The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-18
$4,000 TO SOLVE
WATER PROBLEM
Appeals viii be Made for That
Amount of Money
WATER COMMITTEE ACTS
Contributions viii Be Made BY Pub
Ilc-Hardlng, chalifoux, o'6rien,
JemIson and AIdrIoh
Discuss Subject.
WATER COMMITTEE ACTS

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ham district to raise $4,000 In order to
make necessary surveys and take pre-
liminary steps requisite to obtain for the
district an adequate supply Of cheap
water. Appeals for public subscriptions
to the fund will promptly be issued by
W. p G. Harding, chairman of the wa
ter committee.
That was the upshot Of a meeting OF
the water committee held yesterday af-
ternoon in the First National Bank
building The action was taken after
the water problem had been discussed by
Mr.. Harding, J. =. Chalifoux, Frank
P. O'Brien, Robert Jemison. T. H. AL
drich. Mayor-elect Ward, Captain Crook,
Job Joing and Mayor Scott of Ensley.
chaIifoux's Views.
Mr. Chalifoux, who opened the discus
sion, elaborated the views recently ex-
pressed by him on the subject in the
Age-Herald. He said that until last Sat-
urday he was quite ignorant of the prob
lem, but that after discussing it with
Mr.. Van Hoos, Mayor Drennen, Mr..
Jemison and Captain O'Brien he felt that
the proper development of Birmingham
depended, in large measure, on the prompt
provision of the district with more and
cheaper water. Mr. Van Hoos had con-
vihced him that the present water sup
ply was inadequate. Mayor Drennen had
confirmed this view of the case. The
Mayor had reminded him of a CONVERSE
tion had by the Mayor with Don H. Ba-
%
Iron & Railroad company, in which Mr.
Bacon had said that existing conditions
prevented capitalists from investing large
amounts of money in the district No
large industries had been established in
Birmingham in the last four years, said
he and none would be unless the water
problem was solved. The Sehulers had
gone to Gadsden. and unless Birming-
ham should wake up, some other town
either Gadsden or Tuscaloosa-would
wrest the lead from Birmingham in the
Industrial development of the state. Biz
mingham was in danger of following the
disastrous example of Salem, Mass, a
town that once rivalled Boston, but lost
its prestige by failing to provide an
adequate harbor, whereas Boston went
ahead and did its duty and reaped a
rich reward. Unless Birmingham was
alert, much business would be diverted
from this city and values here would
sharply decline.
Rivalry In Congress.
Mr. Chalifoux said that this rivalry be-
tween different cities in Alabama was
...a...eo.taa Il, Nongraes He alluded TO
a case in which, he said. Representative
Bankhead had opposed an appropriation
intended to help Birmingham, and as
signed as a reason for Mr.. Bankheads
opposition the fact that Mr.. Bankhead
wished to favor Tuscaloosa. Mr.. Bank
head was active in getting the Black
Warrior appropriations, said he, but was
hurting Birmingham.
Captain O'Brien reminded Mr.. Chali-
foux that Mr.. Bankhead was not the
from the Birmingham dis
trict.
Continuing, Mr.. Chalifoux said that pub
lie interest in the subject should be awak-
ened. Every city, said he, grows by the
energy of its business men. These should
take the matter up and dispose of it.
Mr.. Jemison Dissents.
Mr.. Jemison. who followed Mr.. Chali-
foux, dissented sharply from that gentle
mans views. He said the problem was
not more water so much as it was
"cheap water 1t was a mistake to
advertise the report that Birmingham
lacked water facilities. He was sure that
water in abundant quantities could be had.
The crux of the problem was not the
quantity but the price of the water
Every manufacturer, said he. would like
to have free water. Experience had. how
ever, taught him that free water is in
many cases very dear water. 1t costs
more said he, to pump water than to buy
1t. To prove this he cited cases in Tusca-
loosa, Chattanooga and East st. Louis.
The public mind should be disabused of
the idea that manufacturers are deferred
from investing in the Birmingham dis
trict by reason of existing conditions.
Steel plants might not be able to come
here. but all other kinds of manufacture
ing interests could come.
1t was a mistake, he repeated, to adj
vertise that Birmingham hasn't an ade-
quate water supply 1t took twenty years
for the town to get rid of the reputa-