The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-08
COCAINE HABIT IS
 CAUSING TROUBLE
JUDGE FEAolN WILL MAKE AN 1 EFFORT TO HAVE ORDINANCE
 SIMILAR TO ATLANTA's PASSED
 BY ALDERMEN.


 Judge Feagin Is having great deal of trouble with the negro women of the city who are addicted to the habit of eating cocaine and other harmful drugs. Only yesterday there were three of them re- leased from jail on promise to leave the city and never to return here again, and in less than an hour one of them ap- peared in court again and was under the influence of the drug.
 The woman was immediately sent back to jail, but there Is nothing to do with this class except leave them in jail. There is no employment furnished by the city for negro women and the jail will soon be crowded beyond its capacity.
 In speaking of the matter yesterday, Judge Feagin said
 There are hundreds of people in the city who use these deadly drugs to>>a greater or less degree and there are at least 40 per cent who are in court from time to time.
 Something should be done to prevent the sale of cocaine. and I have sent to Atlanta asking that the city ordinance passed there be sent to me so that I can see if similar ordinance cannot be pass ed in Birmingham. This law. under stand is about the most rigid in exist ence anywhere, and it Is badly needed in Birmingham. People who do not come to the courts of the city or who never happen around the police headquarters have no idea of the number of people in the ely addicted to the cocaine habit, and they would be surprised and shocked If they knew the facts"
 -------~->-->--,-~-->--~---- mittee. the mayor and the city engineer: Be 1t resolved by the mayor and the | aldermen of the city of Birmingham, | That the committee of the Southern Sur | gical and Genealogical association be in vited and authorized to place a statue of the late Dr. w. D. B. Davis in Capitol park, the location to be decided on by l the chairman of the street committee, the mayor, the city engineer and the commit tee of the society; the statue to be erect | ed under the supervision of the city engineer"
 Fire Department.
 Alderman ONeill presented a petition from the Southeastern Tariff association | that Birmingham expend more money on its fire department in order that the | city might be placed on the first class was referred to the finance committee.
 The petition that the merchants taxes be reduced was referred to the finance committee.
 l Alderman Cooper introduced a resolu- 441.. tI...k 4t... l l viding for placing bituminous macadam on First avenue between Twenty-sec- ond and Twenty-third streets, which was referred to the street committee. A peti- tion instructing the city engineer to pre- pare ordinances for laying cement walks on Fifteenth avenue between Eleventh and Fourteenth streets south.
 Drug Ordinance Reported.
 Alderman Stockmar reported an ordi- nance regulating the sale of morphine. cocaine and other kindred drugs by mer- chants or other vendors of medicine In Birmingham. Alderman stockmar ex- plained that this ordinance was an amendment to the ordinance passed by the city council in May, 1902 and asked that the rules be suspended and the or | dinance be placed on It's second reading. Alderman Wheeler stated that Alderman Greener introduced this ordinance and should receive credit for it. On motion of Alderman Jones the ordinance was termed the Greener amendment.
 Alderman Heidt was opposed to the or- dinance as 1t now stands and wanted t to be referred to the committee. The committee from the druggists of the city" he said. which had appeared be- fore the finance committee In opposition to the ordinance had been given the promise that the matter would not come up tonight I was a member of the council at Selma" he continued, when a similar ordinance was passed It was only the means of making the sale of drugs more general. It allowed ped- dlers to go around over the city and sell morphine and cocaine on the sly. Under the proposed measure every one has to pay $l10 for a bottle of laudanum. There is nearly always time when We all need a bottle of laudanum for medi- cinal purposes. To get in under the act we would have to pay a physician $l to write the prescription and 10 cents for | the drug I make a motion, he sanl, "to refer the ordinance to the police and sanitary committees Alderman Stock mar moved that the motion to refer be laid on the table.
 Altman Favors Postponement.
 Alderman Altman was In favor of post poning action. "The present ordinance, if passed,v he said, has three defects that would perhaps annul it. I am in favor of an ordinance to prohibit the sale of cocaine, but think the question should be carefully weighed"
 Alderman Jones favored postponement on the grounds that the druggists had been assured that the matter would not come up tonight "I favor" he said, leg islation that shall make it a penal offense for anyone to sell cocaine in Birmingham I am in favor of entirely abolishing the sale of the drug in this city"
 Alderman Stockmar withdrew his mo- ton and the ordinance was referred to the police and sanitary committees Locomotive Bremen. |