The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-07
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

catur-Albany.
 couple of weeks back was called to Albany and while there invited to be present and to speak at mass meet iEg of representative citizens from Athens. Huntsville, Cullman, Hartselle, Decatur and other cities in the interest of the Limestone Morgan Bridge Com pany.
 The project made strong appeal to me and I was glad to add my word to the many glowing tributes paid to the Tennessee valley and the need of bridg- ing the Tennessee in order to complete the connecting link between north and south Alabama. great amount of en- thusiasm was engendered at the gath ering.
 I returned home feeling that at last the dream of many generations of>men was about to be realized. week had not elapsed before I got long distance message from my friend, T. M. Dix, ask ing me to come to Decatur. to speak at a mass meeting of her citizens to be held at the city hall with the view of taking. definite action to start sub scription to raise the necessary money to make a beginning.
 It was with pleasure that I boarded the train, for having seen the spirit of the Albany and Athens bunch I felt sure that when Decatur had her say she would speak in no uncertain tones. representative body of men met>and at once got down to work after the numerous stirring addresses of her leading and progressive citizens. A number of pledges to take certain amounts of stock were made and the meeting adjourned with the intention of taking up the work in a personal way the following morning.
 The meeting took place Monday night and before supper Tuesday evening I was called to the telephone saying that Athens had telephoned in that she had raised s75.0o0; that Decatur was down for s1o0,00o. and that Albany had pledged $200,000. went to bed feeling that the bridge was as good as built, for I was sure that Huntsville, Pulaski, Cullman and other interested towns would do their part and that if 1t be- came necessary, Birmingham, Mont gomery and Mobile would come to the rescue and subscibe the amount needed to complete the job.
 never cross the Tennessee at Decatur without marveling that it has been a1- lowed to cut north and south Alabama in twain for a hundred years. It is a great river. I have been on it at flood tide when 1t seemed to be veritable Mississippi. I have seen 1t again at low ebb, and then I have pleasant memories not only of the boat trip up to Muscle Shoals with Secretaries Baker Lane and when the water was clear and the banks discernible.
 No wonder that Senator Morgan was able to say in speaking of the Tennes- see valley that, Vast areas of the most productive soils, yielding enormous crops of food, cereals and textiles fruits and grapes, and forests that are almost primeval and include all the varieties of trees that grow in the temperate zones; vast beds of coal and iron, zinc, lead and copper ores. and rich veins of Qnlds of ma Fl O eel those of Italy in texture and in the varieties of beautiful coloring, and all of the slates and rocks that are useful and beautiful in architecture, while the hills are crowned with the plumes of stately pine forests that never fade or fall"
 I started out to try and describe the richness and beauty of the Tennessee valley but remembering that John T. Morgan had done it, had sense enough Ito give his graphic and expert account and not spoil it by my amateurish ef- fort. I only wish that he were living today to ride through the Panama canal and later to make trip through Muscle Shoals and wind up his itinerary by riding across the bridge which will soon arch the majestic stream at Decatur Albany He had the visions and it's for Us to make them come true.
 
 The Tennessee valley has an average width of twelve miles with an area of approximately 1900 square miles, and an elevation of $50 feet in the state of Tennessee but in Alabama we think of it as much broader if shorter. I do not know the exact figures, but it is truly a kingdom in its possibilities. And now it's to be opened and exploited as never before, and what horse power could not do motor power has accomplished, for a way had to be made to take care of pleasure and business cars It is inn possible to foretell the amount of travel which will follow the bee line when it has been made a permanent highway. I am not only glad that the Tennes- | see is no longer to be a barrier. but that on it's broad bosom the freight of the tri-cities will swell the volume of what we used to call the twin cities, before the operation was performed which called for change of name. A 1 lot of people get excited over the mat l ter. of binding them once more in uni | son, but those of us who take the long view know that it's only matter of time when they will grow together, and as a preacher when the hour is ready to pronounce them one. I'll feel | like saying: What God hath joined to- gether, let not man put asunder" l It's a good sign for the future that