davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Streets.

By referring to the report of the street
commissioner it will readily be seen what
equipment the department possesses and
the facilities at its command for dis
charging your duties for this particular
line of your administrative work.
Good and well kept streets are one of
the principal things that property own
ers and tax payers have a right to ex-
pect of their municipal governemnt.
While the city has materially increased
in population, still it is shown by the re-
port of the street commissioner that the
expenses of this department for 1903 were
siS,1l7, and for 1904 only $39,237, showing a
decrease in the expenses of this depart
ment of $3SS0 for 1904 over 1903.
Since this department has been under
the supervision Of the street commits
sioner, the removal of garbage and
sprinlkling and sweeping the streets has
also been taken over by the city and put
under the supervision of the street COM
missioner. 1t is shown by this report that
the total number of loads of garbage
hauled during the year amounted to 80, 6SS
and that the removal of this garbage cost
only 80 cents per load for hauling.
By investigation you will find that this
department with its present equipment is
taxed to its fullest capacity and you will
find that it will be necessary to increase
the number of trash wagons as well as
the number of street sprinlxlers now in
use in order that the demands on this
department may be met.
Nothing would facilitate the workings
of this department more than the build
ing and installation of the crematory,
which has been postponed from year to
year, and necessarily will have to be
erected In the near future.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Trading With the City.

Another subject Of sufficient Importance
to lay before you tonight is the custom all
too prevalent of officials ar aldermen
trading with their own cities Most scand-
ais In American public life come from
corruption in municipal government, and
most of these municipal governments can
trace disgrace and frequently their debts
To this indefensibe habit. II beln
cognized as impossible to have gooo
eminent under such conditions, the
and more experienced commonwealth
the north and east have attacked til
through their legislatures, as we.
through city charters. Massachusetts,
New Jersey. New York, Pennsylvania,
Michigan and many othehr states have
enacted laws providing IN substance that
NO member of IA Board of Aldermen,
head Of department chief Of bureau. de-
putty or clerk therein, or other officer Of
| the corporation shall be or become inter-
ested directly or INDIRECTLY as contract
ing partN partner, stakeholder or other
wise. in or in the performance OF any con-
tract work or business, or the sale OF
any article, the expen. 2, price or eonsid-
Grafton OF which is payable from the city
treasury"
Having accepted tae SURFACES and
trusts Of our fellow citizens having taken
the oath of office and owing proper re-
gard for the honor and welfare of our
city | can but b. leve tat each one Of
us will be willing to forego any profits
that might accrue from this practice II
by so doing we place this Board on such
a basis that we will not only earn and
enjoy the fun confidence o. our constitu-
ents but create and foster public senti-
ment which Will make such practice inn
possible and Improbable ! say candidly
TO you, 1t is my opinion, that If there be
any one of us not willing TO do this he
should not represent the city of Birming-
ham IN its legislative body.
Judge Dillon In his great work on NUM-
cipal corporations says: 1T Is well
established and salutary doctrine that he
who is entrusted with the business Of
others cannot be allowed to make such
business an object of pecuniary profit
to himself This rule does not depend
on reasoning technical in its character.
and is not local In its application. 1t
Is based upon principles Of reason, Of
morality and Of public policy"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Fire Department.

1t is shown by the supplementary re-
port of the chief of the fire department
that the city had In use at the time that
assumed the office of Mayor. two fire
stations, Central Station No. l. located
in the City Hall building, and Station No.
2, located at Avenue ID ana Nineteenth
street. The department now consists of
the two above named stations and four
additional stations, all fully equipped
with fire fighting apparatus, namely, the
East and West End stations and the
North Highlands station and Five Points
station. The approximate cost of Install
ing and eqniping these additional sta
tons as shown by the report of the chief
of the fire department is s31 900.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen are
now under contract with the Southeastern
Tariff association for the purchase Of add
ditional apparatus that will cost approx
imately $4,000. which when installed will
give to the city two additional stations
and with the additional horses and men
will make the fire department of this city
-first-class in every respect, also giving
the citizens of Birmingham as low a rate
of insurance as any city of like size and
population in the United States.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Parks.

