The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-27

The race between Mr.. Ed Hammer of
Etowah and W. T. Brown Of St Clair for
senator from the Sixth district has devel-
oped so in many unhappy complications.
and we, the undersigned citizens of Pell
City and Coosa valley. take this means
of explaining why we are opposed to our
own county man and are heartily sup
porting Mr.. Hammer OF Etowah in the
hope that other people in the county,
whose interests are the same as ours, will
vote as we are voting.
On account of peculiar geographical
conditions the constitutional convention
passed an ordinance establishing a court
house at point to be determined by the
votes of the people living on the south
side of Back Bone mountain, and Pell
City was chosen. The Pell City Realty
company donated a site to the county.
reasonably worth $1,000, and court house
was built and paid for by the commission
ers. Several terms of court were held here
which proved the convenience, justice and
wisdom of the dual system, when the con-
stitutional ordinance and the court ere
ated by it were declared invalid by a
five to four decision of the supreme court
in case wherein the railroads were plain
tiffs
Since this decision. about a year ago,
the court house question has been a
vital one in ST. Clair county, and three
different views are held on the subject
without regard to political opinions. The
people of Pell City and Coosa valley, al
most one-half the county, desire the court
restored at this point, making a dual
court system Another element prefers but
a single court and county seat Ashville.
The third only wants a single court and
county seat, but wants 1t at new point,
preferably Odenvlle, which means the
ant nf he tarnn a L
ready owned at both Ashville and Pell
City.
The two court house people, among
whom we are numbered, put out for rep
resentative Mr.. ]. w. Moore of Coal City
on straight two-court house platform,
and invited opposition to him by a one
court house man, but no one dared race
against him In the primary, upon the re-
| suit of which we were anxious and willing
! for the people to express their views on
| this issue. AS 1t seemed impossible to de-
| feat Mr.. Moore, the one-court house
crowd as a last resort decided to do the
only thing possible, and that was by
| electing a senator, who could kill Mr..
Mpore's bill In the senate. and Mr.. w. I.
! Brown of Ragand was put forward in the
| race.
Neither Mr.. Brown or the Pell City peo-
| pie desired a conflict If the same could
| be avoided so a few days after Mr..
Brownies announcement appeared, at Mr..
Browns request a conference was held
\ at Coal City. At this conference there was
| present Mr., Brown, Mr.. Moore, Mr. Sum-
! ter Cogswell, Mr. Claude B. Alverson and
| Mr.. MoLane Triton. The conversation
| lasted over three hours, and Mr. Brown
| stated over and over again that he was
| unwilling to establish the court at Pell
| City unless the people of the county voted
on the question: absolutely refusing to
| concede our rights in the premises unless
supported by this vote.
| Our people offered the following argu-
ments That the only people who wished
| to vote on the courthouse would vote
against It. The courthouse at Pel City
was built and paid for and should be
used for the purpose 1t was intended
| That the people south of Backbone noun
tain had for fifty years paid their share
| Of the taxes for the court at Ashville
and were willing to continue so to do, and
we felt that they should not object to
paying their share for us. That the dua
| system was more convenient, and, In
| fact actually cheaper. Mr.. Brown could
not answer these arguments. but only
denied them and maintained his position
that he was opposed to any legislation
that was not submitted to the people
| though he admits that no legal provision
| exists by which this vote may be taken
Under these circumstances Is 1t to be
| wondered that we are suspicious of Mr.
| Browns change OF front on this issue
| or alleged change of front, and that we
place little faith in his putting up one
| thousand dollars to guarantee his ac-
| tion In two county beats, Cropwell and
Easonville, in order to hold the vote of
those two beats and prevent their join