The age-herald., 1900-09-21
The Proposed Sanitary Sewer Through Western Jefferson
TO OBVIATE MANY EVILS
Meeting of Taxpayers of the County at Seals Hall
 September 25

uC bliIhIL5 Lieiul ISSsi IStdtc <ASSOCtdtlOll has started movement looking to the building of sanitary sewer from Birm- ingham through the most popuous portion of the county, and on to an outlet where there will be little danger to health from its discharge.
 The sewage question has for sometime past been d serious one in Birmingham, and the city has already had several legal fights to make on account of it's present system. The residents and property-owners west of the city and along Village Creek object to the sewage of Birmingham being dumped into that stream above their homes. This opposition crystalized into several damage suits against the city, and in at least one of these the plaintiff was given a verdict for damages.
 The Birmingham Real Estate Association, composed of the leading real estate agents of the city, has issued the following call for mass meeting of citizens of Jefferson County:
 The Birmingham Real Estate Association hereby calls a mass meeting of the tax pay CTS of Jefferson County, Ala, to be held at Seals hall, in Birmingham, on the 18th day of September 1900, at o'clock p. m.
 We desire at this meeting to get an ex- pression from the taxpayers in regard to the construction of main sewers at the ex- pense of the county.
 This association has considered the mat ter and submit the following propositions:
 First-It is now necessary, in order to preserve the health of the entire county, that the sewerage of the various munich palities should be carried beyond the popu- lated area of the county, and that this should be done as soon as possible.
 Second-That the needed sewerage can be done at less expense by the county building the main line of sewers at it's ex- pense, and each municipality at its ex- pense, connecting with the main sewer constructed by the county than could be done by each municipality attempting 70 construct independent lines of sewerage.
 Third-That no municipality in the coun- ty is financially able to construct sewerage lines so as to carry it's sewerage beyond the limits of population.
 Fourth - That unless the county con structs the main lines of sewerage the smaller municipalities cannot have sewer age because of financial inability to extend the line beyond the thickly populated dis tricts, and the larger municipalities can not have sewerage which will not be detr1- mental to the health of thickly populated communities because of financial inability to extend lines beyond the limit of thickly populated districts.
 Fifth-That the county is financially able to construct main lines of sewers and still remain within the constitutional limit of taxation. The county could now levy cent rate for this purpose, which, at the E;,0,. of bring in $20,OO0 a year, which sum would pay interest on $5OO,OOO of per cent bonds, and which, if now expended in main sewers, would go far towards solving the sewer age problem.
 Sixth-That the county now pays ten- cent road tax and five-cent bridge tax, and while the municipalities pay more than one-half of this tax, not one cent is ex- pended within the limits of any municipal ity; the only benefit derived from this tax by the municipality being the incidental benefit of good roads and good bridges in the county
 We submit that good health in the muni- cipalities is of incidental benefit to the en- tire county, and if it Is just to tax the municipalities for good roads and good bridges throughout the county, it is equally just to tax the entire county to preserve the public health by constructing at the ex- pense of the county main lines of sewer.
 Seventh-That the county has in the past rightly expended money in caring for the sick, and in stamping out epidemics; and we submit that it is good business ana common sense for the county to spend money to preserve the public health and prevent epidemics.
 For the reasons stated in the above prop ositions, this association has decided to call a mass meeting of tax payers to consider this question.
 This association feels that the coming ses- sion of the Legislature should be asked to authorize the county to do this needed work; that delay in having this work done is dangerous.
 We respectfully invite the Senator and Representatives of this county, the mem- bers of the board of revenue and the Mayor and Aldermen of Birmingham to be pres ent at the next meeting.
 T. H. MOTION, President.
 S. w. SLATON, Sescretary.