Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-03

 lying districts.
 Under the new assessment law, four (D blocks on Seventh avenue have peen graded and slagged. and when covered with chert will be charged up to aout- Permanent sidewalks costing $S,263.i IS have been laid and charged to abuttlhg property. aooo ID ,,,, been laid and charged up to the abuttlhG property. seven permits have been issued 10 eEca- yate in streets; 154 permits have been iS- sued for sewer connectons; 5l4 lnspec- tions made on plumbing work
 The block book has been properly pre- pared for the territory acquired in the last administration.
 extensive permanent improvements done at his own expense by Mir E. N. Cullom on Avenue TX" It is simply wonderful.
 SANITATION.
 Outside of the garbage contract, which has net been carried cut as well as could have been desired the general report CT satitation is good, and many long neeaed improvements were made.
 Tn justice to the garbage contractor It must, however, be remeintered that the former board paid $1 325 per month for what we in 1886, paid $595, and Se50 in 1895. and in addition l know that the pres ent contractor has had to haul off much additional weeds cut in private yards py order Of the present board ot h healtn.
 The new charter should require eaeh household to care for and remove It's own trash ard garbage or pay the city to nave 1t done properly.
 Extensive improve ments have been made in the drainage of the lower DOT tions of the city by deepening and widen ing old or cutting new drainage dltcnes. Fifteen thousand five hundred and six teen feet of sanitary sewers have been 1ai eip $9Sas. borne by the various property holders affected.
 Tine entire system is in good condition, and stoppages have steadily decreased under these betterments.
 Also extensive plans for the Elghth alley sewer have been carefully prepared and are on file in the engineers office.
 new and complete plumbing ordl- nance has greatly aided in giving bet ter work to the citizens and more satls- faction to the plumbers. This would De still hettered if the city engineer could be relieved of this duty and practicai plumber employed as plumbing inspector Such an arrangement seems possible py slight changes
 Under this head l report sixty-cne old and unsanitary buildings torn down and sixteen closed up during this administra- tion.
 LIGHTS.
 have nothing new to say about lights, save that the service is much improved, owing to the magnificent new power plant of the company The city needs more and needs them badly, but can not and is not paying promptly for what we now use. The chairman of the com- mittee charged with this duty will doubt lessly call your attention and that Of the new board to proper allowance to the city by failure of the company to furn- ish lights for several nights owing to damage by storms and sleet.
 WATER.
 Last summer deemed it my duty un- der the contract of the Birmingham Wa ter Works company, with the city, that the water shall be clear, wholesome ana suitable for all domestic purposes, to ad- dress a communication to the general manager of the company, inquiring why the water was for such long period so muddy and thus apparently unWhols- some and unfit for all domestic purposes The reason given by him in reply was to the effect that the continued rains had muddied the Cahaba river and Five mile creek and that so much water was be- ing needlessly wasted as to render it impossible to collect and store suffl- cent quantity in the large settling bas- sin, to settle and clear before pumping into the mains. I thereupon ordered an immediate inspection of the city made at the cityS expense, so as to ascertain more clearly the facts in the case This inspection, afterwards ratified by you, confirmed a large waste of water be-
  CTS But as the city had already passed all apparently needed ordinances to pro- tect the company, l took the position that the Water Works company should ap- ply as other citizens do. to the police commission and to the police court for the enforcement of ordinances. The waste is great but the remedy plain.
 In this connection I also think il proper to add that 1t is my firm belief that much water is wasted from the pipes before it reaches the hydrants, both in the streets and alleys and on private property. This is caused by old and decaying pipes, bad plumbing, and by average high pressure now maintained on the mains
 LEGAL DEPARTMENT
 The report from this department is so clear cut and interesting that l here with present it In full. The present city attorney has not only achieved marked dis .inction for himself. but he has saved this city many thousands of dollars. He has simply been invaluable to me and to other officers who have had to daily con suit him. His salary was increased from $50 to $l00 per month in March last by your orders so that he could give his en- tire time to the cityS business.
 From the best information 1 can gather l am convinced that the work or the at torney for the new board has been SC reduced and disposed of. that adequat te legal services can be secured at almost nominal cost, a gratifying outlook consid- ering the strained condition of the f- mances.
 REPORT or CITY ATTORNEY. To the Honorable. the Mayor and Alder men of Birmingham.
 Gentlemen-In accordance with section 61 of the city code. I herewith submit the following report of the suits and legal matters coming into my hands, since my retainer by you on, to-wlt: April s 1895 as your attorney. l make 1t to re- late back to this time. as I have not here tofore submitted a full report.
 Total number Of cases pending in courts of record. including appeal cases iron inferior courts 10l; total number of eases tried and disposed of in courts of record S5 total number of cases remaining tc be disposed of in courts of record, l9; oi these seven @ are appeal cases from in, ferior court, leaving twelve QO civil cases total number of appeal cases tried and disposed of, Il; total number of suits against city in courts of record other than appeal cases, 26 all Of the damage suits against the city have been disposed of but one Q: number of judgments ob'