The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-05
MERIDIAN WILL
 CLOSE UP TIGHT
New Sunday Ordinance Takes
 Effect Tomorrow
TO BE RlGi0LY ENFORCED
Fertilizer Plant Is to Double Capacity. Reports Made By City Off cers Make Good
 showing.

thing except hotels, boarding houses, apothecary shops and railroads will be shut up tight here Sunday. The order for this closing is made to begin Saturday night at 12 o'clock and continue until Sun day night at the same hour, and the penalty for the infraction of this ordi- nance will be not less than S5 and costs nor more than $50 and costs for each of fense. News stands and bake shops will be allowed to remain open until 10 o'clock Sunday morning and then only for the sale of newspapers and foodstuffs. The city authorities declare that the ordinance shall be strictly enforced and the result of the enforcement is awaited with ex- pectancy.
 The city fathers have also decided to adopt a splitting ordinance and have drawn up a law providing that it shall be unlawful for any person to spit on any sidewalk whether paved or not, or upon any stairway or floor for public use, in any hall, theatre, or any other place of public amusement.
 Will Double Capacity.
 Announcement was made today by the Meridian Fertilizer factory that the capac- ity of their plant will be doubled within few months in order to meet the increas- ing demands of the trade. The contem- plated addition to the company's plant in- wolves the actual expenditure of sl25,0OO. The fact that it is necessary for the fertilizer company to increase the capac- ity of it's plant is attested by the state ment of one of the officials this morning that the shipments from Meridian this season are exactly double what they were at this time last season.
 By this statement it is not to be under stood that the acreage of cotton has been doubled in this section this spring but from all the information obtainable it is almost certain that the cotton acreage of this section will be increased by at least 25 per cent.
 Report of Chief.
 The report of Chief of Police w. NJ. Bludsworth for the month of February has been filed with the city clerk The document Is most credtable one and shows the mantainance of the same good record which the gentleman and his eff ficient force set as a precedent for all succeeding ones. During the month, fines to the amount of $909 .S5 were levied in the city criminal court.
 During the time there were 156 arrests, out of which number there were 102 con | victions. For twelve of the convicted criminals sentences in lieu of cash were imposed. There were also forty-sx dis charged, six eontinuences granted, one appeal taken, one transfer made to jus | tice court, and one escape from prison recorded.
 City Tax Collector Reports. City Tax Collector B. McDade has filed his monthly report with City Clerk l. R. McElroy. It showst hat the collec- tlon of back taxes increased considerably i during February. and that also the priv | eege tax last month was heavy. l During February, the collector sets forth that there were $27S0 27 collected in back taxes, of which S37.23 were paid as commission to the tax collector and $274S.O4 were retained to be divided for the different general purposes to which l they are usually applied.
 Other collections of taxes during the time were: Street or poll tax, $l1Gl, real and personal $5140.S5, sidewalk paving tax $2641. and street paving tax, $l360 Of these four tax amounts collected only $9S.4O were applied as commissions
 City Engineers Report. | City Engineer II. E. Montgomery in his | report to the city boards shows that dur | ing February, he has issued 15 permits for sewer connections, 51 permits for ex- cavations for placing water. gas and oth- | CT connections. It also shows that he has | finished the sewer line running from the intersection of Twenty-third avenue and Thirteenth street to the intersection of Twenty-fourth avenue and Nineteenth street, distance of 1893 7-10 feet. The side walk grades set and estab- lished during that period have been along | Fourteenth avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets. Thrty-hfth ave- nue between Eighth and Tenth streets. | and Thirty-fourth avenue between Valley and Davis streets. Stakes were also set by the engineer for planting trees in the city parks and school grounds.
 Poundkeeper's Report.
 An apparent decrease in fees for the pound pen keeper during the month of February is in evidence by his report. | During the past month Pound Keeper w. D. Henderson's report to the board as re- | corded by the city clerk shows the col | lection of only $1775 for cattle taken up | and impounded.
 The entire amount of fees collected by the keeper were on twenty-five head of catt:e. His report shows that during the | month just ended three yearings, two | mules, ten cows, three horses. four hogs | and three other subjects were taken in | charge by him
 | Preparations are being made at the city hall for the successor to Mir c. l.. Will Hams. recently resigned from the position of city electrician. Tables and work benches in sufficient numbers have been placed in the office for the officers con | venience.
 Negroes Still at Large. | The two negroes, Willie Hale and | Sharpe Irby, who escaped jail Thursday | night. are still absent from custody al- | though letter has been received by Chief Bludsworth offering to settle Irby's fine if it is made lighter.