The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-02-08


result IN all parts OF the city being taken
care Of
At present the business district is kept
in such condition as to invite the praise
of visitors and residents.
Recognizing good results from the thor
-ough cleaning OF the city on August
last year. it would be we'll to make
cleaning day an annual event and re-
quire all citizens to cooperate thereby
making It thorough.
Whether cleaning up at that time pre-
vented yellow fever from coming into
the city or not none can say but It is
believed that the present total absence
of smallpox hereabouts, for the first time
in years, is directly attributable to 1t.
Much is said in annual reports each
year about the necessity for a crema-
tory. In due course OF time 1t will be-
come necessity and must be built but
considering its cost and expense of main
tenance. the present system of handling
refuse is probably giving more substan-
tial results
In every section of town can be found
low places that are naturally swampy
and breed mosquitoes and other ills.
During nine months of the year these
places are being steadily filled up with
understandable refuse. During the sum
mer months, however, much care is taken
to have trash Of all kinds carried fur
Their away
BY this system each end of town takes
care of Its own trash and long hauls are
avoided, therefore much time is gained
and more work is done
Furthermore the city is being steadily
relieved of obnoxious low places that are
always menace and that would never
be filled otherwise.
A crematory must come some day but
in the meantime all garbage and refuse
pense and no damage done to any sec
ton.
II VIII be the street commissioners eff
Tort to keep all permanently paved
streets thoroughly cleaned and in good
repair from this time on. therefore prop
erty owners on unpaved streets must nee
essarily not expect the amount of at
tent1on and repairs that would be given
II our facilities were larger.
Fire Department.
A very comprehensive report is sub
mitted by the chief of the fire depart
ment.
Recognizing the demand for more pro-
lection the Mayor and Aldermen in
March last formerly resolved as a "auid
pro quo for rerating Birmingham on a
hrst-class basis to put into effect an
agreement entered into between and re-
commended to them by the Board of
Trade and the Southeastern Tariff assoc
citation, based on a thorough investiga-
ton of what was needed.
With all these provisions fully carried
out this department will probably far ex-
Gel any In the United States in a city of
ike size, having eight stations and more
than one hundred trained men available
for concentration on a confagration at
all times. The annual maintenance of this
department will be something over $780,
600. Value OF property used by this de-
partment is estimated at $214000.
In addition to the above the board has
agreed to build and equip a station in
the Fourth ward near Norwood AS an
earnest that the Mayor and Aldermen
OF Birmingham wish to have a fire de-
partment as efficient as can be made, the
board recently employed George c. Hale,
who is recognized as one of the fore
most fire experts in the world, to in
spect the department thoroughly and
make such criticisms and recommended
tions as he felt would rebound to the
interests of the people. This report has
been made and has proven Of great value.
As the city has now carried out its part
of above mentioned agreement the South
estern Tariff association will doubtless
proceed to keep its part of said agree
ment and put into effect at once the re-
rating of the congested district of the
city of Birmingham on a first-class basis.
Police Department.
Recognizing the need for them, the
chief of police requests as usual, that
more men be added to the force 1t would
be well for us to accede to this request
a. once If possible, but owing to general
financial strain from all other sources
your honorable body will doubtless find
that it is wiser to continue to increase
the force gradually as has been done in
the past.
The city expects to receive from this
time on greater assistance A'om the entire
police force IN the enforcement of all
sanitary and street cleaning laws.
The city, the board of police commits
sioners and police officers are co-operat-
ing tremendously together and all are i'm
pressing on the individual patrolman that
his functions as a sanitary officer are
just as important and In far more gener-
al demand than are his duties as guardian
of the peace.
With steady and general pressure from
this powerful source on people who are
careless about. our laws, the efficiency
OF street cleaning operations will be very
ma terially increased and result in condi-
lions the public will be proud Of
Your attention Is called to the custom
now in vogue Of allowing patromen to
accept and approve miscellaneous appear
ance bonds. The result is that there has
accumulated in the office Of the criminal
court g. large batch of worthless bonds.
written hurriedly in pencil, which cannot
be collected, and some of which cannot
even be read. Many of them are signed
with fictitious names.
1t is herewith recommended that au-
thority to approve such bonds be vested
in some other officer who is always on
duty at the city hall, say the day and
night desk sergeant, and in captains and
lieutenants of police. Also that a clause
be inserted in the bond whereby each
signer makes oath that he is worth double
the amount of the bond.
Health Department
The health officer. sanitary inspectors
and city physician are all vigorously en-