The age-herald., 1902-01-26
ID DISCUSS PLANS IF GREATER CITY WEDNESDAY NIGHT Mayor Drennen Invites Twenty Delegates to Attend
 Conference MUST OFFER INDUCEMENTS Mayor Believes New High School Building Would Help Matters.
 Mir. Jemison Finds sent-
 ment for Consolidation. 
MUST OFFER INDUCEMENTS

Mayor W. M. Drennen has selected twenty residents of the surburban towns which it is proposed to ask to become a part of the city and invitations have been sent to them asking them to attend the next meeting of the Greater Birmingham Committee. which takes place wednes- day, January 29, and express their views. Following are those who have been in- vited to attend:
 woodlawn-Mayor J. B. Helm and J. B. Gibson.
 East Lake-Mayor N. A. Barrett and H c. Miller.
 Avondale-Mayor W. R. starbuck and c. P Beddow.
 Pratt City-Mayor w. J. Outlaw and William Grady.
 Ensley-Mayor N. W. Scott and Dr. R, M Cunningham.
 Elyton-R. A. Terrel and F. B. Black burn.
 West End-Mayor Sidney Norwood.
 Gate City-John Diggins.
 East Birmipgham-John W. Jones.
 North Birmingham-George B. Tarrant.
 Smithfeld-Thomas M. Dyer.
 Thomas-F. B. Keiser.
 Owenton-Rose W. Owen.
 Cleveand-Thomas S. Tate.
 A General Discussion.
 Nothing will be done at the meeting Wednesday night except a general dis cusson of the subject.
 Mavor nraopa,, uvban ooirad as to the sentiment of the suburbs on this subject, replied that most of the ex- pressions he had heard were favorable: ''There must be some inducement offer ed to them to come into the city," said the Mayor, land think. the building of new high school to cost not less than $1500O0 and to accommodate at least 1000 pupils would be a proper thing for the city to do for its new citizens. Dr. Phil lips says the school will have from 1000 to 1,500 pupils. The common school edu- cation which graduates of the high school possess is so complete that they are competent to enter commercial life after a few months training at a commercial school or in a business office.
 There are now about 300 pupils in the high school and there would be more If there were room. The school is very crowded and 1t is only question of time when a new one must be built.
 There Is another thing which may be an inducement to the citizens of certain towns to favor annexation and that is a five cent fare on the street cars. The present street car company has agreed not to charge more than five cents in the city limits and if Ensley and Pratt City were part of Birmingham they would get this five cent rate"
 Favor Annexation.
 MT. Robert Jemison, one of the most ardent advocates of Greater Birmingham on the committee. said that so far as he could learn sentiment was largely in fa- vor of annexation. The suburban people were taking to the movement in earnest, he said, and he thought when the time came for action there would Be little op- position. Mir. Jemison was certain that the citizens of Birmingham and the im- mediate suburbs were becoming aroused to the importance of Greater Birming- ham measure. Twenty or thirty years ago the size of city as shown by the census had little bearing on the credit or development of that city. said Mir. Jemi- son, but 1t Is different now, and it is of real importance that Birmingham get into the 100000 class.