The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Smart Youngsters Are Playing Politics in Contest for the
 New York Trip
PLANS ARE DRAWN FOR
 BUILDINGS 10 BE ERECTED
General Meeting of the Zoo Associa- tion Will Be Held Tuesday After noon at City Hall-AIl Boys
 Are Invited.

The boys of Birmingham who are de- termined to have a geological garden assembled at the First National bank posits. They turned in sS7S5O.
 In the enthusiasm of the contest for the trip to New York the boys are throwing in a spice of politics and the struggle has grown Goubly interesting.
 The mysterious manner in which many of the boys made out their deposit slips disclosed the fact that nearly half of them refused to deposit the entire amount they had collected. They feared that other boys would know how many votes they had secured. It is estimated that the boys have collected over $2oO which was not deposited yesterday, but will be turned in at a later day.
 Robert Badham, the treasurer was on hand to receive funds, but many of the little fellows didn't want to show him
 
 The tangle was strengthened out by the announcement from llr. Crawford, the fiscal agent, that hereafter any person can deposit funds for the zoo at any time and the receipt can be used by any boy so fortunate as to hold 1t. It does not matter in whose namo the receipt is is- sues.
 Anybody Can Deposit.
 Hereafter boys father, brother, un- cle, mother or sister can deposit funds for the zoo and can then give the re- ceipt to any youngster they desire and it will count in his vote. Under this new rule it is believed the fund will reach $1000 within two weeks.
 Every boy in Birmingham is interested in this movement and they say they will have an elephant within six weeks and plenty of money to buy other animals as well. While. the contest for the, trip to purchase the elephant is keen, they are deeply interested in the final success of their project, and have left no stone un- turned to carry out their plans.
 Next Wednesday night six of the boys will address the city council on resolu- tion to be introduced providing for the maintenance of the zoo by the city, and these young orators have been working hard for several days on their speeches. They are gathering all the facts obtain ble about the installations of geological gardens, and will show the city why it is proper for the municipality to keep 1t.
 Plans Are Drawn,
 Mr Weston the well known architect, has drawn the plans for several of the buildings which will be erected by the Birmingham Realty company. and two of them are printed in this edition of The Age Herald. These are merely rough sketches by MT. Weston, but will give good idea of the class of buildings to be erected. These buildings will have cement floors, and will be properly drained. They will be inspected every day, and if at any time they are found in unsanitary condition the fact will be reported to Mayor Drennen.
 By the time the elephant Is purchased the boys expect to have a cage of mon- keys, a camel. raccoon, a tiger and three bears. All of these animals except the tiger, have been practically promised by leading citizens who prefer that their names be withheld for the present The boys expect to raise enough money by the first of June to buy a tiger as well as an elephant.
 Letters were written to animal dealers last night to open negotiations for the purchase of the elephant and bids were asked for. The association has decided that what it wants is medium size per fectly docile female elephant. Now If anybody has an animal of this kind for sale he can get trade from the boys of Birmingham.
 Boys We'll Informed. When the committee gets ready to go to New York every member of it will be an expert on the good qualities and prices of elephants. They will not go ur.pre- pared They are accommodating all kinds of information on wild animals and when the Mundy carnival man arrives this week they are going to learn much more. He | has promised to have conference with | the boys and tell them all he knows about elephants camels and tigers. He will also invite the boys to see his anil malls fed. This is privilege few persons | can enjoy.
 | All of the Alabama state papers, week. ly and daily, are discussing the movement for a zoo in Birmingham and are giving every encouragement possible. It seems to be the general tone of these papers that Birmingham should above all forms of amusement and instruction have zoo. Alabama has never enjoyed the owner ship of such an institution and when the boys of Birmingham have secured one they will have done themselves proud. Meeting Tuesday. There will be a general meeting of the Children's Geological Garden asso- citation Tuesday afternoon at o'clock ..s.s.,. in I2 rIi .h is urged h..