The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-16
STORE EDESTROYEDBY
EARLY MORNING fire.
Three Story Building Occu-
pied by Meader & Son
Burns at MyrtlewOod

Selma. January -(Special.) THE
three story brick store building belong
ing to and occupied by D. J. Meader &.
Son at Myrtlewood, Marcngo county, was
destroyed by fire at 2:so o'clock Wednes-
day morning.
When the fire was discovered the citi-
zens of the village answered the alarm
promptly and while the general merchan-
disc stock of Meader & Son was not saved
several adjoining buildings were saved
by the bucket brigade.
How the fire originated is not known.
but is supposed to have started from de-
fective fue of the stove after the store
had been closed The loss is estimated
at $4,000, which is partly covered by IN
surance "a
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stressed the superior quality of certain
Alabama coal for long ocean shipment
in competition with West Virginia Goals.
The thought occurred to me, Why does
the Birmingham district wait for the
Panama coal trade? Brazil and Argen-
tina are populous, rich and progressive
countries They have neither oil nor
coal. They are using enormous quantities
of coal shipped from Cardiff, Wales.
The Welsh Coal
"Tn Brazil the Welsh coal sells for 81
ton and i'm Argentina the price is much
higher The ocean rate from Cardiff to
South American ports is 16 shil1ings a
ton. Now, this trade naturally belongs
to the United States, but owing to estab-
lished conditions, ships sailing under the
British flag bring cargoes from South
America to the United states at rate
less than American ships can bring them
by reason of rebates which we know is
in violation of law.
1T has been shown that large volume
of traffic can be carried in ships from
New Orleans to South America, but these
ships have to come back empty on ae-
count of the foreign rebate competition
Just referred to. What we should do
and the Birmingham district must become
deeply interested in this matter, is to in
duce congress to enact legislation that
viii control our ocean traffic the same
as the government controls the railroads
Solving the Problem
"As soon as foreign ships are prohibited
from giving rebates on South American
cargoes to United States ports the prob
lem will be in great measure solved
All needed then would be enterprise or
the part of our business men which
would result in citizens of the United
States owning and operating ships be
tween here and Panama and between here
and South America-'ocean delivery
wagons as l call them. Not only dc
the British and continental ship owner.
hurt us by their transportation methods
and by our lack of action in the mer
chant marine but they have publicity
bureaus circulating all sorts of false
things about us calculated to prejudice
the people of Latin America.
I'm my testimony before the merchant
marine committee | advocated strict regu.
lation of steamship lines and l pointed
out that South American shippers were
anXiously awaiting emancipation from
the monopoly of European lines.
Birmingham is a great big city today
but it is yet in its infancy This district
is going to be the marvel of the country
industrially speaking/ but before it car
come fully into its own it must WORK
up an active business with South America
as we'll as the Panama zone"
Mr.. Story intends to leave for New
CLEANS this afternoon.