The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-30
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

TO our city fathers to cut off some of tho pine timber in Red Mountain park.
 
 So early Wednesday morning I got on the trail of the lonesome pine" by con- meeting with the city hall and getting a seat in the big Cadillac, which needs a new roof as was pointed out by John Hornady, who was afraid he might get caught out in it In rainstorm and get deluged. He said he had been sprinkled once and did not care to be immersed
 put in an hour puttering around among the city employees waiting for the big five to get ready to take drive out to view park they had never seen, but which was getting a good deal of prominence. I had never seen it to know it, although I had passed by it num- Der of times, and had visited the Tuber- culosis hospital, which is situated in one corner of it.
 The commissioners wanted to go out and see for themselves just how it looked and to arrive at some conclusion on the ground as to whether it was the right thing to permit some bidders to come in and clear out some of the larger pine trees under the pleas that it would give the city some revenue and at the same time give the hardwood trees a better chance to grow.
 Now, when I accepted an invitation to accompany the commissioners on a hot summers morning it was in the belief that the reverend seigneurs would drive park, and while sitting in the car com ment on the scenery and after enjoying the outlook beat it back cityward.
 
 But I got the surprise of my life. John Taylor shucked his coat and said T am going to raid this property of ours and peep into every nook and corner and see if there are any stills on it.' John Hornady piped up with the remark that he was going to look it over carefully to see if all sanitary laws were being ob- served. Ellis Brown expressed a wild desire to see if it had been properly sur veyed and legally conveyed. Dr. Burruss was anxious to figure on laying out proper roads, while Dr. Barrett was solicitous that it be made available for picnickers.
 Do you know, somehow away down in my subconsciousness I believe the whole hJ1 1r,nh I,ad or1o,, nd ffN tru Yy1o ka me show yellow streak" or white eye" by endeavoring to walk the tongue out of me. We were met by s. F. Cum ningham, one of the most obliging men in the county, who said that he knew ev- cry foot of the ground and proved it by showing it all to us.
 I never knew before just how much of the earth there was hid away in two hundred acres. We started at one corner and marched in one direction three quarters of mile q thought the way we were going that Red Mountain park would jut into Shelby county). Arriv- guide was ready to go around the square. I told him I liked for men to be on 'the square, but there were some things I was willing to take for granted, and that if he would just point to where the cross line was I would be content.
 We went up hill and down hill, across ravnes, and clampored over rocks. l finally told them I had accepted an in vitation to go out and look over the park, but had not agreed to count the trees. It's strange how curious and per sistent some folks can be when they get out on search. pr. Barrett kept say ing to himself, T am looking for mon arch of the forest.' I thought the sun had gone to his head, but was told that it had been charged that the board was about to be guilty of vandalism, and it was preying on his mind.
 
 made it convenient to stroll along part of the way through the woods with each enc of the commissioners. and was told by every mothers son of them that back ir their younger days they had been rail splitters. From their talk I gath cred that they were pioneer backwoods men. thought John Hornady was pos ing, but on test he was able to tell the difference between a black gum and a red oak.
 I went out there prepared to fall down on my knees and tragically recite Wood man, spare that tree" but after they had gone over the park thoroughly and seen get their permission to cut down a scrub persimmon bush. thought I was going along as a missionary to preach to them the gospel of beauty, but, believe me, was surrounded by band of aesthetics, who made me feel like 'piker' when it came. to being a lover of nature.
 am not speaking with their authority. but I believe I am prophet enough to give it out that not tree will fall in Red Mountain park if the commissioners can prevent it. They have seen for them selves and will see to it that no one does anything to lessen the natural attractive ness of woodland that will one day be the pride and joy of Birmingham.
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 r. S.--I am willing to certify that all of the commissioners are physically fit The hours tramp causes me to say this without reservation.