The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-29
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS


requirements, it has already become !
wholly inadequate to meet the daily |
needs, and contract has been let to |
double its size and improve it's mechan-
ical outfit in order to give better service |
in every way possible.
Now The Age-Herald all during the !
war and since the signing of the armi-
stice kept its head, editorially speaking.
and urged the public not to be STAN
peded, but so far as possible to act with
prudent foresight and buy and build con-
servatively. 1t never counseled thrift
which was tainted with miserliness or adj
vocated reckless expenditures; but it
did ring clear note that the best way
to insure prosperity was to forge ahead
and not wait for prices to hit low
level.
ture that the management was ready to .
follow the public policy outlined in its
columns, and as actions speak louder
than words, the sound of hammer and
saw and trowel is evidence that those
responsible for the papers future are
willing to put hard cash behind the be-
lief that Birmingham is just beginning
to get its real start towards the goal
which will make it the greatest city in
the south.
Billy Weston never made any pre-
tense that he knew how to build shoddy
building. On the other hand, it was his
proud boast that he had ideals and want
ed not to see how cheap but how good
he could make a home, a store or an Of
fee building. This is why The Age-Her-
aid is one Of the best structures in the
city and is also the reason that it's
front is reckoned in architectural circles
as one Of the most beautiful and appro-
pirate newspaper buildings in the world.
If you question this 1 advise you to stop
on the north side of Fifth avenue some
day and study it out for yourself and
you will see that there is a reason"
p
1 stood at my window IN the news
workmen begin to tear down the brick
garage just in rear of the building on
the alley.
| 1t meant that for the second time with
| in score of years The Age-Herald had
outgrown it's quarters. Now, I'll not go
any further back than to its old home
on Second avenue. for it was there
| that Mr. Barrett found it in the days
| when it was. fight to keep it a going
concern.
| 1 came back here on January 1, 1902,
and began to publish the Alabama Bap-
! fist, and for quite a while I had my
cuts made in the engraving department
before Walter Blackman got a national
reputation as a cartoonist 1t was
rather primitive outfit but 1 liked Walter
| and his assistant and saw good deal
of both of them.
! l never came in contact with Mr. Bar
rett only in the most casual way, but
frequently was thrown with Ross Smith,
the business manager, and knew Stanley,
now the managing editor, and Jeffries
from the old days, and John McRae, and
Tobin, and Miss Wright, and last but not
least Mr.. Ryan All of them are still
with the paper with the exception of
Ross.
Now, the old building was wonderfully
and fearfuly made and cut to pieces IN
most extraordinary manner, and it took
an adventurous man to make the ascent
from the ground floor, where Big
| Pete was boss on up to the composing
\ room, where Holt was in charge, and
thence back in the rear of the top floor
where Walter ruled the roost | always
marveled how the force got out such a
good journal in such rat trap of ahouse.
| The hour arrived when it was deemed
wise to seek a new home, ana after much
careful thought a lot was bought on
Fifth avenue, where the present build
ing now stands, and Weston and his as
sistant, Eugene Knight, were put to
work on plans to take care of the needs
of the paper for at least quarter of a
century They thought that they had
cone so, and every one connected with
lit, was sure of it. but the whole bunch
had failed to realize its possibilities
A great many people who make light
of creeds in the sense Of subscribing to
any formulated by the various religious
|councils of the past, yet have personal
creed of their own, that is if they are
Icapable of thinking for themselves. There
are different kinds of creeds. Business
has a creed of it's own, and am glad
that it is being revised year by year to
inject the growing demands of social JUS
ltice.
Now, The Age Herald has a creed, and
that is why it is spending SO much money
at this time. 1t has steadily gained in
circulation and business since coming
into its present home, and as it is max
ing money, instead of taking its profits
out of the paper Mr.. Barrett is putting
them back into the paper. charging II
and improving it all the time. on the
theory that it owes it's success to its
readers, and that in charging its circu-
lation it better pays its advertisers.
And lust because of this policy The
Age Herald needs a new press with ca
pacity sufficient to print quickly the
! fcopies demanded by the increasing circu-
llation. The big new press installed
about 10 years ago, with its older brother