The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-09
GREAT DEVELOPMENT WORK
 IN BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT
Trip Shades Valley and Shades Mountain Revelation to
 Man Who Spends Most of His Time In the City
By WALTER HARPER.

Herald will publish a series of special articles designed to show something of the various developments that are now going on in tine district.
 Yesterday morning George T. Brazel- ton, president and vice president of sew eral large land development enterprises around the city, carried me out for a spin over the mountains and through the valleys to the south of Birmingham.
 Passing out Twentieth street into Elev- enth avenue and finally out on the Co., ldmbiana road past Glen Iris, beautiful. and arstocratic Glen Iris, we climbed Red mountain, the backbone of industrial Alabama.
 As we climbed the mountain an army of cloud fiends were advancing over the city behind us. Great banks of black, twisting clouds seemed to threaten some awful disaster. But just as we turned the crest of the mountain and started down the incline into Shades valley the sun burst drought rift in the disturbed elements and golden glow was upon the hills and valleys before us.
 See exclaimed George enthusiastical- ", "the clouds are heavy and threatening over the city: it is dark, gloomy and pest ferrous, but here in beautiful Shades val ley the sun is shining bright and warm"
 Down near the heart of Shades valley we stopped where Edgewood lake is to be built The engineers have completed their work and contracts will be let in a few days for the building of the dam which will hold back the lake of water four times as large as East Lake. We walked over the ground where the water fn The basin is. now being cleared of timber and underbrush. The timber is being sawed by a, a,temporary mill on the ground and the lumber is being laid on an ele- vation north of the lake basin for the building of the Edgewood Country club.
 The lake will jut out into beautiful coves and recesses In the surrounding hills, there will be beautiful little islands and points of land making the whole one Of the most beautiful and picturesque ar- tifcial lakes in the country.
 The neE B. E. E. R. car line is being constructed to the edge of the lake, and the county pike will probably cross on the dam at the foot of the lake. The county engineers have already looked over the proposed plan and pronounce 1t prac. ticable.
 North and east of the lake basin is the beautiful Edgewood property that is now being opened for settlement. More than sS5.000 has already been spent on cement sidewalks, street grading and paving.
 This development lies within two miles of the present city limits of Birmingham and is in easy access over Red mountain by way of South Twentieth street.
 Leaving the Edgewood development we climbed Shades mountain along the ser pentine road where every pulsation of the automobile upward discloses a new reve- lation in scenic beauty.
 Behind you and to the right is Shades valley dotted with farm houses and min ing camps, while beyond is Red mountain scared and scraped by ore cutting ma chinery. Stretching between is a draped mantle of green and brown and red. At the crest of Shades mountain the machine is stopped and you gaze ir speeches. admiration. North, south. east and west present their peculiar petitions for your approval. There is beauty and silent gradeur everywhere
 And beautiful homes are being built here 1900 feet above sea level far above the dust and roar of the city, where tho sunshine and the breezes bathe your cheeks before they become contaminated with the filth and disease of conges.eC streets and unswept alleys.
 And this Is part of, not the future but the present Birmingham. Already tn, homes of some of the leading citizen, of this city grace the mountain crest ant | undulating slopes
 | Hundreds of others will follow as publi, and domestic affairs become adjusted ii | this young city. We have been too busy digging wealth from the ground to seel the beauties that sparkle alofg the crest l of the mountains.
 Already surveys have beh made for ca
 service to the crest of Syades mountain
 Easy access is in the ne4 future. Auto
 mobiles have overcome {nuch of the dis ] tance and height. Shadde mountain vii be the front yard of Birmingham in fev more years.