The age-herald., 1900-10-09
THE MAIN SEWER
 FOR THE COUNTY Ably Discussed With the Board
 of Revenue. MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH Of Jefferson County's Total Valuation of $4o,ooo,ooo, Fully $3e,ooo,-
 900 in the Precincts Di-
 rectly Affected
MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH


 will make an appropriation of 5000 for a preliminary survey of the main sewer for Jefferson County The board now has the matter under advisement and will make known it's decision this morning.
 The committee raised by mass meeting September 26 to take up the question of building a big sanitary sewer to run from East Lake to Bullard's Shoals, below Bes- semer, went before the Board of Revenue yesterday afternoon and formally request ed an appropriation of S10OO to be expended in making a preliminary survey of the sewer.
 Rufus N. Rhodes acting chairman of the committee, was principal spokesman for the committee. He set out the purposes of the committee and the necessity for the sewer. He said that the only question to be considered in connection with the build ing of the sewer was its importance; that it was necessary for the maintaining of good health in the valley from East Lake to Bessemer he did not think any one would doubt
 Question of Life and Death
 E. J. Smyer, chairman of the committee, who joined the other members of the com mittee in the office of the Board of Reve- nue, followed MT. Rhodes in advocating an appropriation for temporary survey. He stated that the tax books would show that of the total assessed valuations in Jeffer- son County, about s40 900, over $96, 00O GOO of the property was located in the pre- cincts to be connected with the main sewer. He said that it was not a question of appreciation in property values, but of life and death to the people of Jefferson County. He said if the population of the county continues to increase as rapidly as it has in the past four years, that within ten years more than quarter of a million people will have their homes in the coun- ty, the bulk of whom will live in the val ley to be drained by the sewer These peo- pie, he said, must have sewer to carry the sewage beyond the populous section He said that if an epidemic was to break out in the county 1t would be brought to Birmingham, and that if one were to break out in Birmingham outside communication would be cut off from every farm in the county.
 Suburban Needs
 Mayor Burruss of Woodlawn said that it was a fact that Birmingham had no place to dump it's sewage, that its means would permit it to reach, and that Woodlawn and Avondale had no outlet at all He referred to the suits that have been filed in courts against Birmingham on account of the sew age now being dumped into Valley Creek, a few miles below the city and said they !, was carried beyond the populous sections.
 T. H. Motion. J. R. Gillespie, Mayor Dren- nen and Major F. Y. Anderson of the con- mittee urged upon the board the importance of the proposed sewer.
 President Tarrant of the Board of Rev enue stated that the board would take the matter up at the earliest possible moment, and that it would be given the most careful and thorough consideration. The board he said, could not act at that time; but 1t would do so Tuesday and the com mittee would likely be given an answer by noon.
 MT. Crook of the Board of Revenue said he was as heartily in favor of the construc- .tion of the sewer as any man in Jefferson County. He said the board had asked for a report from Board of Health, and expect ed to have that by this morning when in- telligent action the request of the com mittee could be taken.
 Mir. Laird of the Board of Revenue spoke favorably to the building of the sewer, as did MT. McGeever, also member of the board.
 While the Board of Revenue did not act on the request for an appropriation yester- day afternoon, those who were present at the meetings of the board and the con- mittee left under the impression that the appropriation would be made today.
 City Engineer Julian Kendrick was pres ent at the meeting of the board and the committee and gave valuable information concerning the proposed sewer. He has made rough estimates of the cost of pre- liminary survey of thy route of the proposed sewer, which he was sure would not exceed $1OO0
 There will be another meeting of the con- mittee soon after the Board of Revenue acts for an appropriation for the preliminary survey. No definite time has been fixed for the meeting, but it will be subject to the call of the chairman.