The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-01

ingham to purchase and filter an adequate supply of water for it's own needs, and at slightly increased cost deliver water to the various nearby towns, such as Avondale East Lake, Woodlawn, North Birmingham, etc. Perhaps Bessemer, Ems ley and Pratt City should join their in- terests and filter their own water sup plies. These are. however, expert and really minor questions which can be set tied after careful consideration by all in- terests concerned. The main and vitally important thing is to devise some plan by which at least 35,00O000 gallons of carefully protected warer can be daily flowed into Village Creek under the super vision and control of our own citizens.
 Non-Poitical.
 Most wisely and fortunately the Jeffer- son county sanitary commission is a non- political body, composed of citizens who are fully identified with the county. They have as individuals and as body our confidence. Their own wives and children will drink the water which they will fur nish. And, people of Jefferson county, this will make world of difference in the quality of the water furnished us. The water not needed by the sanitary commission and by the various cities in this district would flow free" past Thom- as, Pratt City, Ensley, Woodward, Besse- mer. down into Valley river, and it should be free" for everybody to use 1t. If it should be urged that this re- inforcing of the free water' supply of the district by the Jefferson county sani- tary commission is a ''peaung of the devil around the stump" there is easily an honest as well as fair reply. Even if there is any whipping, which I deny, the whipping will be done by our own citi- zens, who will furnish the sprouts. It will be our own devil, if any at al, and he will be whipped around our own stump. on our own land, without injury or harm to anyone outside of Jefferson county. It will do the devil good to thrash him now and then for the public welfare. We and we alone will be respon- sible for what we have legally done with our own devil in our own county.
 Riparian Rights.
 As to the reparian rights and damages it is very probable that the legislature will
 ant the sanitary commission the right 60 construct this water way, widen and deepen Village creek, build storage basins for saving the water, and to assess a considerable portion of the cost against the abutting land and property through which the route passes in proportion as the property is benefited. This principle of io'ai aSStSSiiitnl SttiIS ilOW we'll eStdD- lished in our county, and is here to re- main. just as 1t has been established for years in other states and in other countries. The reinforcing of our water supply by this 35.OOO000 gallons of water daily means a guarantee of our increased prosperity and increase in the value of property both in the city suburbs and county. which will surpass our most san- guine visions. In time that whole water n hn1n he lined with manufacturing plants.
 The main features of this plan received four years ago the emphatic endorsement of Senator John T. Morgan. In discuss ing this matter with me he said that the Birmingham district should then be- gin the investigation of even turnig the Warrior river itself through this valley That the cost should not DC considered even if it took millions of dollars to do it. That it would ultimately have to he done; for without a vast increase In our free water' supply the Birmingham dis trict would quickly rercn the maxinum development. Once nearly all men in this district smiled at me for advocating the survey and construction of a maya gable water way from the Sloss furnaces 10 the Warrior river When the expert government engineer especially detailed Tor this work on account of it's vast im- portance to the whole country renorted the plan as feasible, practical and dur able some stopped smiling
 When this report further secured the ofhcial approval of the secretary of war, and the personal and official approval of President Mckinley,who urge1 '*hat s. oW,O0 be appropriated and the work be done on account of the vast national inn portance of the project" more men stop ped smiling and began thinking. Now when 1t has been proved by actual sur vey that thlrty-five million gallons of water can be easily gotten to still fur ther reinforce Mir. Ripley's reported sup ply, many of our best men are ponder ing deeply why should we not wake up at once on this subject and do like the western and eastern men do when they want anything done at Washington namely. go there and get 1t done.
 This navigable waterway to the War rior will be constructed come day by Uncle Sam. and it will be done just as soon as this district makes up It's mind that it wants 1t done and goes about get ting 1t in business-lilke and systematic way.
 Uncle Sam,
 When Uncle Sam constructs 1t, chan nel seventy feet wide and six feet deep, with large loading docks opposite every large plant will be constructed, and take the place of what the Jefferson County Sanitary commission has done. and all