The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-26
MEN, WOMEN
 AND T'HINGS


 the Tutwiler and was introduced to Rear Admiral F, F. Fletcher, Commander F. H. Clark and Civil Engineer R. E. Baken- bus.
 Just before the automobile trip our staff photographer caught the visitors and 6 number of the leading citizens as they filed out of the Fifth avenue entrance. He remarked to me that the board was camera wise and stood to attention as if it was part of the days work. Tn the five automobiles which sped away were representative men from the va rious walks of life to try and impress upon Birmingham's guests that the city was self-contained and had everything that made 1t an ideal place not merely for a great industrial enterprise but as a place of residence.
 It had been years since I toured the district. As the cars rushed through North Birmingham, Boyles, Tarrant City, Acipco, Dolomite, East Thomas, Pratt City, Ensley, Fairfield, Bessemer and many, many camps 1t was hard to be- lieve the witness of my own eyes.
 
 To my mind, it beat all of the oratory in the world; our men had only to give name to the great industries and let them speak for themselves.
 The board had ocular evidence that the hills were stored with iron, coal and lime rock. That the valleys were fertile and filled with running streams. That on every side were suitable sites.
 
 I dare say that the trip through the Finley railroad yards was an eye opener and taken in connection with the map published in Sundays Age-Herald, as in terpreted by MT. Doughty, impressed our guests with the fact not merely of Bir- mingham's superior values as a railroad center, but with the idea of the value the railroads themselves put upon Birming- hams future.
 ] 5dlu tO I1lll SI6uSOIy NIlO Wd6 III lIC car with me- T think it would be a great thing for the Chamber of Commerce to get up such trip for the merchants and let them see just what the district has back of it.''
 I dare any man to make the 56-mile trip and come back a pessimist-about the
  mingham booster, but now more than ever. I'm convinced that in this valley is going to be the greatest city in the south.
 Hot air? Not a bit of it. I came to Birmingham when it was an overgrown village and had a box car for depot. Yesterday I rode beneath 8 s1,ooo,OoO Ter minal station.
 The cars halted on the side of Red mountain and got view of the stupen- dous mining operations of one of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad conn pany's great properties, while the smoke from Bessemer, Ensley and Birmingham industries mounted heavenward, seeming to unite upon the skies the supremacy of the great district as the only place for the arnor plate plant
 
 The party got back to the Tutwiler at l p. m. for lunch in the private dining room had the honor and privilege to sit next to Rear Admiral Fletcher, and
 
 
 Knowing just what Morris Bush and the committee had framed up for his benefit in the public hearing to take place when lunch was over, I didn't have the heart to spoil his meal by pumping Birmingham dope into his tired ears. I just talked to him as though he were guest in my home. I found him deeply interested in flowers and in Bir- mirgham's soil ability to grow beautiful roses. We talked about farming condi- ticns He was reared on farm. He was greatly interested or at least polite enough to show interest in the peanut industry, in velvet beans and alfalfa. We talked about chickens, hogs and cattle.
 .
 I'm afraid the committee will get after me for wasting the hour. but somehow I forgot to look upon my table partner as an admiral or a man who had it within his power to give Birmingham an armor plate plant and talked to him just as a man, whom I found to be very human and easy to fellowship with.
 I'm going to skip for the time the pub- lie hearing and jump to the dinner at the Country club on Saturday night. Here got to talk to Commander Clark. He has rather g sleepy, dreamy look, but he struck me as being able to see moro out of the corner of one eye than most men can see with both eyes wide open. At the hearing he seemed the least bit bored and at times inattentive, but he was saw and heard and tucked 1t all away ir his memory as I learned from some oi his comments and questions.
 
 He got good one on me. AS no one overheard it, I'm going to tell it. It's too good to keep. Learning that was g preacher, he said: T hope you are not like one of the chaplains in the navy ] who knew so little about the Bible that an officer won a bet from brother of ficer on another ship that his chaplain could not name the 12 apostles" Car