The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-05
l. [. PASSENGER MEN ID AID BIRMINGHAM
 ID SECURE TOURISTS
Travellers From Florida Will Be Advised to Stop
 Over Here
ARE ENTHUSIASTIC
 OVER THE DISTRICT
Forty-One Members of Passenger De- partment Shown Attractions Bir- mingham Has for Visitors-Are
 Much Impressed With Trip

tUu8uoiu iAdS 1Oi isitOIS-ATe
 Much Impressed With Trip
 That he had instructed every member of the passenger departmen to recommend Birmingham as stopover place for win ter tourists and others was the announce ment made here yesterday by Samuel G. Hatch. passenger traffic manager of the Illinois Central railroad. With 41 mem- bers of the passenger department, MT. Hatch spent yesterday in Birmingham looking over the city for the purpose of giving every member of his department an opportunity of seeing Birmingham. The Illinois Central officials arrived yes terday morning. The greater portion of the day was spent In looking over the in dustrial sections, the residential sections pressed with, Birmingham as place of rare beauty as well as city where indus trial and commercial activities were ex- tremely gratifying.
 MT. Hatch stated yesterday that while he had been here many times. members of his department had not, and the trip which was being taken was for the pur- pose of informing everyone of the princi- pal cities on the company lines
 To Advise Stopovers
 ''l am very much sratiied to be here" said MT. Hatch. T know great deal about Birmingham, or thought l did. However, the trip that we have taken to- day has opened my eyes to the beauty, cleanliness and activity of this city. If that is true about me. it may be assumed | that the members of our passenger organ | ization, who have never been here, are even more impressed
 l "I wish to say that I have instructed every member of my department to rec ommend Birmingham stop-over pla ce | for our winter tourists, and the travellers who annually go to Florida. As you know. the season ends in Florida along toward the latter part of February and | the first of March. At that time of the | year the climate in Chicago and points beyond is certainly unattractive. II | would be an ideal situation if we could secure about 500 or 10o0 Florida travellers | to stop over in Birmingham on their way | east.
 There is absolutely no reason why
 this should not be accomplished. The
 only handicap that was ever charge
 able. to Birmingham was the lack oi
 hotel accommodate Now you have
 one of the best hotels l have ever wis ited and the climate here at the tiris
 l would recommend to travellers tc Florida Is especially attractive. This city is centrally located with a sched-
 ule to Florida and to Chicago that i, very convenient Naturally we would not undertake to turn anyone iron Florida. But there may be created 2 tide of travel here which would b,
 well pleased with the trip and whicf would enjoy the advantages that Bir
 mineham Is in a position to offer wis itors
 To Send Representative to Chicago
 "Our company Is very anxious to un dertake this work and you may be as
 sured that our passenger officials will render every service possible in thi
 connection. I am informed that plai is under way to send a representatlv, | from Birmingham to Chicago this fal | to interview some of the promnen
 men and women of that city in an ef
 fort to influence some of them to stol
 ever here Such plan would be ex
 tremely advantageous to this city an,
 to your interests here and I am Ger
 tain would be entirely successful. l there is anything possible that OUT or ganization can do to make such plal
 succe ssful we may be depended upon
 We will give every encouragement cn 1 co-operatiou and l am certain that eX cellent results will be secured" Every member of the Illinois Centra
 party here yesterday was enthusiasti 1 over this city Many of the passenge
 men had never visited the city, whil others had been here from time t time Those who had been here wer . surprisd to see the district as 1t wa
 unfolded to them yesterday as the tri was planned by w. c. Radcliffe an was carried with the sn1oothness fo which the Chamber of Commerce i , noted It was in every way an eye
 opener to almost every member of th
 party. The officials were able 10 SC every attraction Birmingham has t . | offer visitors and it is certoin tha substantial benefits will come from tn trip.
 R. Anderson. district passenge 1 agent. and his assistants, with B. E Stovall and w c. Radcliffe of tn Chamber of Commerce. looked after tn visitors while they were here. The
 were guests of F. B. Shireman. manage
 of the Tutwiler, yesterday at lunch an
 left during the afternoon for New CT leans.