The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-09
GET S1O,0OO FIRST DAY OF CAMP PA|GN Chambers Campaign for
 S5O,OOO Begins WILL LAST ONE WEEK President SibIey and A. H. Ford Speak at Weekly Luncheon Yes terday-Sibley's Talk Very
 Encouraging

Encouraging About $1o,000 of the s50,00O wanted by the | Chamber of Commerce was raised in the | first days work of the campaign, accord | ing to information given out by President Sibley of the Chamber of Commerce at the weekly luncheon yesterday noon. IL is the idea of the managers to raise s27 0O0 in the financial campaign, which started yesterday and will last until next Wednesday noon, the other $23,oO0 to be furnished by the membership committee. President Sibley originated the campaign recently at a banquet given to his direc- tors.
 As a starter, President Sibley announced that the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail- road company, through George c. Craw- ford, had subscribed $500 and the Birm- ingham Railway, Light and Power com pany had given 5000. A committee from the Chamber of Commerce waited on the Birmingham Realty company yesterday and that company will also subscribe neat sum.
 According to the budget recently sub mitted to the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce by the president, 1t will take about $5O,000 to carry on the buHiress of the chamber for the next year. This covers the secretary's salary, the amounts needed by the various com mittees and practically all of the expenses Of the chamber To raise the money, President Sibley appointed seven commit tees to canvass the merchants and corpo- ratons of the city. The chairmen of these committees are George B. Ward, w. M. Cosby, A. H. Ford, Herman Beck, F. M. Jackson H. w. Coffin and Victor Han son. These men, with their committees will be busy during the next week raising the money for the Chamber. In order to keep in closer touch with the progress of the campaign, luncheon will be held in the Gold Lion tea room Friday noon. and another luncheon Monday noon. The regular weekly luncheon will be held as per schedule next WednesGay noon, at which time the campaign will be closed.
 Sibley Optimistic
 President Sibley gave very encourag- ing talk at yesterdays luncheon, in which he lauded the support of the citizens of Birmingham In making the Chamber of Commerce the institution which 1t is. The only other speaker was A. H. Ford, who gave a short talk. MT. Ford stated that he was sure the money could and would be raised easily He said that he was of the do t now opinion and was ready to help all he could.
 The Chamber of Commerce has issued a small folder, telling of the work &C., complished by the Chamber during the year 1911. The following list is contained in the folder:
 Secured adjustment and reduction of freight rates and modification of train schedules
 Promoted Trade at Home" campaign
 Give a dinner 10 the travelling salesmen of Birmingham.
 Furnished articles for twenty-one diff ferept publications
 Promoted organization of Ad. club.
 lnaugurated Post Card Day.
 Distributed 100000 pieces of attractive literature.
 Promoted truck farming and immgra- tion of small farmers.
 Secured 20 Conventions
 Secured and entertained twenty conven- tions.
 Brought to the attention of every manu- facturer and wholesaler advertising for southern trade Birmingham's advantages as a manufacturing and distributing cen ter, using a personal letter with follow up.
 Gave banquet to Hon. Oscar w. Under wood.
 Secured establishment of park board, which in turn assures a city plan and a civic center.
 Promoted the ornamental system of street lighting now in vogue in the busi- ness section.
 Secured an appropriation in the rivers and harbors bill for a resurvey of the Birmingham Warrior canal.
 1naugurated custom of monthly excur- sion to local manufacturing plants.
 Indorsed and assisted in successful cam pagn for a sl,O0o, GOO bond issue to pay off citys floating indebtedness.
 Inaugurated campaign against smoke evil
 Actively promoted the good roads move- ment
 Board of Trade became a division of the Chamber of, Commerce.
 Assisted in attracting to Birmingham more than twenty manufacturers.
 Assisted in having Birmingham selected as headquarters for eight distributing agencies and wholesale houses.
 Secured two modern hotels costing s1,- 00o,000 each through hotel agitation.
 Promoted agitation for removal of Bel gial blocks.
 Urged the exemption of new industries from taxation for a period of ten years
 Both of these movements have success fully eliminated during the 1912 adminis- tration.