The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-29

[6TNJ WEN11 years ago, on this Satur
| day night-it was August 1, 1897
l had just acquired a controlling
interest in this newspaper; had writer
the editorials, much of the local, thu
headlines on the Associated Press new!
and assisted in setting the type for thu
first page form. 1 was never more en-
| thusiastic in my career I felt that
owned something. 1t wasn't much.
State Herald, which had little type, {
few rented typesetting machines and &
printing press out of all style, which
printed six-column 131a-em paper will
the columns running along the cylinders
which meant that it couldn't be any
thing but sx-column, eight-page news
paper.
Everybody who had ever touched i
had gone broke, and everybody then liv
ing in Birmingham at one time or an
other, had had some interest in it.
1t had had almost as many editors, and
fully as many directors, as there were
men in business on First and Second
avenues and Twentieth street.
II 4: X
I didn't know half a dozen men in Biz.
mingham when 1 came down to look into
the matter of purchasing this ca'pse OF
newspaper, which owed everybody
who would credit it. 1 bought most OF
the stock for a song, but with the stock
had to assume the debts, several issues
of bonds and mass of notes, relieving
certain endorsers on the same.
* X X
When I found out how much the paper
owed, and met some of the leading finan-
cial lights of Birmingham, an issue Of
$4,000 of Z per cent cumulative pre-.
ferred stock, redeemable at the option
of the newspaper, at par and interest
was suggested. Ten citizens invited me
to meet them at the home of the presi-
dent of a local bank. We met at his
house on the Southside, enjoyed a good
mint julep and each one of the ten men
agreed to take $1,000 of this stock.
The next morning, bright and early,
I acquired a majority of the stock of
The Age-Herald, paying for the same,
and went down to the office on Second
avenue, opposite the postoffice and no.
titled the office force that 1 would take
control that day.
Shortly thereafter, Mr.. Sol Haas, who
was then President of the Sloss COM
pany, and who had been an old friend
of mine in Washington when he was
Vice President and General Manager of
the Southern railway. teiephoned me.
When I met Mr. Haas in response to his
telephone request, he said:
Barrett. what have you done about
The e-Herald?"
II have bought it. Why?"
TAKE my advice" he said. GO back
to Washington. Don't resign your posi-
ton there
II have already done so by wire" I re-
sponded. What is the trouble?''
WELL" said he, "all the other nine
men who were out at Barkers house
last night have backed out this morn
ing. They won't take any preferred
stock in the newspaper. 1 am, however,
perfectly willing to take $1,000 in it."
But quickly I replied: MIR. Hass, I
have bought a majority of the stock of
The Age-Herald. have resigned my
position as Washington correspondent
of the Atlanta Constitution l have no.
titled the office Of the State Her
aid that 1 would take charge today and
get out tomorrow mornings issue. A
thousand dollars would amount to moth
ing. I propose either to make a good
and successful newspaper out of it or
to fail like a good SPORT.
''You are sure to fall" said he. colder
and more experienced men have tried it
and failed. There is no chance for a
young fellow like you.''
l was very much Disguised, but replied
that if I failed 1 was going to fail
alone and was very glad that l shouldn't
have a lot of men with few dollars Of
money and selfish and conflicting ideas
to be harassing and annoying me on a
board of directors.
Under the law, board of directors
was necessary, but I did get three or
four splendid good fellows to act. and
several of them are still acting.
X x
1t was quite a job to issue the first
paper the next morning. 1t was Sum
day morning and the paper contained IL
pages with quite a bit of advertising.
M. " Joseph of Loveman, Joseph 4
Loeb had half-page at rate many
MMIR