The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-25
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Sibley Replies to Murphy

10 the EQ1tOr OIL Inc ABe-t1eTdlu'
note with some interest the letter
of Capt. Matt II. Murphy in your issue
yesterday morning.
While it is not surprising that at
times some enyious and malevolent enc
mics of Birmingham seek to detract
| from her good name and injure her be-
fore the outside world by a gross mis-
representation of facts, 1t seems incred-
ible that one of her prominent citizens,
who, by his own confession, has earned
his livelihood for number of years
within her borders, should seek to pub
licly blast her reputation and shout
abound her alleged pitiable condition.
| hold no brief for Mr.. Kilby, who is
amply able to take care of himself, but
would remind your readers of the re-
! cent statement issued by President
Ward of the city commission in the re-
ply to the scurrilious attacks upon this
community by the Survey, World and
other publications which were either de-
ceived or subsidized by the liquor in
| terests.
| Mr.. Ward is in position to know the
facts, and 1 believe the public will
rather rely upon his facts than the
Estimates SO adroitly made up by
Captain Murphy. AS an instance of the
reckless inaccuracy of Captain Muir
phys statistics, beg to say that I
walked from my home into town this
morning via South Twentieth street, and
from Avenue F to the railroads
counted total of 16 for rent signs,
most of them on dilapidated buildings
erected 20-odd years ago, but several
where parties whose business had SO
| prospered they were moving to larger
quarters nearer the business center Of
the town.
| From the Louisville and Nashville
depot to the Tutwiler hotel found four
stores vacant, and two of them in one
block that has not had any new build
ings erected on same in the 2S years Of
my acquaintance with this city. This
| makes a total of 20 out of some ESQ
stores, which is not so bad with the
| rental season only a month off.
| Captain Murphy said there were
nearly So 1t would seem that the party
| who counted for him must have done
| so In the darkness of night.
! If his other statistics are Is mac
curate as those for Twentieth street,
very little reliance should be placed in
them, and the specious argument he
attempts to make.
l think the time has come when all
citizens should refrain from giving pub
lie expression to such sentiments as
Captain Murphy has given utterance TO-.
They do not square with the aHeged
sentiments Of patriotism he arrogates
| unto himself in his efforts to enlist
troop of cavalry to be used In protect
/ ing our borders against the attack OF a
foreign foe. Verify, the attack upon
our vitals by our supposed friends Is
! more harmful because so insidious and
unexpected.
! Newcomers to Birmingham must not
be impatient and faultfinding, because
everything is not working SO smoothly
as in some cities which have had
century the start of u.s.
| Those of us who have lived mere
quarter of a century and longer have
seen this city grow from struggling
village. and realize the WONDERFUL
strides she has made -,
| While Birmingham has been and Will
for sometime likely continue TO surfer
with growing palms," her destiny is
secure and some of us have an aoluihs
confidence that the future has in store
for this community large measure OF
| y,
Co-operation literally means to work
| with" as we'll as alongside OF. When
our people realize this fully and make
"a strong pull, a long pull and pun
all together" success will be assured
Yours respectfully,
JOHN w. SHELLEY.
| P. S.-since writing the foregoing,
have walked over Second avenue from
Tive second street to SeVehteenei
.+r.a+ and found only three for rent
signs. and looking down to Fifteenth
street l could see nothing but stables
and garages, and every one knows
there never has been any mercanlns
avenue west of Seventeenth street: fe'
lin his letter Captain Murphy said: Iake
lsecond avenue between Fifteenth ano
lTwenty- second streets ana tne nuihp 1or
OF vacant stores will CROWD the Ivy
JOHN w. SHELLEY.
birmingham, August 20, 1916.