The age-herald., 1901-02-07
MEETING OF THE
 BOARD OF TRADE Several Important Matters Up for
 Consideration. FIRE INSURANCE RATES Committee to Go Before Legislature. Ask City Council to Abolish Or Mod ify Special License Tax-other
 Business.
FIRE INSURANCE RATES

The Board of Trade held it's regular mothly meeting last night, but the session did not last long, as the members desired to go before the City Council and urge reduction in the special merchants tax lev jed by the city for the year 1901 A number oe new members were elected, the attorney was instructed to secure charter for the Board of Trade and the President was in- structed to appoint a committee to go be- fore the Legislature in the interest of lower fire insurance rates in Alabama.
 President John w. O'Neill called the Board of Trade to order in Elks Hall at S:3O o'clock and reported the action of the Board of Control, which met in the after noon. He stated that John w. Tomlinson had been employed as attorney for the Board of Trade that a committee had been appointed to confer with the Southeastern Tariff Association and ascertain what inn provemeents or additions to the fire depart ment W ould be necessary in order to place Birmingham on the first class basis, and recommended the appointment of a com- mittee to call upon the Legislature and ask that representatives of merchants in Ala bama be placed on the same footing with regard to privilege license with merchants out of the Staate. Under the interstate com- merce law the State cannot require mer- chants outside of the Staate to pay license for their representatives who sell goods in the State, whereas, merchants in Alabama have to pay such licenses
 President ONell also reported that the following new members had been elected: Goodal Brown & Co.,, c. F. Bell & Co.,, M. Wise & Co.,, James H. Leath, Giaco- pazzi & Co.,, May & Thomas Hardware Co.,, J. E. English & Co.,, Robert L. Seals Standard Grocery Company, Wall & Co., Ben M. Jacobs & Brother, Dewberry & Son, Copeland Produce Company and Valentine Glib & Son.
 Insurance Question.
 John w. Tomlinson, attorney for the Board of Trade, stated that he had writ ten to the Southeastern Tariff Association with regard to lower insurance rates for Birmingham, and asked what improvements or changes in the fire department would be necessary in order to give this city a first-class rating, but that he had not re- ceived any reply to his letter. He stated
 
 man who owned a residence in Birmingham and one in Chattanooga, each of which was insured for s5OOO for a period of five years, said that a premium of $6O was charged on the Chattanooga house and $l125O on the Birmingham house. He said the last Legislature passed a compromise law which sought to remedy this injustice ito property owners in Alabama, but that it had failed of it's purpose MT. Tomlinson suggested the appointment of a committee to take the matter before the General As sembly now in session.
 three with the president as chairman, Es pfe @ 7osM 9E9 Sa-gtaal6 who with the attorney should go before the Jefferson County delegation in the Legis- lature and urge them to have law en- acted that would enable the people of Birm- ingham to secure equitable rates. The mo- tion prevailed, and the chair announced that he would name the committee later.
 Acting Secretary Roy Mccullough read the charter that had been drawn up for the Board of Trade and the attorney was instructed to place it in the hands of the Jefferson County delegation, with the re- quest that it be granted by the General As- sembly.
 Merchants Tax. The question of the special merchants tax was brought up and the president and attorney were instructed to go before the City Council which was then in session and ask postponement of the committee report until the next meeting in order to give the merchants a chance to state their case. In speaking of the merchants tax Presi- dent ONeill stated that it had been as- sessed against the merchants several years ago iii order to tide the city over until the Birmingham amendment could be adopted The amendment was adopted and the tax is still collected. He said that the schedule for this year had not only retained that feature, but that the tax had been increased in some instances.