The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-03
JEFFERSON TRUNK SEWER
A FEAT OF ENGINEERING
System One Of the Largest in the, World. and
Jean Vatican Could Traverse 1t Without
the Trouble He Had in Paris.

known that the big engineering unoer'
taking will be completed and the Com.
mission will have cash left on hand
when the work Is through.
There Is still another phase of the
sewerage problem of Jefferson Counts
which has not yet been touched upon
Neither Valley Creek nor Village Greek
Is large enough to take UP the task
put upon them by the double-trunk
system Some way OF destroying the
sewerage had to be provided. And In
solving this problem the Sanitary Com
mission came upon distinct surprise.
The members first found out that big
septic tank would have to be erected
at the outlet below Bessemer. It was
figured out that this septic tank would
cost no less than $4,000. 1t had to be
provided with means and furnished
with acid for destroying the sewerage
and for purifying the water which
brought it to the mouth of the sewer.
Use for Cfty's Sewerage.
The surprise that the Commission en-
countered was the offer of Morris Ad-
Ter and Company OF Bessemer to build
that plant at a cost of $4,000 and
charge the Commission nothing for 1t
and to maintain 1t free Of cost to the
County or to the Commission. OF what
use could the sewerage OF the city be
put, that would make 1t worth the
spend more than $4,000 to get the use
of it? The Commission learned that
Adler and Company knew what they
were talking about when they pro-
posed to spend all this money. In the
first place the firm knew that the
proper operation of the septic tank
would purify the immense volume Of
water that would come down through
the sewer. 1t was the water the firm
wanted. They wanted that water to
sell to the manufacturing concerns
which do business in Bessemer, And
that is why the firm was ready and
willing to spend not only $4,000 for
the construction OF the sept, tank but
to pay for its maintenance as well.
The members of the Sanitary Com
mission shook hands with themselves
and accepted the offer at once. The
nrm got to work and now the tank is
nnished and ready for work.
the Commission now has the task be-
fore 1t OF building similar, IL smaller.
septic tank at the outlet of it's other
sewer below Ensley. They are at work
doing this job now.
The Work Well Done.
What has been done in constructing
the two trunk sewers and in building
the two septic tanks has been well done.
Tne citizens OF the county have cause
FOR congratufation In the work that has
been directed by the Jefferson County
sanitary Commission. And the people
of the county have not been slow to
voice their appreciation of the signal
service which the members of the Corn
mission have rendered. That the Com
mission has had hard task and that
IL mas done its work well is agreed by
the whole of Jefferson County.
The personnel of the Commission IL
as follows Major Frank Y. Anderson,
president; &c. w. Smith, Vice President:
I. II. Motion, NJ. v. Joseph. E. w
Tutwiler. e. /. Smyer. ]. M. GIiiespie.
James Weatherly, Chambers McAdory.
Robert Jemison and r. b. SINGER, Sec
rotary.
The Commission was organized in
May, 1901, under the authority of act
passed by the Legislature and under
the terms OF the same act the Commits
sion was empowered to institute con-
demnation proceedings. The Commits
sion lost no time in getting to work.
1t found an able and competent engi-
neer in Julian Kendrick and he was
put In charge of the supervisory work.
In securing the property that 1t needed
Tor the prosecution of the big undertake.
ing the Commission found itself involy-
ed in a number of lawsuits. but the
work was only temporarily halted.
Having put its hand to the plow the
Commission would not turn back in
any phase of the work.
bond issue was of course made, The
Commission got from the sale of these
sanitary bonds the sum of $504,749.
From the bond issue money the Com
mission still has $4,000 and from other
sources 1t will get nearly twice that
much. Whatever other problems have
faced the Commission there are not now
any financial troubles to worry it.
Greater Birmingham Issue.
rms sewerage system has brought
the Greater Birmingham issue to an
cute stage. How it has done 1t will
be presently shown. It will be recalled
by all well informed Alabamians that
an agitation for a Greater Birmingham
has been on in Jefferson county for
several years. 1t was before the last
legislature, hut the advocates of ex-
pansion for some reason went down
in the fight. Now the campaign is on
with redoubled force. When Governor
Jelks was contemplating In the late
summer the calling together of the
Alabama legislature in special session
a Greater Birmingham Committee came
hot foot to Montgomery to get him
to embody the proposition for an ex-
tended Birmingham in the proposed
call so that the Lawmakers could le-
sally provide for Greater Birming-
ham. If the call for the legislature
had been made, no doubt that propo-
sition for the bigger city would have
The city of Birmingham. and the
commission urge that they
must have the power to make all the
thickly settled communities about Biz.
mingham conect with the two trunk
sewers, otherwise they will not attain
the full purpose for which they were
built and for which the half million
dollars were spent. There are twelve
which. 1t is contended
should be made to connect with the
pig sewers. They stretch from East
Lake to Bessemer.
The Greater Birmingham advocates
have solved a unique scheme. They
want to transform these twelve NUM-
eipalities in not more than three
They wan to ar
range it so that there shall not be
more than three city governments
where there are now twelve city gov
srnments 1t has been suggested that
Ill municipalities touched or drained
BY the big sewers shall be merged un-
III there shall be only the municipali-
lies of Birmingham, of Ensley, and
Bessemer, each with a widely increased
territory and largely increased popu-
alton.
Scheme of the ImperIaIlsts.
But in doing this the municipalities
Will of necessity take in some thin
y settled districts from which II
would be unjust to demand and require
taxes. In these districts II
would not be the proper thing to de-
nand city taxes because they could
lot be furnished with city improve
nents
To avoid this injustice the Greater
BIRMINGHAM oh