| When l was first elected to the office
| of Mayor of your city there were only
three parks, all located on the Northside
of the city, with names and locations as
| follows:
West End park, located between Six
| tenth and Seventeenth streets and Fifth
and Sixth avenues, north.
| Capitol park, located between East and
West Twentieth streets and Park and
Eighth avenues.
East End Park located between Twen-
ty-fourth and Twenty-ifth streets and
Sixth and Seventh avenues Each one of
the above named parks is over 400 feet
square and had been well laid off, but
have been materially improved and well
kept up during the present administra-
tion.
During my term of office you have ac-
quired the following parks: Behrens
park. located on Twelfth street near
Richmond Station; Drennen park at
Five Points and Highland Circle at Five
Points; two parks on Highland avenue,
in the Sixth ward. namely. Halls park
and Rhodes park and an unnamed park
on Highland avenue in the Seventh
ward. and an unnamed park on Fountain
Heights. In the Third ward 1t will be
shown that seven additional parks have
been secured. The total number that
have been purchased have a balance due
on them of only $26145. One hundred and
fifty thousand is a conservative valuation
of the additional seven parks.
1t Is to be hoped that the administra-
ton that is to succeed you will make the
necessary improvements so the citizens
may enjoy the full benefits and pleasures
of these parks.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
colored Saloons.

A peculiar discrimination has been
evolved from our system of licensing
saloons. In the center of town white
proprietor can conduct tw1 saloons, one
white and one colored. II under the same
roof with q partition between. Only one
license is required.
IT is my understanding that in many
cases this license is resold TO the colored
man who operates the colored department
Yet colored proprietors are not allowed to
open or operate In these localities even on
payment of the full $500 license. This is
unfair as It forces a monopoly OF the col
ored trade into the white mans hands.
If we expect to discriminate and be arbi-
trary We should go still further and abol-
ish every separate counter for colored
people and also every colored saloon in
the business district of this city. 1t would
prove a blessing to the colored people
themselves and be the abatement Of an
obnoxious nuisance. In any event those
saloons with two departments should be
made to take out two licenses.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04

Probably the only effective source of adj
ditional revenue is in rounding up escapes
both real and personal. and in having
assessments equallzed on higher vaua-
tions. The average valuation for the en-
tire city is now probably less than 30 per
cent of actual value
1t is an established fact that much
real property, chiefly in the center of the
city, Is not assessed for 20 per cent of its
market value. Yet caring for this very
property now absorbs the greater part Of
our receipts through the police, fire and
street cleaning departments. 1t Is recon-
mended that two competent men be em-
ployed to go before the back tax com
missioner to point out the numerous in
CAPABILITIES OF assessments with reference
to market value; also with reference
to making the land itself and not the inn
provements thereon, bear its just part
of the burden, 50 that progressive tax
payers will not be saddled with a penalty
for improving property and that cheap
buildings contiguous to improvements
shall not be allowed TO escape paying
fair return on the unearned increment
gained through the heaping up of values
around them.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Police Department.

The police department now consists of
one chief one captain, two lieutenants,
two sergeants, three detectives and fifty
six patroImen. with ten supernumeraries.
The expenses of this department for
1904 were $50, 643. 80, against $56,0l6.6S for
the year 1903, making an increase of 81
627.32 This additional expense was
caused by the department being increased
during the year, by the purchase of a
new patrol wagon and the installation of
a telephone system consisting of fifty
telephones placed in various parts of the
city which greatly facilitate the work.
ings of this department.
The total amount of fines and fees col
lected through the police court was $24
229.s6. and the amount of stolen property
recovered by this department amounts
to s1s.S99. 66.
The total number of arrests for the
year was 1868. against 1898 in 1903. show
ing a decrease of 1870.
This department is one of the most i'm
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Retrospection.

In retiring from the office of Mayor of
the city of Birmingham. after having
served two years as a member of your
honorable board and six years as chief
executive of this city, | desire to avail
myself of this opportunity to express to
your honorable body and the several de-
partments Of the city government my
deep sense Of gratitude for the active CO.
operation which has at all times been
extended to me in my efforts to serve the
public inerests.
The organization of our city government
is such that without the co-operation of
the Mayor the Board of Education the
Board of Police Commissioners. and your
honorable body, any active affirmative
and positive municipal Improvement is
impossible.
In view of the united purpose and
hearty cooperation which has prevailed
during the greater portion OF my term
of office. ! may be pardoned for referring
somewhat at length at this time to some
of the most important results tat have
been accomplished during the time that
have served as Mayor of this city, and
in order that you may readily see the
results that have been Accomplished IL
will be well for me to compare the i'm
proxements that have been made during
the time that Birmingham has been an
incorporated city, that is. from 1871 TO
1899. covering period of twenty-eight
years, with the six years, from 1899 to
May !, 1903, which time / have served as
your chief executive.
1t is shown by a comparative supple
mentary report of the city engineer that
the following improvements have been
made In grading. fnacadamizing, curbing,
sidewalk and street paving and storm and
sanitary sewers from 1871 to May I. 1906
Miles OF macadamized streets prior
to 1899. -. .....9... 800. .22.5O
Miles OF macadamized streets from
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04

