The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-13
VOLUNTEERS AGREE
TO co TO CAPITAL
TO AID IN PROJECT
Harding Urges Importance
of Bringing Commerce
Headquarters Here
REPORTS MADE ON
: RECENT ENDEAVORS
Permission Given Oscar Turner to Sell
Potlatch Floats for $500.
Status of the Armor
Plate Plant

rectors' meetings since his term began
as president of the Chamber of Com
merce, w. p. G. Harding yesterday
made a ringing speech in support of
the movement to bring to Birmingham
the headquarters of the southern dis
trict for the federal committee which
in short time will begin an appraiser
ment of the physical railroad properties
of the United States.
The directors gave their unqualified
Endorsement to the proposition and the
call for volunteers for delegation to
accompany President Harding to Wash
ington was responded to by sour men
almost instantaneously.
Mr.. Harding and this delegation ex-
pect to appear before the Interstate
commerce commission September - and
more fully state to that body the ad-
visibility of their locating their south
ern headquarters in this city. Those
who volunteered yesterday were T. II.
Motion. w. n Malone, Richard w. Mas
sey and Eugene F. Enslen. which with
Mr.. Harding already makes a commit
tee of five. Mr.. Harding stated that all
other members of the chamber or cit
izens who desired to go as a member
of this committee should report their
names to Secretary Radcliffe by next
Tuesday 1t is expected that many
more will volunteer to make the trip
and If the delegation becomes large
enough the chamber officials will en-
gage one or two special Pullnans for
the trip.
Not a Wild Goose Chase
Mr.. Harding explained that all who
go will do so at their own expense,
and he was pleased at the ready vol
unteers who appeared on the moment.
This is not a wild goose chase" he
said. I'VE are going after something
tangible and it is something that is
worthy of much time and energy to get.
That large force of men will be here
probably for several years and they
will bring many dollars into Birming-
ham. 1t is an acquisition for any town
to be proud of and we ought to go
after it for all we are WORTH
Officials of the chamber have pre-
pared some surprises which they have
mittee in Washington by way Of argu-
ments as to why the commission should
come to Birmingham.
Merchants Convention
Chairman Murray Brown of the
wholesale trade committee reported on
the recent merchants convention and
was enthusiastically received as the
merchants convention proved to be
probably the most successful event ever
given under the auspices of the cham
her He renOrtad small halanCa in
the treasury over all expenses from the
money which had been raised to finance
the convention. He complimented Sec
retary Radcliffe and Assistant Secre-
tary Everett on their part in the cam
paign before the convention. The di-
rectors of the Alabama Merchants as
sociation, which was formed at the re-
cent convention will hold their first
business meeting in Birmingham Oc-
tober Is, and Mr.. Brown made mo-
ton that Secretary Radcliffe be au-
thorized to accept the secretary-treas-
ureship of the association which would
be rendered to him at that time.
Chairman NJ p. Northington of the
railroads and transportation commit
tee reviewed the campaign that COM
mittee is waging for freight rate re-
duction. all of which has previously ap
peared in The AgeHerald. lie men
toned one new feature, however, which
is that the committee has addressed a
letter to each of the railroad traffic
officials who signed the recent reply of
the nine railroads to the complaints of
the committee. This letter asks wheth-
er or not the cases now pending before
the interstate commerce commission
will have any effect on Birmingham
rates in case they are decided favor :
ably and in case the committee holds
up further action on its part, as the
n ead Mt a oa
were decided. No action was taken by
the board of directors pending the re-
ceipt of an answer to these letters.
Sale of Potlatch Floats
Vice President Oscar Turner, big chief
of the recent potlatch celebration. report
ed that the floats used in the big parades
during that occasion could be sold for
$500 and asked for permission to close the
deal Tt was joyousy given.
Chairman Pascal Shook of the audi
torium committee, reported on the audi
torium campaign and remarked that he
could give more detailed information after
next Monday. He expressed delight at
the evidence of the Birmingham spirit
which had already been shown in the
campaign and voiced his appreciation of
the team work in support of the audi
torium.
ArmOr Plate Plant
| President Harding read a letter from
Oscar Underwood giving the status of
the armor plate proposition. in which
Mr.. Underwood stated that there was
nothing to be done at the present time
as some congressional committee reports
had to be made on the proposed arnor
plate plant before anything further was
done as to its location. Mr.. Underwood
stated that there was no doubt but what
If the plant was located in Alabama 1T
would be in Birmingham.
Secretary Radcliffe read telegram
from President Leon c. Simon of the
New Orleans Association of Commerce,
asking that Birmingham join New Or
leans in a protest against the proposed
tax of cents on every bunch of bananas
imported into the United States. This
Is said to be serious matter as 1t will
increase the price of the fruit which is
fast becoming staple food article. Mr..
Radcliffe was authorized to wire the New
Orleans association of Birminghams sup
port and also to write Alabama congress-
men protesting against the tax.
President Harding called attention to
the Alabama Land congress to be held
here November 4. 5 and G. On the invita-
ton of Mr.. Harding, Vice President Tur-
ner explained an idea which he had dis
cussed with Mr.. Harding relative to work
ing out the land congress along the same
line Murray Brown had pursued in work
ing up the merchants convention.
Gypsy Smith Revival
Fred NJ. jackson called attention of the
directors to the GYPSY Smith revival serv-
ices which arc IN he hold In This city