The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-15

collected in her behalf but has been
obliged to run in debt several hundred
dollars in order to complete this work,
The amount of money subscribed for the
personal expenses of the writer for the
first year was $3.50, and for the second
year $776 The expenses of wide corre-
spondence, of exhaustive research work,
and various office incidentals and nu-
merous daily items of travelling expenses,
typewriting and other incidentals have
amounted toFmore than the entire sum
subscribed.
The committee Is obliged to report that
it is $500 behindhand on this branch of
the work. The total amount of sub
scriptions made for publication expenses
now amounts to $780, This includes what
has been given and what is to be given
upon the delivery of the book. 1t is esti-
mated that the total publication expenses
will foot up between $500 and $1,000, exact
details of which will soon be laid be-
fore your committee.
Most of the subscriptions have been
received from individuals Very few of
the big corporations of the district have
contributed directly to its preparation,
but officers of many of the companies
have been liberal in their contributions.
One large corporation which has actually
given nothing has caused the writer three
months time and research to work up
its history.
1t was unanimously agreed by this club
that 1t was of paramount Importance to
get this history written at once. Many
of the actors have passed away and
Others are dropping by the wayside, and
soon distorted fable will replace the facts.
Miss Armes wanted to do this work and
nobody else ever did. l hope the coal
and iron men, now that the work has
reached its completion in manuscript,
will combine forces and push the project
to completion. 1t is not fair that
little group of men in this district who
have borne the expenses to date should
be called upon again. after having done
what they have. This history, of course,
is local; it will not interest the world
at large, and it cannot be published the
same as other books are issued, on a per-
centage basis. Either a certain sum must
be furnished to insure the first cost or
else a responsible guarantee given for
the same purpose.
I have received so many inquiries as
to the precise nature of the contents of
this book that l have had the author
prepare an outline, which has been very
carefully done, and which gives a sue
cinct epitome Of what is covered in the
DOOk llSelI. lIllS outline mas Deen passed
upon by the professor of history of the
University of the South, and is stated
by him to be exceedingly complete He
has also read part of the history, and
says 1t is of greatest value from an his
torical viewpoint DIR. Owen, director of
the department of archives and history
of Alabama, has written that he con-
siders the work admirably done, and that
the historical statements are absolutely
correct so far as he can ascertain. Your
chairman has read the manuscript care
fully and believes the work will be of
great value to this district. 1t Is the
first time a history of Birmingham has
ever been prepared, for in this book
practically every essential point in the
making of this city as well as other
cities in the mineral belt has been
brought out.
We thank the past administrations for
courteses rendered us and especially
welcome the incoming one, and we hope
all will work together until this book
is out 1t will be necessary to appoint
new committee to go on with this
subject
All of which is respectfully submitted
T. H. ALDRICH, Chairman
While the outline of the volume men,
tions only few names, the author states
that every man who has been prominent
1y connected with the building of the
mineral district is mentioned in the book.