The report of the city engineer SUBJ
mitted to this board is so complete in ev-
cry detail that l ask your careful consid-
Grafton of it,
work constructed during the year 1904 is
s210,s71 The estimated cost of completing
work under construction, $1s,776. And the
estimated cost of work under contract,
but not begun, is s213,5oO And the esti-
mated cost of work authorized but not
contracted for, is s51. 026 making a total
of s493673 for the year.
The work constructed prior to 1904
amounts to 1886, s75 making a grand total
of work constructed and authorized to
December 81, 1904, of y1,329. 34s.
A great many more improvements have
been petitioned for by property owners
and II Is to be hoped that the policy of
the present administration will be con-
tinued for nothing, in my opinion, assists
more in the upbuiding of this city than
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Fire Department.

This department has been confronted
| during the past year with number of
| serious confiagrations resulting in I'M
usually heavy losses.
While the efficiency of the chief and
the loyal support accorded him by the en-
| tire force of the department has been up
| to our expectations, it is shown by a
comparative statement from the chief S
report during the fourteen QD years,
! that it is necessary to have more efficient
| apparatus placed at his disposal.
| 1t is shown by this report that the
| greatest loss s-stained by the city from
| 1890 to 1899 inclusive, covering a period
| of ten Q0) years, with the exception of an
unusual conhagration In 1894, which de-
| stroyed the Caldwell hotel and a number
of. other buildings contiguous thereto, out
of 239 fires was only $4,000.
| By comparing the five following years
| 1t is shown by this report the least loss
| sustained was in 1903 when with 1854 fires
| there was a loss of S120 COB. And the
greatest loss in 1904, when with sol fires
there was loss of sS5l,005.
This report demonstrates the fact that
the city is growing at a most rapid rate
and the fire fighting apparatus has not
| been increased in comparison with the
growth of the city
| Some times since the representatives Of
| the Southeastern Tariff association asked
| for revision of the laws governing the
| erection and inspection of buildings in
| this city The Board of Mayor and Alder
men concurred in their recommendations
| and the Mayor, at the request Of the
board, appointed five of the leading ar
chitects of the city, assisted by the city
engineer, to draft new building laws. The
committee submitted for your considera-
| ton a revision of the bu;iding laws. In
case they were adopted by the board
| it would materially, in my opinion, de-
crease the number of CONGREGATIONS.
on account of the unusual conflagra-
tions the Southeastern Tariff association
has given you a second instead of first
class rating, thereby causing the insur-
ers almost $500 600 per year additional in
surance on their stocks of merchandise
and buildings in the congested district
of the city.
An agreement has been reached be-
| tween representatives of the Southeastern
Tariff association and special committee
of the finance and fire and water COM
mittees. which agreement has been con-
Cured I'm and adopted by the Southeast
ern Tariff association and your honor
able body, that by the purchasing and
installation of additional apparatus and
equipment amounting to approximately
$40 1000, said association would place Biz
mingham, in the congested district on
frst-class instead of a second-class basis.
1t is to be hoped that the incoming adj
ministration will comply with the agree
ment that has been reached by your
honorable body with the Southeastern
Tariff association and install the addi-
tional apparatus and equipment.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Street and Garbage.

In my first message to your honorable
body | recommended the adjustment of
the contract system for sprinklng, and
sweeping the streets and the removal of
all garbage, and the installation of the
necessary equipment to carry out this
important work. This recommendation
was eoncurred in by your honorable body
and this department is now owned and
operated by the city, the stables barns,
wagons, sprinklers eighty head of horses
and mules. steam road rollers and all
other necessary equipment having been
purchased and installed at the cost which
is shown by the report of the street COM
missioner at $2s GOO which was all paid
out of the general fund
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
General Policy.

| We are elected to office upon certain
issues that should receive explicit reaf-
| tirmance and be confirmed by p rform-
anee. in order that the peopl0 Of Bir-
mingham may know that we have not
forgotten our promises.
In recognition of these obligations the
Mayor in making appointments to stand
ing committees will defer in certain in
stances to the known wishes of the
voters and doubtless | voice your sem
timents also when making the statement
that this administration viii carry out
to its utmost ability all pledges made to
the people.
The dominant issues in the campaign
which resulted in our election were:
First, greater economy and closer scru-
tiny of accounts, for the direct purpose
OF bringing expenditures within receipts;
.also to see that the tax payers dollar
counts every time for its full value. We
all promised that in the campaign
let us do It.
Second, greater publicity In municipal
affairs, with the specific object of caus-
ing every alderman to openly assume his
full responsibility for the city's manage
ment, in order that constituents may
know whether they are being represented
or misrepresented This is also desirable
in order that no clearly defined law of the
city, fundamental or statutory, shall at
any time be ignored, evaded or nullified.
In the working of The city government
you will be confronted with the fact that
presidents, however bad, have been re-
garded as law. The executive depart
ment of this city during this administra-
ton will recognize as law no precedents
nor the acts of any person, firm or cor
poration not in conformity with law.
The following suggestions which | sub
init, not in any arbitrary spirit but with
desire to enlist your calm and unpreju-
diced consideration, | think will contrib
ute to the public welfare If put into eff
feet.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Street Liqhts.

