The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-06
j. A. VANHOOSE
REOPENS HIS
CANAL PROJECT
Writes Letter to President r.
w. Massey of the Cham
Der of Commerce ;,
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
MOMENT rs NOW
Reviews History of the Proposition and
Calls Attention to Large New
Forces That Would Assist
i'm the Work

J. A. VanHoose, In a letter to Rich
ard w. Massey. the newly elected pres
ident of the Chamber OF Commerce. in
sists that the psychological moment
has arrived for Birmingham to take
hold of the proposition to open the Biz
mingham district by canal to the War
rior river with navigable water to Mo-
bile.
Mr.. VanHoose points to the fact that
the isthmian canal Is soon to be opened
and that there is no longerNany excuse
for delay. He considers the matter one
which should be backed right now by
the Chamber of Commerce and all the
business men of Birmingham. In his
letter there is a brief review of the his
tory of the agitation and few extracts
showing the ideas of enthusiasts IL
years ago as well as the reports of gov
eminent engineers. Among other things
Mr.. VanHoose says:
MIR. VanHoose's Letter
my Dear Mr.. Massey-Allow me first
to congratulate this district, the
Chamber of Commerce with Its vast al
lied and combined interests. and your
self, upon election as president of the
Chamber of Commerce for the ensuing
year. I'wish for you and your chosen
associates and co-workers all possible
success In whatever you may undertake
to do for the upbuilding and helping of
this distri,t.
please now permit me to earnestly
lay before you in advance the most i'm
portant and far-reaching of all meas
ures which concern not only the Bir-
mingham district, but adjoining states
and the entire manufacturing and ex-
porting interests of the country al
large. viz: The opening up the heart
of the Alabama coal and iron fields,
through the inn rovement of existing
waterways to the Gulf of Mexico.
This is no new question, but for
various reasons it has heretofore not
received the combined and enthusiastic
cooperation Of all interests in this dis
trict. The ti.ae now is. however, ripe
and the psychological moment has fl
nally arrived when this question should
be enthusiastically taken up and push :
ed to a successful conclusion.
CAS- many OF your co-workers and
TtSiuGHtS VI tulS QlStTlCl nave cast t1elT
lot among us since the first agitation
of this matter. I believe it would be
! interesting as well as helpful to make
| a brief resume of its earlier history.
With the approval of the City Coun.
ell of Birmingham, when 1 was mayor
in 1896, I requested Mr. Julian Ken
drick and Mr.. John A. Miner to make
| a horseback survey of the country be
! tween Five Mile creek on the Mt Pin
son road to vi lage creek at Sloss fur.
naces in North Birmingham and Their
down Village creek to a point below
Ensley, across the divide from Postum
| valley to Valley river Just below Bes-
semer and down Valley river to its
mouth on Warrior river.
"Those who RENE mbar the practical
| experience and ability of Mr. John A
Miner and Mr.. Julian Kendrick will
| appreciate the intense satisfaction, as
well as surprise, with which this com
munity welcomed their preliminary re-
port as to the feasibility and practical
bality of such an undertaking.
Government Survey
Through the energetic assistance OF
Mr.. T. HI. Aldrich. then congressman
from this district. the sundry civil SER
vice act approved June 4, 1897, directed
a government surve;. Colonel Mac
kenzie, who was then the highest army
official in the war department next to
civil officials, stated to me that If the
appropriation should be granted, he
would, in view of the great national
Importance of the project, select one
of the most expert engineers on water
ways in this country to make this sur
yey.
I'm accordance with this PROMISE made
through ME as mayor, to all interested
In this community and district, Mr. Jo-
seph Ripley was detailed from the Sault
st. Marie lock work and made an ex-
haustive survey and comprehensive re-
port of the project This report was sub
mitted to Congress in December, 1898, and
was printed by them as House document
No. So, in the Fifty-fifth Congress-, third
session.
This report instantly attracted wide
spread and intense interest So much SO
that the Times-Democrat of New Orleans
detailed one OF Its most capable and
trusted staff, Colonel Hillyard, and sent
him to Birmingham to investigate and
report upon the entire subject.
Open Warrior River
Appropriations have already been
made. and the Warrior river will soon be