The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-14
 'CORMACK WANTS l. A RAIL ROAD ID THE WARRIOR RIVER Says It Would Give Bir- mingham Advantage of
 Water Rates
LINE WOULD COST NOT MORE THAN $50, ,OOO
Says Water Rate Basis for Birming- ham Most Important Thing City Can Undertake-River But
 Ten Miles Distant

In the opinion of H. Ellis Mccormack, vice president of the Pratt Consolidated Coal and Iron company, the people of Birmingham could build a railroad 10 miles long to the Warrior river for s150,o0o and would be able to pay off the original cost every 60 days from savings in freight rates.
 That wholesale concern could en- ter business at this time in Cordova or perhaps Tuscaloosa and out sell the wholesale men of this section by req son ,of the water rate was an opinion vouchsafed by MT. Mccormack in the course of talk yesterday anent the activities of his company on the War rior river. MT. Mccormack said that the greatest boom that could happen to this district would be the elimination of rail rates and the placing of Birming- ham on the water rates basis which now applies to Tuscaloosa and which will apply soon to Cordova.
 He said that it is possible to buy grain, hay and all feed stuff in Kansas and ship it through Birmingham to Cordova and thence to Birmingham to retailers at cheaper rate than is now accorded to the wholesale men of this section. It was stated by MT. McCor-
 mack that he was considering seriously entering the wholesale business on the Frisco lines and selling to retailers of this city. He said it could be done at an immense proft to the man who en- ters business in that city or any place in that community
 Water Transportation "The greatest proposition for the peo- pie of this city to take up is water
 transportation" said MT. Mccormack yesterday. Tt is of greater consequence than Methodist church or university or the Tutuwiler hotel. I can take $780, 900 and build d railroad to the Warrior river which will enable this district to free itself from the rail rates that are now in effect This $15o,000 would open up the products of Birmingham to the entire world and would result in untold benefits to this section. The opening of this district from the railroad rates which are now in effect by building to the water is of greater consequence thah hiiy tHiHS tudl tdn De dOnet IT l controlled the United States govern ment l would destroy every lock on the
 Warrior river unless the people of Bir- mingham seized the advantage thereby created The government has built locks at a cost of millions of dollars and here we are within 10 miles of the head waters yet we sit idly by pay rates to New Orleans and Mobile when triie like s150.ooo would free us from the grasp of railroad rates that are sure to ruin this district"
 "The railroad I speak of would not help the Pratt company in which I am interested. It would not enhance tho value of our land one cent. It would help other companies and it would help this district. That is why it should be done.
 The Warrior river in time is sure to be of vast help to this district It certainly is true that the government would not have spent that money build ing locks unless it Nbelieved that this district would benefit. However 1t oc- CUTS to me that the people of this dis trict who are so very public spirited should get busy and own this line which would be one of the greatest investments that could be made for this city and district.
 All Speculation
 "As for our company this talk about coal mines on the Warrior and barge lines is all speculation. We have been talking about that for 15 years and nothing has been done. So far as I know our company does not intend to build any barges or buy any or rent any. We have been prospering for 16 years on the Warrior river and the sit- uation is now just about like 1t was then.
 Birmingham it appears always falls heir to lemons. There is friend of mine at Cordova who consulted nae a is such vast difference in the rates sale grocery business at Cardova, There is such cast difference in the rates between Birmingham and Cordova by reason of the water rates allowed that city. and also Tuscaloosa, as to make even the savings on rates one of the most profitable things that I know anything about. l am not at all sure but what I will go into the wholesale grocery business at Cordova, especially as the other fellows have all the money. It only goes to show what water com