The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-14
Grand Jury Makes Rather Sc
we're Arrangement in Its
Final Report
ASSERT THAT THE WORK
HAS BEEN UNSATISFACTORY
Members OF Commission Express Great
Surprise at the Unexpected crItI-
clsm and VIII Give Out Pub
lie Statement Later On.

The Jefferson county sanitary commits
sion was severely arraigned for an alleged
reckless expenditure of the county funds
yesterday in the final report of the Jeffer-
son county grand jury.
The report OF the grand jury on that
subject is as follows:
1--WE called upon the auditor for
reports and figures In reference
to the operation Of the Jefferson
County Sanitary Commission,
which he furnished US and ex-
plalned the same satisfactorily to
| US. On this line we desire to say,
! that, In our opinion, this work
could not have been handled In
more reckless manner, and the ex-
| penditures of the moneys belong
Ing to tho public could not have
been greater for such little work,
| or actual construction, as Is known
to have been performed. For In
stance, salaries were paid at the
rate of anywhere from $40 to $50
per month, when same could have
! been had for not exceeding one
dollar per diem. We desire to en-
ter our protest and unanimous
condemnation of any such hand
ling of public funds"
Every member of the sanitary commits
sion except two were seen last night.
They declare that the grand jury could
have known very little of the transact
lions of the commission to have returned
such report. The two members not
seen were Maj Frank Y. Anderson presi-
dent, who was out Of the city and will
not return until Tuesday and Mr.. Giles
pie.
Members Arc Surprised.
The first intimation Of the feeling of the
grand jury was conveyed to the COM
missioners when they were asked for a
statement in regard to 1t. Many OF them
had not seen the grand jury report and
they were very much surprised when II
was shown them.
A meeting of the commission will be
held tomorrow night in the county court
house, and it is probable report signed
by every member OF the commission VIII
be issued to the public.
The commission is composed OF Maj.
| l..
SINGER, James weatherly, ]. M Gillespie,
James J. Smith, Arthur w Smith, Cham
bers McAdory, NJ. v. Joseph. C. A. Nolan,
Robert Jemison and T. H. Motion.
The grand jury which made the report
was composed OF the following members;
w. P. Handy. NJ. P. Lewis, A. N. Haw-
kins B. B. Martin. M. C. Huey, w. I'll.
/ Il
g. w. Smith, George T. Moore, T. d.
Hood, r. C. Gratehouse, F. ]. Muller,
William Grady, A. A. Harris, w. B. Hol-
comb, John Rowen and R. N. Mckinley,
foreman.
Following are the statements Of the va
rious members of the commission:
Commissioners Talk.
E. J. Smyer: 1.-The charge Of extrava-
gance by the gra1o jury is not JUSTIFIED
by the facts. The minutes of the meet
ings of the commission will show the
work done by the commission, and This
record is open to inspection by the public
'',rhere are eleven members Of the conn.,
mission. Any one who desires can exam
Inc the tax records. and by Sd doing will
find that the members Of the conmissial
are all taxpayers; and besides this. these
members are interested In or represent
corporations and tndustrials paying taxes
on assessed valuations of several million
dollars worth OF property in Jefferson
county. These are facts that can be verb
| fed. Understand. not a member Of the
commission gets cent for mis- services
these facts. think, are sufficient to
establish clearly to the public that there
is no incentive to extravaganza
'As to the personnel Of the commis-
sion, upon investigation YOU will find
that they are not prone to extravaganza
in the conduct of their personal affairs. "
Criticism Unexpected.
t. H. Motion: ST never dreamed that
the commission would be criticized for
extravaganza; but on the contrary, have
rather been expecting an attack on ac-
count Of the delay in building the sewer
occasioned by the fact that the commits
sion is composed Of men of very Geo.
nomical ideas. determined not to sell
bonds at price less than their fun
value. and not to let the contract for
work at a price above a reasonable COM
pensation for such work.
I'VE have spent some money for the
construction of the Bessemer branch
sewer, for engineering work for both
lines of sewer. for procuring rights Of
way and for looking after and endeavor-
ing to procure purer supply Of water
for the people. many of whom were sick
and dying with typhoid fever. We have
not been extravagant in any Of these ex-
penditures; but. on the contrary, have
accomplished much for the small amount
expended.
II deem 1t an honor and a privilege to
be engaged in this great work, associated
| with such body of incorruptible. nom
political, painstaking. economical busi-
ness gentlemen as compose this commits
sion. Each and every member Of the
commission Is well known in this COM
munity, and I doubt II the verdict of any
jury will convince the public that the
commission has been guilty of any wrong
doing"
Jurnnen Not Informed.
NJ. v. Joseph: Il am very much sur
prised at the report of the grand jury
They are certainly not familiar with the