The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-20

Col. James W. Sloss. a leader i'm the in
dustrles; DR.. f. II. Sholl and others, to-
sether with the clergy, determined to in
slte the young eyangelsts from Geor-
sla, the Rev. Sam Jones and the Rev
Sam Small, to hold a protracted meet
ing great tent was pitched on the then
open square in front of the county court
\ house. For successive days and nights
these preachers held immense audiences
| in closest attention. Pastors Purser
Handley, Rush. Simpson. r J. Reed.
Messrs James j. Garrett, Going Nabors,
Or. Sholl and others, published a card
after the meetings closed, saving:
Messrs. Jones and Small came into our
midst upon urgent, repeated invitation.
No pay was asked or promised for their
| labors They left multitudes in
| the churches and out of them who respect
and honor both of them as Christian gem
tlemen. Hundreds of nom profess
sors of religion converted; protesting
| Christians of all names aroused, instruc.-
ed and stimulated to increased earne.;t-
ness, zeal and better living. These
are some of the things they left behind
| them.'
IN the same autumn, General Rucker
| and others secured the services of Col
Louis j. DuPre of Washington City, a
distinguished newspaper writer, SOUTH
crn man, for special service on the Daily
Age. The project was to create through
:he columns of the paper a public pressure
| upon Congress to open the naviga BILE
rivers of Alabama to all the year round
navigation. DuPres standing in his pro-
fession was first class. He was at once
successful to a remarkable degree with
the Birmingham paper. His writings. de-
| scription of the coal and iron deposits,
of the town and its people and his gen.
/ eral editorial ability attracted universal
attention wherever the paper could be
| sent.
| A feature of this ingenious advertis-
| ing was to call a great waterways con-
vention' at Tuscaloosa. So on November
| II, 1885, the convention met as planned.
Citizens of distinction from all the inn
| portant towns of Alabama, many from
Georgia, Florida Mississippi and Tennes-
| sec assembled. Mayor Jemison called the
meeting to order in eloquent speech.
Mayor Lane was made temporary chair
man. Hon. Harry Toulmin of Mobile was
made president. Messrs. w. w. Screws
of Montgomery, Louis J. DuPre, III. FL.
Brown and M. Fl. Hudson were made Sec
ietaries. Among the citizens in attend
ance We're Judge David Clopton of the
Alabama supreme court, Thomas H.
Watts once governor general j. w.
Burke, collector of the port of Mobiles
| w. II. Skaggs, mayor of Talladega; Will
| liam A. Walker and great many fthat
|
and John NJ. Martin, Herbert and Oates
wrote sympathetic letters.
! Senator Pugh was in attendance and de-
| livered the main speech. At that time
the great engineer, James B. Eads, was
pushing his scheme for ship railway
across the Isthmus of Tehauntepec. SEN
| tor Morgan had just entered upon his
14-years' labor for an isthmian canal. Mr..
Cothrell, the engineer of Eads. addressed
the convention, explaining the ship rail-
way. Senator Morgan wrote long let
ter, which was read and which as usual
created profound interest.
| The great boom of 1886 rose to its
full height, Immediately following the
convention. East Lake, Ensley, Wood
lawn, Avondale Smithfield Land COM
panies were organized in a night-East
birmingham, North Birmingham, etc.
remember remark of the late b. F.
Roden at this flush time. He exclaimed,
| These land companies will ruin this
town"
! JOHN WITHERSPOON DUBOSE.