The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-16
Chamber Of Commerce House
Warming Hailed As Be-
ginning Of New Era
DR., PLUNKET SPEAKS OF
CIVIC RIGHTEOUSNESS
First Meeting Is Held In New Building
and II Is Pronounced Per
feet In Every
Detail.

The house warming, celebrating the for
NAL opening of the new Chamoer OF
Commerce building was an enthusiastic
gathering of Birmingham boosters VINO
considered themselves on the Threshold
of an era of Birmingham's greatest ad-
vance. The magnificent building was
hailed as the realization of a dream OF
20 years and as an advertisement for
birmingham unequaled by any move thai
has ever been taken in the past
Superintendent ]. P. Burns, who is in
charge of the building, had everything in
perfect order. The 200 citizens and men,
bers who examined the structure from
basement to roof were amazed at It's
beauty and convenience. The meeting
was accompanied by the happy announce
ment that 1t is now paying enterprise
and the stockholders will receive divi-
dends on their investment from the first.
The first regular meeting of the cham
Der in the new building was called to
order at $50 o'clock in the auditorium,
beautifully lighted and decorated In gold.
President Frank Nelson presided and
stated that in his opinion the occasion
marks a new era In the history of our
city We will be more earnest in our en-
beavers, more patriotic and more jealous
from this time on. We will do more for
the upbuilding of Greater Birmingham
than ever before.
1T do not mean to say that our Com
mercial club did not accomplish much,
for it worked in season and out of sea-
son. Only recently our grand old county
f+. OFF nd 7
believe that in 1910 we will have a city
here that will show the greatest popula-
ton increase over any city in the south.
However, we want to get move on and
do more this year than ever"
Here Secretary Babb read the appli-
cants for membership, who were unan-
imously elected:
Lee Cowart. f. S. Wilson, ]. B. Vines,
James H. West, FAC Smith, Graham D.
Perdue. ]. w. Boggs, B. A. Schroeder,
]. Arthur Smith, G. H. Mathis, G. T.
Randall, p. Serio, P. 8. Burns, F. A.
RibbIe, l. f. Mcdonnell, J. r. Hornady,
q. w. Jordan, c. D. Ritter Brooks Law
renee. w. p McCrossin, NJ. II. Bone.
Lorenzo Luckie. w. II. Nevins, d. r.
Talley, r. M. Billiard a. G. Billiard, h.
p Chaffee. H. B. Kennedy, John ]. Nc
Nulty, w. w. Silk, Brett Brown and
w. w. Bussey.
l.. Sewer was called on to explain
the developments in the plans for a
club to give locating industries material
aid. He stated that the original plan
had been amended 30 as to add to the
purchase OF stock a loaning feature, and
that the organization would be chartered
nd wi a m
A full report of the committee will be
made at the next meeting.
Then a few three-minute boosting
talks were made. T. III. Motion: The
building shows for itself AS a mem
Der of the building committee 1 am
certainly pleased myself. We have here
a building so complete that the South
eastern Tariff association has given us
a rate next to the lowest of any build
ing in the city and equally as low as
any in Atlanta. The rate of 80 cents
shows expert opinion as to its durabil-
ity. 1t is an ornament to the city,
credit to the Chamber of Commerce, and
an asset to the stockholders"
Robert Jemison, Jr., declared that
everyone seems thoroughly delighted
that this which has for years been
dream has been brought about by the
progressive administration of John L.
Kaul.
I'VE in Birmingham are becoming ac-
customed to doing big things and have
almost quit talking. We don't do the
boosting that other cities do on mat
tiers of far less Importance. We have
here advantages second to none in the
country and we accomplished 1t when the
country was experiencing hard times II
required great deal of time and thought
and labor but as a reward the building
has already made reputation for Bir-
mngham. We have received many con-
gratulations from organizations in big
cities who were amazed that Birming-
ham could build s275,000 home during
hard times" Mr.. Jemison devoted a few
minutes to a description of the ma
terial used, and stated that the enterprise
will be paying investment from the
beginning and ascribed high honor to
the administration of Mr.. Raul togeth-
err with the building and finance COM
mittees for their work.
Rufus NJ Rhodes was welcomed back
to the chamber and congratulated upon
his having sufficiently recovered from
his illness to attend. Twenty years ago."
he said, I'VE started fund for a home
and at last we have IT. 1t should be a
pride to every citizen of Birmingham"
Mr. Rhodes believed that "some of these
days we are going to have in this valley
one Of the greatest cities that ever
blessed civilization, and we will see peo-
Pile with a tolerance of opinion. less idea
of the dollar and more se1f-sacrincing pa
triotism. when all men will seek to adj
vance the interests of their fellow citi-