu- lar and, In fact, looked like the De Vinne type. Personally I can't say as I know anything about these matters, but I believe 1t Is generally acknowl edged that the University Press the De Vinne press of New York and the Riverside Press are the three great leading firms of the United States, and the main ones employed by most of the big publish CTS for very high-grade work. Th cir prices I understand are considerably higher than most other firms.
 "All parties concerned are being given consideration. Any one scan ming the table of contents of the book will realize the work involved. l may say that the records of the SlossShef- field company and the Tennessee com pany are especially complete. This work will bring Birmingham to the eye of the world at large as nothing else so far advocated by the Chamber of Commerce has done. It is in many ways prise ever regarded by the Chamber of Commerce in its entire history"
 Erskine Ramsay, who was also pres ent at Tuesdays meeting when MT. Aldrich placed the final details of the work before the committee, said yes terday:
 In the event of the contract being given to either Boston, New York or elsewhere that does not mean in any
  firms. The fact is that the book, amounting to 600 pages, as it does. can not be handled to the authors satisfac- tion here."
 As MT. Aldrich is out of town for week or two MT. Ramsay presents the following letters recently received; MT. T. H. Aldrich, Chairman Iron and Coal History Committee. City.
 Dear Sir-The writer was present at the last meeting of the Chamber of Com merce and heard your excellent report as to progress on the history. In one part of your report you stated that you were awaiting completion of certain de- tails and the raising of a necessary guar antee before sending the manuscript to Boston to have 1t published
 Of course the writer Is aware that there are certain houses making a speciality of publication work which might possibly handle the job better than we could local ly, but as the motto of the Commercial club, now the Chamber of Commerce, has always been, "Patronize Home In- dustry," 1t has occurred to us that 1t would not be a good advertisement for Birmingham if this history of the Blr- mingham district were to be published away from Birmingham. Therefore, when you have procured all necessary data and have the job ready for press we will certainly be very glad and think 1t noth- ing but right that we should be given an opportunity to figure on the publica- ton and see if we cannot handle 1t in manner satisfactory to the committee be- fore the committee decides on sending 1t away.
 Presuming that calling your attention to this matter is all that is necessary to have you agree with us, we are, very truly yours,
 ROBERTS & SON.
 R. w. EWING, Gen. Man. and Treas. T. H. Aldrich. Chairman. Birmingham.
 Dear Sir-We attach hereto our pro- posal for printing and binding and all engraving in connection with the publica- tion of ''The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama all to conform with your speci- fications as printed in The Age-Herald of this date.
 Our proposal is based strictly on a first class piece of work and this we guaran- tee and we might add that our guaran- tee Is made unqualified and with the state ment that no house in America has fa- cilities superior to ours for engraving printing and binding. If your commit tee will investigate they will find our plant is complete, besides we are located near to you. If it would be deemed ad- visable your author could in few hours be in our plant for the purpose of d. recting the work in starting 1t of. How ever, this is not necessary. so far as we are concerned We only name 1t as one of the many advantages.
 We trust that YOU will give our proposal favorable consideration and we promise you in return the best work that can be made under your specifications Very truly. BRANDON PRINTING CO.,.
 By A. c. BRANDON. Nashville. Tenn.
 Mir. Robert Trechsel head of the Ala bama Paper and Printing company, whose advice was obtained by the author in the preparation of specifications for the history made the statement, after a minute ex- animation of the manuscript. that a work of this extensive character could not be handled locally. MT. Trechsel is, as matter of course. strong advocate for home printing, for the employment of local printing firms for local work, just as MT. Ewing is but he announced that although the haif-tones could be done here as successfully as elsewhere the space and full equipment necessary for a publication of a lengthy historical work, illustrated with some photogravures, and whose plates are to be electrotyped, was wholly out of the question"
 Duplicates of certain portions of the manuscript are still being read by those interested. w. A. Green, of the Repub- lie Iron and Steel company. has written the following letter to MT. F. B. Keiser:
 July D. 1909.