The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-09
FINE SPIRIT SHOWN AT BIG RECEPTION
 HELD BY CHAMBER Underwood Makes Speech and Ford Sounds a Ringing
 Note of Optimism REFRESHMENTS SERVED TO THE LARGE CROWD Some Interesting Data Submitted By Heads of Committees Bearing on
 the Work Undertaken By
 the Chamber

With more than 250 members crowding the auditorium to its capacity, the Cham Der of Commerce last night held the most optimistic get-together meeting in the history of the organization. we are all right, here in Birmingham" 7" was the spirit of the meeting, and every mention of the rosy future of the city was greeted with continued applause. It was the first time the members of the chamber have had an opportunity to turn their pow-wow into a veritable scalp dance. and a publication after its splendid victories.
 President A. H. Ford opened the session with a few morsels of pleasant facts, such as: During the past six months there have been located in Birmingham the following new plants: Birmingham Railway and Locomotive works; Auto matic Switch company, Bullard Car Door company, Texas oil company, Cotton Seed oil mill; Birmingham Valve and Fittings company, and pressed hoe company.
 MT. Matthews, vice president of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron com pany, has announced a plant to manu- facture agricultural implements,' he con- tinued.
 'The first six months Of 1910 pig iron production was 99S,sO3 tons, breaking all records, an increase of 19s,195 tons over the same period last year.
 Bank clearings and post office receipts will show over 25 per cent increase for the first six months of 1910 over the same period of 1909.
 Wants Spirit of Optimism
 q should like to see the spirit of optim- ism come over our district" he continued. we should be especially optimistic on ac- count of what is going on here. The fact is that the whole southern country Is looking toward Birmingham IS the future commercial center of this section. There is no place where so much is going on, in building and development lines, as right here in Birmingham.
 ''All our plants are running and giving we know, we are all right, here in Bir- mingham Let's look at the future with confidence, and believe that it will be that way all the time to come.
 ''In the past we have been hampered by taking up a great many things and not carrying them through. The trouble Is, we have appointed committees and then sent them out to get the money to carry the project through. l hope I will never see the time come again when we will have to put such duty on a committee. hope to see this Chamber of Commerce provide itself with sufficient funds to carry on its business without embarrass- ment.'' John E. Morris. reporting for the trade committee, told of meeting held by the jobbers recently when they were sur prised to find what a factor they were in the community's life, how large their pay rolls were, and how wide their influence reached. Chairman John H. Adams of the farm movement committee reported that the committee is busily distributing literature over the United States and foreign coun- tries and getting back many good results.
 sevier Makes Report
 The following report of L. Sevier, chair man of the committee on location of new industries. was referred to the legisla- tive committee:
 nAt regular meeting of the Cham her of Commerce, June 10, I stated briefly the obstacles which your com nittee was meeting in controlling to the Birmingham district the location of new industries as compared with our neighboring cities and to over come this ask cd considera tion on the part of yourself and the members of the Chamber of Commerce, as I am confident it is your wish as well as the wish of the members that every committee should be active; and with out relief 1t must be apparent to al. that this committee cannot accomplish the purpose for which it was ap- pointed
 "Some of the difficulties which have confronted us are briefly:
 T. The high price of real estate in Birmingham compared with other manufacturing centers.
 -2. Our inability to offer induce ment of free sites for manufactur ing plants as offered by other cities
 '3, Financial aid either by stock subscription or a bonus as offered by other cities
 "A study of these conditions with the fact of industries seeking locations here and going elsewhere demands prompt action on the part of the
 
 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12.)