The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-06
The Water Problem Discussed
for Two Hours
VAN HOOSE OUTLINES WORK
Commercial Clubs Committee Has a
subcommittee to Digest the Vari-
Gus Suegestions-Meetllg
This Afternoon at q.


special committee on the water situation'
held yesterday afternoon, report was
submitted by Chairman ]. A. van HOUSE,,
and was submitted to a committee oi
five with instructions to meet and report
at a meeting of the general committee
Wednesday afternoon at o'clock. The
subcommittee Will meet this afternoon
and map out plan Of action.
The meeting of the committee yester-
day afternoon lasted two hours and after
long discussion of the object OF tho
committee, the suggestions of the chair
man contained in his report were ac-
cepted Several motions and counter
motions were made and finally Chair
man Van Hose made short talk In
which he stated that the object OF the
club in creating the committee was TO
arouse interest in the question of a SUI
ncient supply of pure and wholesome
water for the city Of Birmingham ana
the suburbs.
He set forth that the committees
work was merely to arouse interest, and
not to work as a legislative body +.
Byrne, civil and mechanical engineer,
who has spent number Of years work
ing out water questions read a paper
advocating the use OF the Cahaba river,
and that the work be done by the coun-
ty or the city. J. A. Montgomery, also
an engineer opposed the paper, stating
that 1t would be impossible to use that
water and get it to Birmingham In a pure
condition. Those present at the meeting
were j. A. Van Hose, chairman; Is.
Steiner, w. NJ. Drennen, ]. b. Weahley,
]. A Montgomery, Mayor J. B. Helm of
Woodawn, Mayor N w. Scott OF Ems
ley ]. w. O'Neill and F. H. Lathrop.
The committee of five appointed to In
vestlgate the recommendations Of the
chairman will meet this afternoon at
o'clock in the Commercial club rooms. 1t
is composed of ]. b. Weatherly. chair
man; Mayor Scott of Ensley. Mayor w.
N Drennen, John w. ONeill and ]. A
Montgomery. Mr.. Van HOSES report
| follows
Chairman Van Hcoee's Discussion.
| Gentlemen of the COMMITTEES:
duty has been laid upon us by the
| citizens of our county as thus far evil
denced by public and private expression.
l believe that none of us have voluntarily
sought this Our duties and responsible
ties will be of such character. should be
so far-reachng in results for better or for
worse as to naturally cause any right
minded citizen to shrink from seeking
this duty and responsibility. II we dis
| charge our obliga lions as the people ex-
! pect and will demand, our work will be
no summer afternoons or holidays sport.
Into our hands has been committed the
| initial Of movement whose results none
| of us can now or ever will in our life
time be able to measure. We should ac-
cept this marked evidence OF a peoples
confidence in a spirit OF modesty II not
of actual humility. We should seek for
] guidance and help from every available
source. No narrow prejudice or partisan
aims actuate or control us. Personal con-
flicting interests must be laid aside or
subordnated to the general welfare.
! We must go into this work clean minded
and clean-handed. When we go out Of
1t, each must be able to show his heart
to God and his hands to the people and
both heart and hands must be clean. The
Searcher Of all hearts may keep silence
| as to the heart stains. The people will
stand no fooling, nor keep silence as to
hand stains. In speaking thus to you
| and to myself, I know each of you well
enough to believe that thus voice your
own views and determination. We must
move cautiously yet vigorously We must
! plan for the future of this wonderfully
blessed county, yet we must work In
and for the present. Our work presents
many difficulties, and more will newt
ably arise. Simply as my offering towards
the joint contribution of thought. which
all of us must bring to our work, I beg
| to offer the following suggestions. This
work seems to divide itself into four
heads, namely 1. Educational. 2. Legisla-
tive. g. Financial. T. Physical
l. Educasion. This will be mainly
this committees work. We must edu-
cate. We must arouse We will also
be permitted to suggest and advise. If
this county or any considerable portion
of 1t, as for example. the present Br-
mingham district needs better water and
more of it, then every man, woman and
child In the county should know of It,
has the right to know Of this need The
great mass of a people are willing, are
| almost necessarily compelled to rely upon
| others especially those in authority and
trust. to guard their public interests; to
| guard the general health. In great
movement like this, not only would pro-
| position No. seem advisable for arous-
| ing every one in authority. but Is also
a necessity. a right due the humblest
father and mother, as we'll as the presi-
dent of the richest corporation in the
county This committee should be pro-
| of education. We have, and in all prob
| ability will continue to receive help from
the press. But we must neither abuse