The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-22
FIFTH AYE. PAVING CAUSES DISCUSSION Property Holders Asked to Ex-
 press Their Views. CITY COUNCIL WILL ACT Original Ordinance DesIsnates sltum' inous Maeadam as the Material
 to Be Used-T. H. Motion
 and Others Oppose It.

out further delay.
 There seems to be a division among the property owners as to the class of mate rial to be used in paving Fifth avenue. The ordinance providing for the improve ments which was introduced and placed upon It's first reading at the second meet ing of the city council in January stipulat- ed that bituminous macadam is to be used. Opposition has developed to some extent to the use of bituminous macadam and some of the property holders are said to be in favor of the use of vitrified brick, while others desire the use of asphalt.
 Petition Filed.
 Filed away in the archives at the city hall is a document which expresses the wishes of the property holders on the subject This paper is in the form of a petition which was circulated by repre- sentative of the city of Birmingham, whose employment was authorized by the city council While the petition has never been made public it is hinted at the city hall that majority of property owners have expressed themselves as being in favor of a pavement along Fifth avenue and that the original ordinance providing for bituminous macadam be adopted. It is also said that the petition reveals the fact that asphalt and vitrified brick have strong advocates. The petition was pre- sented at a recent meeting of the street committee of the city council but no ac- tion was taken upon it pending action by the council on February 3.
 Between now and the next meeting an- other petition will be circulated among the property owners along Fifth avenue from Thirteenth street to Nineteenth street, with the hope of ascertaining if they would care to have the avenue paved in that vicinity.
 The estimate of City Engineer Kendrick Is that it will cost about $45.OOO to pave Fifth avenue from Nineteenth street to Twenty seventh street with bituminous macadam. The ordinance provides that the driveway shall be reduced from eighty feet to forty-six feet in width If this is done the curbing will have to be reset and the sidewalks widened from twelve feet to seventeen feet
 The matter of paving Fifth avenue has been pending in the city council for a number of years, and some doubts are ex- pressed whether or not any Improvements of a substantial nature will be made along the thoroughfare for sometime to come.
 Mayor Drennen when asked concerning the matter yesterday afternoon said
 Mayor and Aldermen.
 If a majority of the resident property owners along Fifth avenue from Nine teenth to Twenty-seventh street want the ing the Improvements.
 T think we should be governed by what a majority desire with reference to the class of material to be used"
 Alderman Henry B. Gray said:
 '1 have never voted, since l have been member of the city council, to pave any street or avenue in the city of Birming- ham, unless a majority of the property owners wanted the improvements made. In reference to Fifth avenue. will say that I intend to vote as I have in the past"
 Alderman Walter Moore, Alderman Harry Jones and other members of the city council, have expressed themselves as thinking the wishes of the property owners affected by the improvements should govern the city council in the mat ter of paving Fifth avenue.
 MT. Motion.
 Thomas H. Motion who represents sev- eral property owners along Fifth avenue, is opposed to the city council adopting bi- luminous macadam as the class of mate rial to be used in making the improve ments He said:
 When the city council meets on Feb ruary to hear protests and remon- strances against the final adoption of present and offer my protest. I have been assured that number of others who either own property on Fifth avenue or represent the owners will also be present at the meeting to offer protests.
 "A number of property-owners have called at my office recently and stated that they would stand by me in making munications on the subject. A letter re- ceiyed today from an agent representing property owners says:
 Letter From an Agent.
 'It is with considerable interest that I have read your proclamation to the prop erty owners interested in the paving of Fifth avenue, and as representatives of parties owning property on this street I wish now to express my desire to CO., operate with you fully to the end that those to whose lot it falls to stand the expense of this public improvement may receive full value for their money.
 Tt is quite time that property owners exercised more care in ascertaining how their money is to be expended when it is disbursed for their account by the ser wants of the people, who manifest so much willingness to have a fair expres- sion from the public on these important subjects, and at the same time display such skill in getting an opinion that will concur with their ordained purposes.
 T am heartily in favor of paving and improving at the right time every street and alley within the confines of the cor