The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-19
SOL CAHEEN WANTS.
MONUMENT ERECTED.
TO ROOSEVELT HERE
Merchant Says ex-President
Pushed Birmingham For
ward Ten Years in
1907
GAVE CONSENT TO
STEEL CORPORATION
Wants to Give 500 Toward MOnu-
ment to Show That Birmingham
Appreciates What He Did
for This Entire District

| Is ii possible to build monument in
Birmingham to Col. Theodore Roose-
velt ex- President of the United States?
! Such an honor was suggested yester-
| day by Sol Caheen. one of the most
thoughtful merchants in Birmingham.
who announces that he will subscribe
! 500 for such a monument. He believes
| that a monument to the noted repubii-
can leader should be erected here,
"where all the people can see 1t and
| where il will not be lost sight of in
the years to come"
| Mr.. Caheen bases his suggestion upon
the great and lasting good that was
conferred upon this district by Presi-
dent Roosevelt when the colonel as
President gave his sanction to the pur-
chase of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company by the Steel corpor-
ation Mr. Caheen says that by that
act alone Colonel Roosevelt saved Bir-
mingham from backward march of 10
years, not to mention the great and tre-
mendous good that has been done this
district by the work of the Tennessee
Coal. Iron and Railroad company since
1t became property of the Steel cor
poration.
The opinion of Mr.. Caheen is not tho
first one that has been expressed here
that the Birmingham district owes
something to Colonel Roosevelt for the
advantage that he conferred when he
permitted in 1907 the requirement of
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company by the Steel corporation. 1t
has been heard time and time again in
an indefinite way. Mr.. Caheen is the
first man, however, who boldly asserts
that this democratic section should so
signally honor republican President.
Did More Than Pioneers
Colonel Roosevelt" said Mr.. Caheen.
did more for Birmingham when he
permitted the Steel corporation to buy
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company than all the pioneers of this
district. The Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company was worth SO cents
, on the dollar in the days of 1907. In
| order to stem the tide of that fearful
| panic and to give Birmingham a great
President, gave his consent to Judge
Gary that the Steel corporation buy the
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad COM
pany.
1T goes without saying that the giant
Steel corporation did not need or want
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company. However, the officers of that
great corporation agreed to pay tre-
| mendous amount of money to relieve
the panic and at the same time acquire
the local company. All of us know
that up to 1907 the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad company had oper-
ated on the smallest scale. l have no
doubt but what eventually the Tennes-
| see Coal, Iron and Railroad company
would have weathered the storm and
would have proven to the world that
| the best rails In America could be made
| here. However. that would have re-
quired Is years or more.
In the meantime we would have been
struggling and starving here without
| the great appropriations that have been
| made in Birmingham and which have
served to make Birmingham the cyno-
sure of all eyes in the industrial world.
Therefore l say that Roosevelt had
more to do with this great achievement
| than any one man and I will give 800
that a monument may be erected to him
in public place so that future genera
tions as we'll as the present one may
recollect that it was Roosevelt that
! gave to Birmingham its greatest for
ward impetus. Our recent prosperity is
all due to Roosevelt and the officers
of the corporation.
Adverse Suit Would Hurt
81 will add that If this dissolution
suit in New Jersey affects the Steel
corporations attitude toward Birming-
ham adversely We VIII never get over
it, / am hoping that no such effect
will occur. Roosevelt, the corpora
tion and few pioneers in the early
days have made Birmingham and it is
lp to us of the younger generation to
appropriately recognize this work with
a monument that all the world may see
how we revere those who helped make
Birmingham great. l will start the
subscription with 500. In the mean
time am democrat"
Mr.. Caheen is very much in earnest
about his suggestion and lit is believed
additional voluntary offers will be made
toward such q remembrance.
-A----s.---------