The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-18
Reviews the Work Of Various
Departments Of Municipal
lily During Year 1903
RECEIPTS WERE LARGER
THAN DISBURSEMENTS
Mayor Thinks Question of Building a
Union Passenger Station to Cost
100000 Is Up to the
Railroads Here.

The annual message of Mayor W. Mel
Vile Bremen for the year 1908, wnleh was
read at the regular meeting OF the Guy
council last night, follows;
"To the Honorable Board of Mayor and
Aldermen, Birmingham, Alabama
Gentlemen: It is made incumbent up
on the mayor, under the provisions Vi we
CITY charter adopted by an act OF the
legislature of Alabama, approved Febru-
airy %, 1899 to make at least once a year
a statement of the finances and general
condition of the affairs of the city and
also such other information as he may
deem necessary or as he may from time
TO time be required to furnish.
II. therefore, in accordance with the
usual custom, submit herewith for your
consideration the following annual report
of the various departments of the Guy
government for the fiscal year ending De-
cemher 81, 1908:
"The total receipts from all sources for
the year 1908 amounted to $449,907 and the
disbursements to $44715.
Compared with the figures for fl9O2
there was an increase in receipts of $28, l6S
and decrease in disbursements of $2l774
1.-THE total assessed valuation of real
and personal property for the year 1907
was SIS, 31S, 40S for the year 1903 this. valu-
alton was $40, 1884, this increase in as
sessed valuation of $1,S0O,976 will at the
fixed rate of one per cent add $4,000 TO
your increase for the year 1904
1.-The total collections on real and per-
sonal property were $l92,9S9.
1.-The license and street taxes amounted
to $780, 95, and there is in this item an
increase of $15,041 over the year 1902.
t,,ta o1ao 500 m
bonded Indebtedness amounts to $119, 400,
the same in amount as at its start at the
end of last year.
Schools.
The report of the superintendent of pub
lie schools shows that 479S pupils were en-
rolled at the opening of the current
scholastic term.
THE disbursements on account of the
! school system amounted to $51132.
"The three additional substantial brick
buildings and sixteen teachers during the
past two years greatly increased our
educational facilities. However, these. lib
eral additions have not kept pace with
the growth in our population. The crowd
ed condition of some of our schools re-
quires that other buildings should be pro-
vided. 1t will be necessary to arrange
for a school building in the vicinity of
Five Points and another in the northwes-
tern part of the city, about Twelfth ave-
nue. and Twenty-seventh street. 1t will
also be necessary to erect building for
a negro school on the lot recently pur-
chased on the Southwest corner of Third
avenue and Twenty-ffth street. 1t will
be recalled that this lot was selected as
being best suited for this particular pur-
pose and was bought on June 25 1903, for
$4lS9.
1.-THE lot on Tenth avenue and Twenty
fourth street purchased some years ago
for this purpose was sold for 5000 and out
of this sum the new lot was purchased.
Il have from time to time recommended
the erection of high school building
the necessity for which has long been
apparent. We should apply our expert
ence and in the design OF this building
provide not only for the present but
orally for prospective needs. Under our
present constitution the authority of this
board in this matter Is limited to a de-
termination of the cost and the enactment
of an ordinance for the issue of bonds
and 1t is then left to the qualified voters
to determine whether or not the issue of
bonds for this purpose shall be made. This
line of action applys not only to the high
school but to the other schools in con-
temptation as well, and the Issuance of
bonds should be submitted to a vote of
the people at the same time.
Engineering and Street Department.
THE records in the office of the city
engineer shows that during the year 1908
there were issued permits for 519 new
buildings aggregating in cost Including
repairs to old buildings). $1.79o000.
From the elaborate reports of this de-
partment submit the following footings