The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-05
Mayor Ward VIII Employ 5 peciaI Policemen for the Occasion SMALL DEALER WILL
 NOT BE ALLOWED
 
City Executive Says That Business Men Must Be Protected Against the Risk From
 Fire.

''There will be no fireworks discharged during the coming holidays" said Mayor Word. Twenty-Five or thirty more police- men will be employed if necessary to en- force the law, and I will use all the au- thority at my command to enforce the or dinances against all violators."
 The mayor stated that under no cir cumstances will he stand for a violation of existing ordinances. He says that peo- pie who discharge fireworks within tho corporate limits must stand the conse- quences if caught by plain clothes man, and there will be about twenty-five or thirty more employed to enforce the law.
 This practice of people securing licenses and selling goods, especially fire works, on the streets and using the curbs as their place of business will not be countenanced this year, remarked the mayor. Such a thing should not be al- lowed, as the people who are in busi- ness and pay licenses to do business for a whole year are deserving of considera- ton, and they will receive it from me.
 "The time has come to stop the indis- criminate discharge of fireworks within the city limits Birmingham is no longer a village and the insurance risks are such that patriotic citizens should realize that the big mercantile firms deserve the greatest consideration. Several prominent citizens have their all in their business. and it is possible that sparks from cannon cracker or Roman candle would destroy them by causing a fire. l am one of the boys when the enjoyment of Christ mas and the holidays is concerned, but at the same time l know that those who are in business must be protected. lnsur- ance risks are hazardous enough at pres ent and the younger generation which en- joy such fun should stop and consider that the business men also deserve con- sideration as well as themselves.'
 In years past confetti and other dis agreeable matters have caused discontent and i'll feeling at times. People, especial ly women. dislike to have confetti thrown upon them and horns blown in their ears and face. It is known that such practices have been indulged in here in years gone by and repetition of it may cause trouble, which Mayor Ward is guarding against.
 "The time has arrived when women must have it known that they can traverse the streets of Birmingham on Christmas Eve and Christmas day without fear of being covered with confetti, not to say anything of the horns that are usually used in celebrating the days being footed in their ears" added the mayor.
 The declaration of Mayor Ward will probably meet with the approval of many business men, those who pay annual licenses, inasmuch as he has stated that vendors of fireworks and other holiday pleasures will not be allowed to use tho streets, sidewalks and curb as a tempor- ary place of business. The business man pays licenses to do business for a solid year and the chief executive believe that they should be protected. They pay money on insurance policies which make the risks held by insurance companies hazard ous and if fireworks are allowed to be discharged in the city, even if outside the fire limits.
 Mayor Ward says that if squad of boys discharge fireworks within the limits of the forbidden district and one can not be caught. that the entire personnel of the party will be arrested