The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-21
IMPRESSIONS OF THE
Los ANGELES SPIRIT
How Things Compare Out
There With Birmingham
HOW THEY TREATED ELKS
People Are Lavish in Entertainments
But 1t Is Done in Such a
Way AS To Yield
Good Returns.
HOW THEY TREATED ELKS
BY BURR BLACKBURN.

|
geles tonight at / a. m. 1t will probably
require half dozen engines to accom-
| plsh the job, for this crowd has fallen
in love with the ideal city beautiful of
the west, and is more than well pleased
with the royal entertainment which has
been accorded.
The Birmingham bunch Is sunburnt from
| the surf baths, but happy and ready for
| the sights of San Francisco and Seattle.
Los Angeles has cared for at least 100000
visitors this week and done 1t with per-
feet ease. This Is the model convention
city Beautiful and spacious hotels, cost
ing millions of dollars, are almost as
numerous as drug stores Two of the
| beach cities, Pasadena and Long Beach,
have each a million dollar hotel, within a
| few minutes ride. In fact five times as
many could have been just as easily
handled.
| The city has grown as fast as Birming-
ham, With hardly a more ideal climate
in the world-no winter. and no summer
1t has attracted people of means. and
| they have come here by the thousands.
Los Angeles paid 'about 100000 for this
| reunion and it will net in ready cash at
least $500 900, for there are no men who
spend their money as readily as El<s.
Since our arrival Sunday the party
| has been forced to choose between a half
dozen forms of amusement. 1t has been
automobile rides, barbecues, banquets,
chariot races, prize fights. grand balls.
bathing and enjoying the attractions on
+ba ha ifin
parades ever planned, western champion
ship athletic contests, and so many other
attractions that it was impossible to get
around.
The west plans big. Men who crossed
the black deserts and forged through the
great rockies left the inspiration in the
air. and these people let nothing stand
in their way. Here is Los Angeles, a city
of a few years, setting a stride for the
world and already a model such as few
cities can equal
The east watched her acquire a failing
water concern with surprise, and now
that she has issued 1923, 100000 in bonds to
increase the water supply. Birmingham,
with her years of talk about more water,
can only remain speechless. Already the
work of bringing this water 200 miles Is
| complete.
| Los Angeles is dependent for it's ex-
| istence upon water. But 10 inches of rain
| fell in this city during the year. and that
all drops during three winter months. 1t
| positively never rains In the summer or
spring, snow never falls, and the temper
ature is always pleasant
To think Is to act with Los Angeles.
| When her mayor dodes not suit she jerks
| him out in jiffy and puts in another.
| The county has just issued 100000 In
| bonds for the construction of good roads.
| Think of it! While all the campaign of
| years has not induced the people of JEFF
| ferson county to spend more than few
! thousand dollars on roads and to expend
| a meager half million on courthouse.
In the same manner Los Angeles will this
year begin the deepening and charging of
| her harbor at a cost of many millions.
! She can boast the finest Young Men,
Christian association building in the world,
which is the third largest building in
| the city. So Vulnerable are these accom-
plishments which seem so wonderful for
a young western city that 1t is impos-
| sible to name them all
would not give the impression how
ever, that it is an easy city. They love
| the almighty dollar out here, and the peo-
pie of the east foot many of their bills.
Los Angeles is like two hands-it is de-
pendent for support upon two wrists
(tourists).
1t is not the place for a man without
money to land, for the scramble here is
maddening. From the smallest boy to
the Oldest man, they have something to
sell you. 1t Is not easy to find work, and
the class of men that seem most abundant
are the fellows who brought over good
bunch of money to start on.
There are many southerners here.
found Gesner Williams, the one-time
mayor of Demopolis. member of Ala
bama's last constitutional convention, and
a young lawyer who made a good start in
Alabama out here and doing well. His
law partner Is A. w. Hutton, a former
Sumter county native, a man who stands
at the head Of the bar in this county.
Hugo A. McCrossin, brother of the Biz
mingham McCrossins, is doing well in
newspaper work. A. S. Vandegrift. for
merly of Birmingham. has one of the
leading shoe stores. Every few minutes
some one grabs your Birmingham badge
and asks about his childhood friends in
| Alabama.
| We tell them out here that Birmingham,
| within 10 years, will rank right along
| with Los Angeles They are homesick
| crowd, and seem to long for the old
| friendships They will stand and rake UP
| old acquaintance with you by the hour.
The newspapers have the same western
spirit, and have handled this reunion with
| wonderful skill. They have given us
| plenty of space to tell the thousands
| about Alabama's coal and iron center, and
they printed B. M. Aliens picture under
| heading of Fat and Unmarried"
| Last night the local newspaper boys en-
| tertained the 50 visiting newspaper men
with a regular gridiron dinner at Santa
| Berdugo. Every man was spineless
| cactus when he finished that Spanish
menu. and had laughed away his ribs at
| the stunts which were introduced. Around
the board were some of the famous news
| paper men Of the east, Spanish war cor
respondents, Connolly, editorial writer for
Golfers, and all Of the men who have
| made western journalism step to the
| front On two other occasions the news
paper boys have been the guests of visit
ing lodges at dinner. In fact, the spirit
of the Blks has made Los Angeles the
center Of the brotherhood Of man for this
one week.
Since our last letter the special dropped
down to Salt Lake City, and enjoyed a
day of that city's hospitality. Here the
local lodge furnished automobiles for the
| whole party, and they were whisked about
| among the beautiful homes OF Brigham
Young's disciples attended an organ re-
| cital at the Mormon temple, and enjoyed
| q dip in Salt Lake The only stop IN Me-
| yada was at Los Vegas, a town of fair
women, gambling and open air "A peep
| into "The Nevada" revealed the progress
| of every known gambling game under
the sun. The ladies' met the train. and
L ofo1o