Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-16
THE BICYCLE ORDINANCE
Passes Its Third Reading and Is
Now a Law.
NO LAMPS ARE REQUIRED
Interesting Report From the Mayor-Frank
Gardner Elected License Inspector to
Succeed Samuel Mngea.

The mayor and board of aldermen held
a regular meeting last night in the city
council chamber with all of the board
present except Aldermen Jones, Ullman
and West.
Secretary Camp read the minutes of
the previous meeting and there being
no objection they stood approved.
Mayor VanHoose read report show
ing what moneys had been collected by
the city during the past year and what
disposition had been made of same.
He stated that the new engine which
had been purchased of the American
Fire Engine company had stood the test
and proved satisfactory. He also stated
that the leakage of water from pipes
was very great and that while he had
had the matter in vestigated, was not
prepared to state the exact amount
number of petitions were read and
referred by the mayor to the proper COM
mtteeS.
the rules, was allowed to make state
ment for the retail merchants, appeal
ing for adjustment of the merchant tax
law. The claim made was that unjust
taxes had been levied upon certain mer-
chants, who had also been arrested. On
to request Judge Feagin to continue
these cases until the matter could be
looked into by the board.
Then came the ordinance for the regu-
lation of bicycles, which provides, among
other things, that each wheel shall be
equipped with a bell or gong not more
than inches in diameter; that the speed
shall not exceed twelve miles per hour;
that no person shall be allowed to ride
with their hands off the handle bars. 1T
also provides that any person found
guilty of obstructing highways by plac-
ing glass tacks or anything calculated to
puncture pneumatic tire thereon shall
be fined not less than 81 nor more than
$500.
There was an attempt made to intro
duce clause in the bicycle ordinance
compelling every rider to have his wheel
equipped with a lamp. This was de-
feated. Mr.. Stratford of the Loosely
Cycle company spoke against the meas
ure, saying that he was a practical BIZ
cycle man and that he had not as yet
been able to find a satisfactory lamp,
and explained that in compelling all
wheelmen to have lamps 1t was making
IS per cent of riders pay for the reckless
riding of the remaining Is per cent.
A number of bills were ordered paid
being reported upon favorably by the
finance committee.
A bill for sprinklipg the street in front
of the city hall was disaliowed.
resolution presented by Alderman
Kettig was passed authorizing the city
tax collector to use all possible legal
means to collect merchants tax already
due.
An ordinance to prevent extortion by
money lenders was referred to the execu-
tive session.
The petition of ]. G. Draugh to be al
lowed to open saloon at Eighth avenue
and Twenty-fourth street was disallow-
ed.
L. p. Mckinney of the fire department
was allowed half pay for time lost dur
ing a spell of sickness.
Alderman Ward made an appeal to the
board to have a sidewalk put down on
the east side of Eighteenth street from
Second to Fourth avenue, but nothing
was done in regard to the matter.
The board then went into executive SEES
sion and elected Mr.. Frank Gardner
license Inspector, Mr.. Mingea having
rendered his resignation.