The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-11-27
SOUTHERN LIMITS CHANGED
Committee Not Authorized to Consider
WOCdIaHn'S Request Tor Concessions.
MATTER TO BE REFERRED TO BOARD
woodlawn Wants Birmingham to As
sumo Interest as Well as Her Debt
Will Lose $500 Income by
the Annexation.

The special committee of the board of
aldermen to draft bill for the incorpora-
ton of Greater Birmingham met yesterday
afternoon and completed the work which
was assigned to them. That is, drawing up
a bill in accordance with the resolution
passed by the board at its last meeting.
Mayor Evans and Aldermen Pearce ana
Kerr, who compose the committee. were all
present.
The bill which they drafted was exactly
in accordance with the Instructions of the
board through its resolution, except that
the committee did not extend the limits OF
the city to the southwark so as to include
all the woods along the sides of Red noun
tain up to the summit. Tine southern limit
will 60 far enough only to include all the
residences at the foot OF the mountain.
Other territory to be annexed by the bill
will be west End, Elyton, Avondale and
W oodlawn, exactly in accordance VITA the
resolution.
The Increase in Population
The committee estimates that between
5000 and lO,VVO Inhabitants will be added TO
the city OF Birmingham by this annexation.
The tax valuatlon OF the property to be an
nexed they estimate to oe about $l,zoO,VVO'
AS the next regular meeting of the board
viii not he neid until wednesday week, it is
understood that speciai meeting Will be
askel. Tor some time this week to consider
the bill winch the committee has drafted.
Ii will be remembered tnat few days aSo
a committee from WoJdawn conferred wi,h
MIR. Evans about the terms OF the bill 20 be
drafted, and it is understood that they said
Woodlawn would never consent to annex
alton unless more concessions were made.
Ine committee say tnat however just
Moodlawn's claims may be, that the COM
mttee could not draw up the bill on any
otner lines tnan those prescribed by their
resolution. They will take pleasure, how
ever, in presenting the arguments to the
board which the Woodlawnites have given
the committee, and the board can then act
as it sees fit.
| 1t will be remembered that the resolution
provides IN the annexation of Woodiawn
that the entire bonded debt of that city be
absorbed by Birmingham, but that the
whole of the revenues derived from taxes
in Woodlawn shall be applied to the pay
ment of the interest of Woodawns debt,
toward maintaining her schools, police and
fire departments and other municipal in
situations. This was to be done for
period of five years.
What WoodiRwn Wants
1t is now learned from members of the
Woodlawn committee and others that
Woodlawn wants more concessions before
she will consent to annexation, as follows:
That Birmingham, besides assuming
Woodlands debt, shall pay the interest
thereon instead of having it paid out of
the revenues of Woodlawn itself This in
terest amounts annually to $1,S00, but ac-
cording to an arrangement similar to the
one made by Birmingham, only half of this
interest has to be paid annually, the re-
mainder maturing four years from now
Woodlawn would be willing to have this
81, 900 paid out of the revenues derived from
its taxes, were 1t not for the fact that that
city will lose by annexation with Birming-
ham $500 of special license taxes and $500 of
sanitary taxes, which that city, as a sepa-
rate municipal corporation now collects.
Woodlawn also insists on representation
on the board of education of Greater Br-
mingham, and also the police commits
sion If that institution is not abolished.
Woodlawn also insists that these provisions
operate for ten years instead of five.
Woodlawn's case Is also the case OF the
other municipalities which 1t is proposed
to annex. Woodawn seems to have taken
the lead however, in demanding more con-
cesslons before she will consent to annexa-
ton. and the other towns seem to be wait
ing to see what disposition will be made of
this test case as 1t may be called.