The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05

his desk and in a few minutes held I'D
the copy" he had made for the MORN
ing issue. The great double or triple
column headlines exposed the fact that
Col. Enoch isnsley had bought land fer Il
new town and million dollar. corpora
tion had been organized which news the
reporter required tae' public to accept
for there was mo mistake about it.
presently Editor ]. l.. Watkins came
in with another, Independent item. Mr..
W. j. Cameron, president of the bank
that was kept in the Lynn building, had
just told him that the deposits In the
bank had run up that day to the in
credible aggregate of $1,000 G9c-hard cash,
brought there from the cotton planta-
tions. from Mississippi Louisiana, Geor-
gia. Virginia, to buy lots.
Dr. Joseph H. ssmith had several hun
dred acres of old cornheld nearby. The
"Smithfeld Land company was organ
izod bought come of the old field, issued
stock and sold lots. the transaction in
lied bought some of the old field. issued
lars.
The Birmingham boom worked wonders
for the wAole state. 1t literally nnloaded
the black belt of surplus negro men and
women. The supply of labor to the mlnes
furnaces and other enterprises was cheap
ly gotten to the spot 1t was labor not
liable to discomfort. The laws of the
state already in force were found suffi-
cient for the new conditions. No Wig
liant committee" as in case ofsSan FRAN
cisco when the gold mines We're opened
was necessary.
The whole state profitted by the Bir-
mingham boom. The entire fabric OF
state government was fortified by its
effects The state credit in foreign money
markets was strengthened by news of the
energy discovered at birmingham. From
many counties young men came to IN
fuse vigor into the whole state from the
new center. John 'B. Boddie, youns
planter, came from Marengo with possibly
$1,000 and most likely that borrowed
Within two or three years he was rich
on the open market for town lots.
The boom was not confined TO Blrmlng-
ham or Jefferson county. Blast furnaces
and other industries we're built and the
town called by it's founder, Mr.. sam
Noble "Anniston''-t Is Annie's town
was chartered, the name a compliment
to one of the founders family. Fur
naces were built on the south bank of the
Tennessee and the town called 'Shef-
field" was chartered and grew rapidly.
The ancient town Decatur experienced an
awakening and spreading prosperity
Calera and various other remote places
were settled.
1t should be borne in mind that the Ely
ton Land company was the controlling
force in the events of 1856. To the wis
dom and patriotism of the president OF
this powerful corporation. DR.. II. NJ. Cald-
WELL and the steady purpose of its sec
retary Mai. Willis j. Miner, the public
is indebted to the singular fact that so
great and universal an excitement did
not degenerate into ignoble ends, the
land speculation was singularly free from
fraud or vice of any description amidst
its widest flights.
Like an aroused athlete the state came
forward to begin new cycle In her ca
reer. She was now self supporting in the
enterprise For foreign help she gave
more than she received.
Birmingham and all that Birmingham
means, now and hereafter, if of Alabama
as she is and as she has been from the
beginning.
JOHN WITHERSPoON DUBOSE.