The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-09
BUSINESS men ARE
PUSHING PROJECTS
A Big Wharf May Be Built at
Selma
CAHABA VALLEY ROAD
settlement Deaths Outnumber
Births in SeIma-Events in
Social Circles IVY

Selma. July S.-(Special.) business men
of Selma are now working upon two
projects which will no doubt be put
through during the next two years, and
which will prove most beneficial in every
way to the business interests of Selma.
The questions which are being consid-
cred are the building of a large and mod
ernly equipped wharf and the construc-
ton of railroad up the Cahaba valley
to the Birmingham district. There is no
doubt in the minds of the business men
of Selma as to the wisdom and advan-
tage which would follow the construction
of the proposed railroad and the building
Of the new and large wharf
Without railroad to the Birmingham
district, the wharf equipped with modern
machinery and a large warehouse would
be of great advantage to the business
Of the city. Being at the head of deep
water navigation on the Alabama river
the business men are awakening to the
fact that in the past they have not used
the river to their advantage. .ls
With the organization of the MISSISSIPPI
pi Transportation company the business
men of this city will be in a position to
save thousands of dollars each year
on freights from the west, coming down
the Mississippi river to New Orleans, then
to Mobile and this city. This of itself
will. it is believed, justify the building
OF a modern wharf here, and such a
wharf will be built at an early day, for
plans and blue prints for 1t were made
q few weeks ago by a government en-
gineer.
The river business has increased to a
great extent during the past year ac-
cording to one Of the largest shippers in
Selma. The shippers are just awakening
to the saving realized by using the river
and the volume of business is increasing
each day and will continue to increase un-
til other boats will have to ply the Ala
bama river to handle 1t.
The shippers are realizing the necessity
of having a good wharf here and will not
rest until one has been built. 1t is esti-
mated that a modern wharf we'll equipped
can be constructed for $4,000, and steps
for the raising of this amount will soon
be taken.
While one set of business men are work
ing consistently for a modern wharf, an
equally determined coterie of citizens are
working on the projected railroad to the
Birmingham district. They are not talk
ing about when they will start to build the
road, but nevertheless they are working
with that object In view and there will
be results from their efforts.
The group of citizens working on the
railroad are among the wealthiest and
most determined in Selma. They have in
terested many along the line of the pro-
posed road, as well as capitalists in Bir-
mingham and Bessemer, and it has been
figured that the "a miles of road can be
built for something Nike 100000. AS soon
as they have finished the preliminary
work 1t is expected they will announce to
the citizens of Selma what their iEten-
tons are, and with this announcement
there is no question but that the real
work of constructing the road will follow
and that it will be pushed until Selma
has direct connection with the Birming-
ham district Such road would mean
the coming to Selma of number of In
dustries whose products could be f1oated
to deep water by the Alabama river, and
be distributed to every country of the
world at a great saving to the manufac-
turer who would have his plants located
bero