The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-11
OWNERS OF FRUIT
STANDS ALSO HAVE
PETITIONS OUT
Andrew Colllas Tells Why the
Council Should Allow
the Nuisance
AL DERMAN GRAHAM TALKS
He Is Pleased With the Commercial
Club Move and Will Vote for an
Ordinance AboiIshlnn the
Fruit Stands.
AL DERMAN GRAHAM TALKS

The fruit stand dealers Of Birmingham
are securing signatures to petitions to
counteract those of the Commercial Club
and the Retail Grocers' Association, ask
ing that licenses be granted for the
stands and that no ordinance requiring
their adjustment be passed. They have
ten or fifteen of these petitions In circu-
lation and claim that signers are being
freely secured.
Andrew Collias, one of the most intelli-
gent dealers in the city, In discussing
the question said
yes, it is true we are circulating Pc
titions. We are securing many signers to
them also. and will probably be able to
present list of names equally as strong
as the list to be presented by Mr.. Estes
and his committee: We are having promi-
nent citizens to call at our places for the
purpose of helping us out in this fight,
No Difference to Him.
Personally it will make no difference
to me which way the matter terminates.
have a store and can just as easily
place my fruit inside as out. But IL I
sell it as cheap as do now, for the fact
that / cannot buy in large quantities and
also because fruit decays SO much quicker
when placed inside stores During the
summer instead Of buying In lots of ten
twenty or thirty cases. we will be forced
to buy in lots of one to three cases from
the fact that we cannot store the fruit
This will, of course make the price high
er to our customers and we may lose
money.
Merchants Use Space.
Besides this, we do not take up any
more of the sidewalk space than other
merchants. They may use the space for
different purpose, but they use It, We
keep our places as clean as continual
sweeping will keep any place. and it is
not right to drive US out of business be-
cause we sell partly In competition with
retail grocers or because we sell fruit.
We will fight, and 1 think the citizens of
Birmingham will help us"
The committee from the Commercial
Club and the Retail Grecers' Association
are continuing their work of securing
signatures to petitions, Mr. Estes and Mr..
Jones, chairmen of the two committees,
secured a number Of signatures yester-
day, only few of which were reported.
Several Aldermen were seen yesterday
and gave expression to opinions on the
subject. Others could not be seen.
Graham Against Stands.
Alderman J, F. Graham from the Sixth
ward expressed himself yesterday as
pleased with the progress of the efforts
which the Birmingham merchants are
making to have the fruit stands removed
from the sidewalks.
II introduced an ordinance to have
them removed two months ago." he said.
II don't think they ought to be allowed
to occupy exclusively such large portions
of the sidewalks. 1 am glad to see that
the proposal to remove them meets with
such general favor. WILL of course vote
in favor of an ordinance to abolish theml'
Mayor Drennen when seen would not
commit himself to either side. He said:
Il think the City Council can be relied
on to do what the people want. They are
not arbitrary in the matter and II 1t APP
pears that the citizens wish them remov-
ed, I think they will be-"
Alderman H. B. Gray favored allow
ing them the use Of the sidewalks. He
said:
II see no reason why they should be
removed. The sidewalks In Birmingham
are unusually large for a city of It's size
and these stands do not take up much
room, Others pay licenses for the use of
sidewalks besides the fruit sellers. Many
merchants take out these licenses which
have been raised this year from SIS to $50
and the sale Of which brings In a revenue
to the city of from $1,000 to $4,000"
signatures Reported.
The signatures to petitions for the abol-
ishments of the stands reported yester-
day were as follows:
H. p. Childus, w. III. Walker, Y. J.
Lacy, Odo Neiii and Brother. j. H. Riggs,
A. l.. Lawson, r. B. Kelso, John H. Hill,
C. J. Mepasco. T. w. Haynes, F. s. Dyar,
w. ID. Hannah, A 8. Riggs.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
A deed was flied yesterday In the Pro-