The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20
BY E. ]. sMYER.

lions adopted favorirg the scheme. A
committee was appointed to take the
matter in charge, to confer with the
boerd of revenue, to ask an appropriation
to have a preliminary survey made to as
certain If the scheme was practicable.
and if so to draft bill to be presented to
the next session of the legislature. The
mayors of the several municipalities and
other citizens constituted this committee.
AT the requt st of the committee the
board of revenue employed Mr.. Julian
Kendrick to make a preliminary survey
and report. Mr.. Kendrick made the sur
vey and reported 10 the board that 1t
was entirely practicable to construct
trunk line of sewer from Birmingham to
a point below Bessemer and another line
from East Lake to a point below Ensley;
and he also made an estimate of the cost.
The committee appointed q sub-commit-
tee consisting of James Weatherly, j. M.
Gillespie and e. j. Smyer, to draft bill
to present to the legislature. The sub
committee drafted two bills, one creating
the Jefferson County Sanitary Commits
SIGN, authorizing the commission to con-
struct the two trunk lines IF sewer and
also authorizing the commission to pro-
tect tie water supplies, and streams from
pollusion. The other bill authorized
bond issue Of the county of S500,0O0 to
levy of one-twentieth of one per cent. on
all property in the county to pay interest
or the bonds end protect the water sup
plies and streams from pollution.
The committee approved the bills sub
mitt ed By the sub-o ommittee, and sent
them 70 the Jefferson county delt cation
in the Legislature requesting that they be
enacted into a law. The board of revenue,
mayor and aldermen of otter municipal
MD
passed resolutions endorsing the bills and
requesting their passage
1.-The bills were introduced. / believe,
by Mr.. Augustus Benners, and became
laws In February, 1901. The act creating
the commission named the commissioners
to-wit: r. Y. Anderson, A. w. Smith. j.
NJ. Gillespy, c. A. Nolan. j. j. Smith.
Chambers McAdory, NJ V. Joseph James
Weatherly, N. e. Barker James Bowron.
and Willis ] Miner. The last three com
missioners named resigned, for business
reasons. end T. H. Motion, Robert Jem-
ison and E. ]. Smyer were elected by the
commission to fill the vacancies
Shortly after the laws were enacted the
commissioned organized; F. Y. Anderson
was elected chairman, A. w Smith was
elected vice-chalrmar. Twenty thousand
dollars of bonds were sold for purpose of
making surveys and doing the work pre-
paratory to the construction work.
THE Valley Creek trunk line of sewer
has been located ana bids for construc-
ton are now beiEg called for; bids are
also being asked for 100000 of the author
lied issue of bonds.
1.-The commission has also been active in
protecting, as rar as possible, the water
supplies from pollution.
In one Instance a bill of injunction
was filed to enjoin a distillery company
from polluting the water coming into Bir-
mingham from Five Mile creek.
mo member of the commission receives
any compensation whatever for his SER
vices; no member is Permitted by law to
be either directly or indirectly interested
III any contract for .const rAction work or