The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26

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 eompnca tons,
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 oursS will
vote as we are voting.
On account of peculiar geographical
conditions the constitutional convention
passed an ordinance establishing a court
house at a 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 Pen City Realty
company donated site to the county,
reasonably worth $4,000, and a 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 1t were declared invalid by
five to four decision of the supreme court
in a 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 Peli City and Coosa valley, al
most oneJhalf the county, desire the court
restored at this point, making a dual
court system. Another element prefers but
q single court and county seat, Ashville
The third only wants a single court and
county seat, but wants 1t at a new point
preferably Odenville, which means the
tN.aWz 3e1.t - n1
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 a straight two-court house platform
and invited opposition to him by 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..
Moore's bill in the senate, and Mr. w. I.
Brown of Ragland was put forward in the
race.
Neither Mr.. Brown or the Pel City peo-
Pile desired o conflict If the same could
be avoided, so a few days after Mr..
BroWn5S 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.. McLane Tilton. 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 1t. The courthouse at Pell 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 dual
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-
ton In two county beats. Cropwell and
Easonville in order to hold the vote of
those two beats and prevent their join