The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-04
SAYS BIRMINGHAM
MUST GO TO WORK
AND Build HOTEL
Citizens Argue That Now Is the
Time for Definite Action
to Be Taken
SHOULD COST $1,OOO,OO0
TO MEET URGENT NEEDS
william Brown, General Clark and T. IL.
Motion Discuss the Project Which
Would Mean So Much to
City's Future


given a great deal of thought to a mil
lion dollar hotel proposition said yes
terday: Just now Birmingham needs
nothing so much as large, elegant,
up-to- date, fire-proof hotel. A new
hotel, adequate for a city of Birming-
hams pretensions, would cost, site and
furniture included about 100000 Va
rious SCH for financing such a
project have been tried in the past and
abandoned. but if the people here will
subscribe 100000 to stock in a hotel
company, the rest OF the money can
any other way of getting the desired
hotel As a matter of civic pride 1t
should not be difficult to raise $780,
900 as the basis for a 100000 bond
issue"
Louis v. Clark Gives Views
"A hotel commensurate with the pres
ent needs of Greater Birmingham and
one which will meet the requirements
of the city's future expansion" said
General Louis V. Clark, when asked for
an interview yesterday, lis something
poorly, and which the public spirited
citizens of Birmingham should set out
Immediately to procure.
THE erection of a great hotel should
not be left to the hands of few prl-
vate citizens or individual interests. 1t
Is a community affair, which ought 10
be of live interest to the gSneral public
1t is an issue which vitality concerns
the future of the city, and as such is
not to be left for naturalization to
therwhims of private investors.
THAT the city is in pressing need OF
modern fireproof hotel is not to be
doubted, even by tn ose whom the mat
ter does not locally affect. growing
community in any part of the world In
dicates it's real Importance by the ma
ture and number of its hostelries. AM
pie hotel facilities are to the traveller
the first sign of a communitys char
acter and real Importance, and for Biz
mingham to suffer in this respect
seems absurd.
while we have forged ahead with
startling rapidity in every line of in
dustry, every branch of endeavor has
shown commensurate improvement ex-
cept our hotels. OF our present hotels
1t can be said with all fairness tina
they are all right as far as they go,
but they fail to go far enough. Biz
mingham has outgrown her hotels, and
the matter of covering the breach
| A1+ 10 10
something is really accomplished"
Subscription Plan Favored
Asked as to what steps should be
taken, General Clark expressed himself
in favor of the popular subscription
plan. 1T should not be hard to get
the general public interested" he said,
land the rest should be plain sailing
investment perhaps than many another
field, and the success of the hotel, If
built, is practically assured.
1.-THE recent campaign for the new Y
M. c. A. offers a good example as to
what method of procedure should be
followed. OF course, no demonstration
of sentiment is needed, for the affair
is primarily a business proposition.
Twenty or more underwriters could
give security for financing the move,
such as has been done in Other cities.
81 believe it. will not be long until
the public will thoroughly realize the
need of the new hotel. 1t stands to
reason that Birminghams hotel accom-
modations must be twice as ample as at
present when the Panama canal is
completed. This city will be stop
ping point for tourists, investors, men
inAall walks of business life. Decisive
action must be forthcoming if we are
not to be caught unawares."
Il. II. Motion Talks
~rhere Is certainly nothing which
Birmingham needs more at present
than such an hotel" said T. H. Moul-
ton II was very much struck with the
editorial comment of Ned Brace this
morning, in which it was said that If
such enthusiasm could be aroused for
new modern hotel ais was shown in
the whirlwind campaign for the new
Y. M c. A. there would be no difficulty
in assuring it's erection.
~ believe the people will evinces as
much interest in this matter as they
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