The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-24
asss.ss..s.s..s.s.s..s

4
 every road now traversed by the rural
 mail carrier.
 "To the distinguished officials of other 1 states who have honored us with their presence, and who have rendered such eminent and valuable services in the cause in which we are interested, for | better civic conditions for material | progress and advancement, I extend the right hand of fellowship. and bid you a l cordial welcome to a state which is not only first on the roll of the republic, but which is yet destined to become the
 theatre of still greater achievements and the home of a prosperous, enlightened | and patriotic citizenship
 Address of Welcome l President Job Going of the Jefferson
 county Board of Revenue, was presented
 to the gathering following the address of | Governor ONeal and with a few we'll chosen and cordial remarks, extended the | welcome to the delegates on the part | O. the county.
 l Commissioner James Weatherly, in the absence of Commissioner Culpepper EXum, l welcomed the convention to Birmingham | in his usual hearty manner and spirit or
 good feeling. He took occasion to say l that President Exum of the commission | had but shortly given notice of his ln- 1 ability to perform the gracious function
 on behalf of the city because of illness. | Commissioner Weatherly explained to the gathering that MT. Exum was very busy
 with a speech in preparation for the en- I | ts.t.t- .f t1,A n l to the workings of the commission form I of government.
 | President John w. Craft of the Ala 1 bama Good Roads association made the welcome address on behalf of that body, and in the course of his remarks seized
 the opportunity for showing rather com prehensively and at length the general l outcome that might be expected from I good roads development.
 | Next on behalf of the Jefferson County l Good Roads association, United states | District Judge William l. Grubb welcomed | the delegates and member sof the conven-
 ton. On behalf of the Jefferson County | Good Roads association one of the or l ganizations at whose Instance this con- gress is being held.
 President Richard ". Massey of the Chamber of Commerce extended the cour- l tesies of that organization in a hearty manner and presented to the good roads advocates graphic picture of the won- derful development that has come about l in this section. With a brief alluson to the purpose or the Good Roads association for working | of the general welfare of the people, B. H. Cooper welcomed the visitors on be- | half of the Board of Trade. and ex- l pressed himself as confident that the de- 1 alterations of the body would result fruit l fully to the people of the towns, coun- | ties and states
 | F. P Chaffee of the Business Mems league assured the convention on behalf | of his organization that they were ac- 1 corded real welcome to the city inas- much as the work of the Gdod Roads as-
 sociation has already gone, and will con- l tinue to go, far toward accelerating the
 wheels of commerce and progress in this
 country.
 l Dr. J. E. Dedman, on behalf of the Bir- mingham Motor club, welcomed the visit | ors to the city and extended them a cor dial invitation to attend the hill-clmbing
 event at Oxmoor tomorrow afternoon. | Following the remarks of Dr. Dedman Chairman John w. O,Neal turned the con-
 vention over to President Arthur c. Jack
 son of Chicago who assumed the duties
 of the chair, and said: An International Congress l "Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle-
 men:
 1 Tt has been my privilege to have | been associated with many good roads conventions in all parts of the country,
 and with all sincerity let me say that | the congress lust now beginning in this l splendid city of Birmingham has great CT possibilities than any preceding one. l "This Is owing, first of all, to the untiring effort of our secretary, J., A. Rountree, who. night and day, has worked unceasingly to make this meet ing a success. In his arduous task he lhas had the hearty CO., cooperation of the local press and many of the distln- l auished citizens of this city and state. "It is therefore a pleasure to- an : nounce that at recent meeting of the hoard of directors, MT. Rountree has 1 been elected secretary of the Fourtn international Good Roads congress and Iexposition, which will be held in Chi cago from September IS to October l.. land in which every country in. the world has been officially invited to, partici- lpate. and. to which governors and mayors or more than 100 states and l cities have given their hearty m dorsementl l the morning session was E. J. wat son. commissioner of agriculture or South Carolina, who made an eloquent response to the words of welcome Wlth
 which the good roads people had been greeted by the combined representa-
 tives of the city. Following up his re
 marks of appreciation Commissioner l Watson undertook brief review or the movement for good roads building
 and traced 1t back to the supreme road
 builder, Napoleon, for one Of US sources
 l He went, on to show in an exceed I ingly Interesting manner just what | af vun ha erb by the construction of public highways
 and contrasted with the possibilities l for good road construction what is be-
 ing done in the way of appropriations 1 by Congress for the building of ex- pensive hattleships which derive no l beneit to the country and prove a
 futile undertaking in the end. The
 
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