The age-herald., 1901-06-09
MT. CornweIPS Ordinance Fixes
 Limit to 400 Square Miles
LOBBY URGES ITS PASSAGE
Several Towns Are Anxious to Become County Sltes-,t Will Cause Live ly Discussion When It Comes
 Up In the Convention.
BY E. E. kERSH.

 Montgomery, June S.-(SpeciaL)-A very earnest effort is being made by certain members of the present constitutional convention to have clause inserted in the new constitution reducing the area of counties in the State. This fight Is being led by MT. Cornwell of Jefferson, and 1t is not to be denied that the Jefferson mem- Der has a large following.
 MT. Cornwell presented an ordinance several days ago seeking to reduce the area from 600 to 400 square miles. This ordinance was referred to the commetee on counties and county boundaries, anc has not yet been considered by the com mittee, but the friends of the measure claim majority will vote for reduction of the area
 This ordinance is the only one which has brought lobby to the convention. Friends of the measure from various sec tions of the Sta.a have been here all the week, and they are using their every energy for success. The ordinance which they hope to adopt does not seek to actu- ally create new counties, but to so fix the area as to permit the legislature to create such counties as 1t may desire. There are probably two dozen localities in the State now working for new counties Bessemer is exceedingly anxious to be- come the county site of new county to be composed of parts of Jefferson, Bibb Tuscaloosa and Walker. Other towns working for county sites are Demopolis, Thomasville, Dothan, Girard, Tallassee, Alexander City, Chidersburg, Montevallo, Blountsville Leighton, Maplesville and dozen others.
 While there is an unmistakable strong sentiment for reducing the area of coun- ties, some telling arguments are coming from the other side, more especially from those members who desire to amend the present constitution In as few particulars as are absolutely necessary. If the fight reaches the floor of the convention 1t will be warm one indeed
 The following Is a full text of the Corn well ordinance:
 Cornwall Ordinance.
 An ordinance to amend, alter and change article II. sections and 3, of the constitution of Alabama, 1875, by the substitution therefor of the following ar ticle. to-wit:
 Be it ordained by the people of Alabama in convention assembled. That article II, sections l and 2 of the constitution of Alabama be amended and changed to read as follows:
 Section | The boundaries of this State are established and declar to be as fol- | lows: That is to say, beginning at point where the 31st degree of north latitude | crosses the Perdido river, thence east to | the weston boundary line of the State of Georgia; thence along said line to the southern boundary line of the State of Tennessee, crossing the Tennessee river and into the second intersection of said river by said line; thence up said river to the mouth of Big Bear creek; thence by direct line to the northwest corner of Washington county in this state as or iginally formed; thence southerly along the line of the State of Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico: there eastwardly, includ- ing all islands within six leagues of the shore, to the Perdido river; thence up the said river to the point of beginning. | Sec. 2. Until changed by the General Assembly as allowed by this constitu- tion, the boundaries of the several coun- ties of this State as heretofore establish ed by law, are hereby ratified and con f1rmed, and no new county hereafter formed shall contain less than 1b,000 in- habitants; nor shall it have less assessed taxable property than s1, 1,25O,OO0 as shown by the last tax returns, nor shall 1t con tain less area than 400 square miles, and 1t shall be entitled to one or more repre- sentatives under the ratio of representa- tion existing at the time of it's forma- | tion.
 | Sec 3. The General Assembly may es- | tablish new counties in the following manner Whenever ane-fourth of the qualified electors within the area of each section of an old county proposed to be | cut off to form new county shall peti- | tion the Governor for the erection of | new county setting forth the boundaries | and showing compliance with the require ments of this ordinance the Governor | shall order an election within reasonable l time thereafter by the qualified electors | in the proposed area, at which election | they shall vote "Yes" or "No'' upon the question of creating said new county; end | at the same election the question of a name and a county seat for such county | shall be submitted to the electors. | Sec 4. If a majority of the qualified
 electors voting at such election shall vote | "Yes" upon the question of a new county. l then the General Assembly at the next l session shall establish such new county: | and no new county shall be formed with | out complying with all the conditions inn | posed in this article. An election upon the | question of forming the same proposed | new county shall not be held oftener than | once in four years.
 Sec 5. No old county shall be reduced to a less area than 800 square miles and to less assessed taxable property than | $1, ,250, 900, nor to smaller population than 15 900 inhabitants.
 Sec G. In the formation of new counties no old county shall be cut within seven miles of It's courthouse building. Sec '. All new counties hereafter formed