Attention IL called to the fact that our
contract with the Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company for street
lights at $50 per annum on all night
schedule. Is subject to revision August |,
next. The board should see that new
price for lights is greatly reduced.
Then a system should be devised by
which all Cottages are reported prompt
~. as a protection against paying an
''all night" price for lights that burn
only a few hours and sometimes not at
all. by this system we also should make
sure that 2OO0 candle power Is put into
each light as per contract or that re-
duction of price Is obtained In proportion
to candle power missing each night.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Water.

During the time that | have lived IN
your city, covering a period of more than
twenty years, scarcely a municipal cam
paign has been conducted but that the
chief issue has been the quality of water
that is furnished by tine Birmingham
Water Works company and the exorbi-
tant prices charged for same. At the
time that / first asked the support of the
citizens for the office which l now leave,
l promised that In case ] should be
elected that ] would use my efforts to fur
nish the city of Birmingham with pure
and wholesome water and at reasonable
prices. VII your assistance part of
the promise made has been put into effect
and after long and continued struggles
you succeeded in compelling the Birming
ham Water Works company to install
modern filtration plants at the cost 20
this company of approximately $500. Duo.
While the prices charged by this company
are exorbitant. still the quality of water
furnished Is as pure and wholesome as
is furnished any city in the world.
While perhaps the Birmingham Water
Works company is dealing with the city
as fairly as any other private water COM
pany would do, still no satisfactory adj
justment of prices can be agreed upon,
Water Works company and the plant
owned and operated by the municipality.
The cost of water furnished should be so
reasonable in price and quantity that the
poorest citizen could afford to use water
unstntedy and not have to estimate the
cost by the thousands of gallons used.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
System.

In order to systematic our finances
the following recommendations are also
made:
First, that a budget" be prepared al
lowing fixed sums. which cannot be ex-
ceeded, for each department.
Second. that a purchasing committee"
of three be formed consisting Of the
Mayor. auditor and the chairman of one Of
the standing committee and that no pur-
chasing of any kind be made until a re-
QUESTION for the same has been submit
ted to and authorized by that committee.
For the government OF this committee
an ordinance is recommended providing
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
RETIRING MAYOR w. NJ. DRENNEN
DELIVERS FAREWELL ADDRESS

The Mayors annual message for 1904
submitted to the City Council last night,
follows:
To the Honorable Board Of Mayor and
Aldermen, Birmingham. Ala
Gentlemen: 1t is made incumbent upon
The Mayor, under the provisions of the
city charter adopted by an act of the
Legislature of Alabama, approved, Feb
ruary 30 1899, TO make at least once a
year statement of the finances and gen.
eral conditions Of the affairs of the city
and also such other information as he
may deem necessary or as he may from
time TO time be required to furnish.
|. Walter Melville Drennen, Mayor of
the city of Birmingham, in accordance
with the usual custom, submit herewith
for your consideration and approval my
sixth annual report, covering period of
three terms, of tho various departments
of the city government for the fiscal year
ending December 81, 1904, with supplement
tary reports of the city to May l, 1900.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Fruit Stands.

Attention is also called to the magnifi-
cent expansion Of our splendid street fruit
stand system. When permission was
granted to occupy modest space near cor
ners of prominent streets or the purpose
of selling fruits, il was me- contemplate
ed or agreed that they should operate as
department stores or trash warehouses
The Board should limit the space they oc-
cupy. for the specific purpose Of selling
fruits and candy, to certain number OF
feet and then order every unnecessary
box barrel and refrigerator cleared from
the public highway.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-04
Free Passes.

The same high regard for the properties
OF public life should also impel US to pro-
vide legislation and penalties against of
tlcials. and Aldermen accepting passes
from railroads, street railroads, or any
other source, when n monetary saving is
accomplished thereby, This is not senti-
ment merely, but simply what will be re-
earded in this community before many
years, and is now regarded in most COM
munities as public deeency.