The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-05
ICRY FOR EXTRA SESSION COMES RI
 FROM ALL SECTIONS OF HE oIAlE|
APPRAISING PROPERTY FOR
 THE TAX ASSESSMENTS

1 No subject interests tax payers so
 much. perhaps. as the property appraise-
 ment in the city of Birmingham. The following indicates about the average
 values returned by property holders and accepted by the board of revenue for l taxation:
 Business lots of twenty-five feet each
 on Second avenue between Nineteenth and Twentieth streets, containing two- story buildings, are assessed at from
 $12,00o to s150O0 each.
 The Norton drug store. northwest cor- ner of Second avenue and Twentieth street, Is 50xlO0 feet. with the three-story building is assessed at sS5,oo0 The Dargin corner 5oxt0O feet. with two-story building Is assessed at s32,ooo.
 The Webb corner. just opposite, 25x100 feet, at sS500.
 The Solomon & Levi corner. First ave-
 nue and Twentieth street, 5ox1oO feet. at ss2,O00.
 The Mcdonald lot on which stands the First National bank building, was assess
 ed at $50, 200 before the erection of the
 building; now with the building at s225,- 0W
 In the matter of residence property. , lots on Fifth avenue between Twentieth and Twenty-third streets are assessed
 with buildings thereon at an average of about s70 per foot. One fifty-foot lot and house between Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets on that avenue
 s>e-se~~~-~-~~-~-~~s to agree with the law in force at that time The election then was held Tn Au- gust. While the time of holding the cleo tion has been changed the time of assum- ing office has not been changed. This is regarded as another important matter which the governor will have to deal with in his message calling an extra ses- sion.
 Another matter will come up, and though 1t Is not regarded as of great importance, 1t presents an interesting question. The consolidated court bill. as well as the Lusk act, both of which were declared unconstitutional, provided for an additional judge for Jefferson county. The method, however, was different The Lusk act provided for an associate circuit judge for the Tenth judicial circuit composed of Jefferson county. Constitutional experts are now claiming that only one judge can be allowed to circuit under the consti- tuition. They nse the following paragraph from the constitution as an argument:
 For each circuit there shall be chosen a. judge. who shall, for one year next preceding his election and during his continuance in office reside in the circuit for which he Is elected.
 Can There B, Two Judges.
 It is argued, therefore, that there can- not be but one judge for circuit. But while the constitution says there shall be judge, 1t does not say there shall not be more than one. On the other hand 1t is argued if the legislature has the right to allow more than one judge 1t has an equal right to allow more than one sheriff. To offset this one lawyer suggest ed yesterday that the county could De divided into two circuits and there could be one judge for each circuit. This is probably knocked out, however, by the |
 "No circuit or chancery division shall contain less than three counties unless there be embraced therein county nav ing a population of 2oooo or more and tax able property of s3.5O000o or more in yalue." Under this 1t appears that there must be "a county in circuit.
 Next to these questions of importance comes the re-funding of the state oept' and the governor may be urged to include this in his call This matter Is regarded as of grave importance to the state, ana as there are several plans now being us cussed by which the present bonds couio be replaced by bonds bearing smaiier rate of interest, the governor might DC persuaded to ask the legislature to con s,der this matter. It would be dangerous. sov number of leading citizens, for the eovernor to take up too many subjects. The constitution limits special sessions 10 thirty days.
 Fifteen Hundred Cases on One Docket. As an evidence of Governor Cunning hams interest In the matter he has Tor warded telegrams to every circuit court
 clerk in the state asking for information
 
 as to how many cases now remain on the docket without having come to trial. w. K. McAdory, clerk of the circuit court of jefferson county and Dr. J. 5. Gillespy, clerk of the city court, received the following message yesterday; "Please nail me immediately number or cases on your docket.
 "R. NJ. CUNNINGHAM, "Lieuteaant and Acting Governor MT. McAdory immediately informed the governor that there were 15Oo untried cases on his docket. Dr. Gillespy will complete his report and forward 1t to the governor this morning. John A. Lusk, author of the Lusk. bill, gave out the ollowing statement in Gun tersyille yesterday concerning the neces- sity of calling an extra session:
 Mir. Lusk Makes Statement. Tt is of the utmost importance to the pubIic the democratic party and an or-