The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-24
BESSEMER HOST
 TO W. J. BRYAN
Business Men Back Proposal To Erect New Seventy-fiye-
 Room Hotel Building
(BESSEMER BUREAU)

Room Hotel Building
 (BEssEMER BUREAU
 BESSEMER, Ala. Feb. 23.-The visit of William Jennings Bryan to Bessemer Sunday will be one first appearance of the commoner to this city, and this, coupled with the fact that he is to speak only on religious topics. renders his lectures here of spe- cial interest. His lecture at the First Methodist church in the evening will be on Evolution" a subject upon which he has gained national attention.
 It is expected that there will be numbers of people from Birmingham and other points in the county to at tend his lectures at Bessemer Sunday. For this reason, Mir. Bryan has agreed to make three lectures at as many churches Sunday, in order to accom- modate the crowds. At 10 o'clock in the morning Mir. Bryan will address gathering of the Mems Bible classes of the city at the First Baptist church. The First Meth ,odist, First Baptist, First Presbyterian and the New Era Baraca classes will hold their regular meetings at the First Baptist church. A musical program has been arranged by George Houston and Mrs. Macon Williams.
 At II o'clock Mir. Bryan will deliver lecture at the First Presbyterian church. Another large congregation is expectde there and the choir has ar ranged a special musical program. The subject for this occasion has not been announced. Another lecture will be de- livered on. Evolution at the First Methodist church at ' 80 o'clock in the evening. ?.
 Push Hotel Project
 At special meeting of the board of directors of the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce Friday evening it was decided to approve plans for the erection of a new 75-room hotel and to bring this ma tier to the attention of the various civic organizations, asking their sup port.
 The meeting Friday evening was to consider a survey of the district made by J. F. Downs several weeks ago. showing that a hotel of this size should receive liberal patronage.
 Mir. Downes represents statistical corporation specializing in hotel work, and their services were secured be- cause, a disinterested report of .condi- tions here was wanted. The survey was gone into in detail by committee ap- pointed by the board of directors which later decided to recommend the work of securing funds for the erection of the hotel.
 Several members of the board were named as committees to visit the lunch con clubs at their meetings this week, and urge that expressions be made from these bodies so as to discover the co fnxr rd ha ral business men have agreed to take stock in the enterprise.
 Make Heavy Investment
 p One of the largest investments in downtown property in recent months. was recorded in the purchase of the Alabama Holding company, of front age of four hundred feet in the block bounded by Third and Fourth avenues and Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets. This company has recently ac- quired the corner 100x10O feet on Eighteenth and Third; 1O0x14O ad- joining and fronting Third avenue; 1OOx1O0 on the corner of Eighteenth street and Fourth avenue. The com pany is closely allied to the Alabama Water company, and will build an of flee structure on the inside lots on Third avenue in the near future, it is understood. The purchase price of the various pieces of property is said to have been $32,OOO, the sales being negotiated through the Ferry Murrah company.
 Plan League Institute
 Plans were made Friday evening at banquet at the First Methodist church for holding a training school during next week for the Methodist churches of the Bessemer district. The Bessemer church will be host on this occasion, and the school will last until Friday evening, beginning with a rally on Sun day afternoon.
 Miss Helen Hasty acted as toastmis- tress at the Friday banquet and an explanation of the work was made by Dr. Powelson, of Birmingham-S Southern college, while Rev. B. T. Waites made an interesting short talk on the enter tainment features for the school. A musical program was rendered by the Silvertone Six orchestra, with Miss Lu- cile Lytle as director, and Miss PhyI- lis Waites contributed several vocal selections.
 The instruction school Will be launch ed with a mass meeting at the First Methodist church Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock, with representatives present from the churches at Jonesboro. Wal nut Grove, Powderly, Lipscomb and Brighton. Young people from these churches will attend the classes during the week. which will convene each eve ming at 6 80 o'clock.
 Improve School Grounds
 Patrons and pupils of McAdory high school will hold Campus Day" at that school all day Tuesday, when the grounds about the building will be i'm proved. An all-day meeting will be held with the residents of the con- munity assisting in the work under the direction of state and county agents. k. C. Briggs of Auburn and J. c. Lowery, county agent, will have charge of the work. Prof. H. H. King. prin- clpal of the school, has been charged With seeing that plenty of labor and material is on hand,
 Blue prints of the improvements to be made on the grounds have been com piled and committees have been appoint ed from all organizations in the com munlty to assist in securing large at- tendance during the day. The women or the community will serve dinner on the grounds at noon.
 Carl Bridges Dies
 Carl Bridges. 30. died Saturday aft ernoon at the Shades Mountain sani- tarium. following a long illness. He IS survived by his father. T. w. Bridges, one brother and three sisters. Funeral services will be announced later by Jacobs pending arrival of relatives.
 Peter GurlandO
 Peter Gurlando, 34, died Friday eve ming at o'clock at the family resi- dence, 2525 Fifth avenue, following a short illness. Mir. Gurlando is survived by his widow and four children. Fu- neral saruinas mill ha LaIl - ,..