The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-21
BUSINESS MEN
WANT OPEN RIVER
Gadsden Club Will Interest
Shippers Along CooSa
WHARVES WILL BE NEEDED
Congressman John L. Burnett Declines
to Debate Amendment Proposition
With M. w. Howard-Says 1t
Does Not Change Votes.

Gadsden, October 90 Especial AT
a meeting of the Business Mems club
of this city last night Capt. w. P. Lay
and his son Tracy, who has been en-
gagged for some time in the work of
gathering commercial statistics rela-
tive to the Coosa river, laid a plan be-
fore the business men of the city to
further the prospects of securing an
opening of the river to the sea.
1t is the purpose to lay before Con-
gress a complete statement of the pres
ent river traffic and a comprehensive
review of the possibilities of this trade
if the river is opened to navigation.
Among other things it Is proposed that
the principal cities along the stream
shall pledge themselves to build per-
manent wharves as a means of foster
ing trade on the stream. A committee
composed of o. r. Hood, T. S. Kyle and
e. T. Schiller was appointed to go be-
fore the council of Gadsden and seek
to have the city pledge itself to the
building of such a wharf, the cost Of
which is estimated to be about $4,000.
The plan is to make such a showing of
present business and business practi-
cally guaranteed as soon as the river
is open that the national Congress will
feel justified in making the necessary
appropriation to carry out the work.
The boys band of this city, under the
leadership of DIR. c. L. Murphree, will
go to Birmingham to assist in the cere-
monies to welcome President Taft. The
boys have gained considerable reputa-
tion as an amateur musical organiza-
ton and their services are in much de-
mand The people of the city have
cause to be proud of them.
The word of an Etowah county farm
err is as good as his bond. Although
cotton is now selling at near IA cents
per pound there Is much of the staple
being delivered at 10 cents because the
farmers agreed to make crop at this
price in the spring and are fulfilling
the agreement to the letter. While this
is done at quite loss there is no com
plant on the part of those who chose
to thus protect themselves against
big crop and a low price.
The Northeast Alabama District con-
vention of the colored Baptist church
opened in this city today at the Friend
ship Baptist church and with a large
delegation in attendance. Tonight the
meeting was addressed by Mayor w.
T. Murphree and DIR. ]. G. Dickinson,
pastor of the First Baptist church. To-
morrow DIR. w. s. Ellington of Nash
vile will address the conference.
The brick for the paving of the BUSH
ness section of the city is arriving and
being stacked along the street The
paving Is to begin directly after the
first of the month. The first work will
be done at the foot of Broad street,
starting near the wholesale house of
Caldwell-Spence, just below Second
street. The contract has been let to
the Graves Mathews company of Bir-
mingham and 1t is estimated that 1t
will take all winter to finish the job.
In q letter to M. w. Howard of Fort
Payne. written from New York, Con-
gresham ]. i. Burnett has declined to
enter into any Joint debates on the
question of the amendment, but will
give what time he has to making
speeches in its favor. The reason Civ
en- for his declination is that he does
not believe that many changes of
votes are made in this way.