The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-04
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

the many currents of this great city.
| I rarely ever go down in to the bust
| ness district from the Herald with
! ont passing through its lobby for
| never know what / will see or wnom
| will meet, for one is liable to witness
strange sights or meet people from all
parts of the world.
Che night I stroiled into it ana found
the famous $4,000 dollar Presidents
bull, and by his side a snow white
| COW. with a great crowd of our hest
citizens paying them tribute. 1t was
at the height of the Red Cross cam
raisn. and every one thought it perr
! fectly r. oper, though it did isAzs Fred
h:re,na,. a bit when it was ti:st put
up to lin.
1t was Frank l. Derby who put it
ova-, and no stranger stunt was ever
pulled in this or any other city up to
| that time; but the same Frank Is put
ting one over now that knocks that
, into a cooked hat for be is going
to Bridge the Bigbee with Cocks" and
already his seemingly preposterous
scheme is being talked about on two
continents.
I was in the Red Cross bull sale from
its inception until it's finish. 1 not only
attended the preliminary meetings at
| the Chamber of Commerce bur with
Fred Jones, the president of the South
ern Cattle association went up and
down the state to interest the differ
| ent towns in buying short horn bulls.
4 1t was a rare experience and one I will
| never forget.
| Now it is proved a great financial
same time created an interes! in pure
| bred cattle in Alabama which could
not have been done In the same time
in any other way and resulted in scores
| of high bred short horn bulls being
placed in many counties in the -state-
L: was great boost to the cattle game,
| and l am glad had a part in 1t.
|
| Now when a month or so ago the
|
Of indomitable energy, and a natural
born optimist came to Birming ham
| and put before me his rooster pro-
gramme I would have laughed it to
scorn if any one else had proposed or
sidestepped on the ground that he
was "strnging me-" but having had
| experience with him in another venture
| which seemed the widest pipe dream,
did manage to keep a straight face.
|
| My goodness, I do not know what
would have happened il Frank had
lived in the days when Barnum was
| at his best, for 1 am sure that if the
have concocted schemes which would
have made this old world of ours sit
up and rub its eyes to find out whether
the universe was being run by Baron
Munchausenor and life had become one
huge Joke. 1t seems mankind lost a
| good time by Franks coming on the
stage after the other one had played
his part and left it.
|
\
in degree which amounted to positive
genius and Frank Derby is heaven
born publicity agent, and if he Is not
careful some rich and powerful amuse-
nent kings and commander his SER
vices to create press notices for their
ventures. The Red Cross bull sale ad-
vertised Birmingham throughout all
America, and now the rooster sale has
carried the name of Demopolis not only
in the United States but in England,
France and Italy.
| And knowing Frank as a twentieth
century wizard not only in the gentle
art of originating unheard of schemes
| but in ramming them down the public
and making big and little do his bid
ding 1 heartily accepted his invitation
to run down to Demopolis to attend
| the famous rooster dinner to hear him
elaborate the latest child Of his fertile
| ina gination, the bridging of the Bigbee
with Cocks. 1t sounded like bull but
before he finished we saw him raise
dust and feathers
| To be honest will have to confes,
that in spite of my having seen him
work miracles had little faith in his
ability to get the worlds big four
! President Wilson. Lloyd George. Gle,
nenceau, and Orlando. the Statesman
who had in their keeping not only the
welfare of America, England, France
and Italy, but the happiness of mankind
to pause in the midst Of the conference.
around the pease table to even be anus.
ed by such an unheard OF proposition
% to build bridge with cocks.
Yet, what has happened. The treat,
Of peace still hangs in the balance
While the Senate debates the league o,
nations but Frank Derbys scheme ha.
been realized to this extent that the
four outstanding figures in the worlt
today have contributed ROSTERS anc
that I with my own eyes saw them or
Saturday in the lobby of the Tutwiler
and heard them Growing Justify as mer
OF all ranks came to gaze upon them.
Yes. the famous hosiery in Birming
ham is put to various uses, for it
arched walls have reverberated to the
believing of bull, the lowing of 3
COW and the challenge of the game
BOOSTERS clarion call. do not know
what Frank Derby will spring on u.
next but II live long enough fee
confident that one day he will stage
a whole menagerie in its lobby, and ths
j public viii flock to It as to 300"
=