The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-15
SUGGESTION TO The
BOARD OF REVENUE
PRESIDENT OF LAND AND I'M.
PROVEMENT co. DISCUSSES BAD
SANITARY CONDITIONS EAST OF
CITY LIMITS.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
The sanitary condition of the territory
east of the city limits after these heavy
rains. is so bad that I take the liberty
of asking that you give space to the
following suggestions, which may be OF
interest:
As you know there is seven or eight
miles of trunk sanitary sewers recently
constructed by the county, lying north
and east of the city, which, SO far as
have been able to learn, has not oeeh
utilized in any way, and all of that ter
ritory has still only a surface drainage
around and through the city.
There are two or three Incorporated
towns and several thiclSly settled sections
which should be, but have not the money
necessary to build connecting branches
to the sewer, and I don't eactly see how
a fund is TO be raised for such purposes,
except possibly by the three incorporated
towns. which may be able to get author
ity to issue bonds. but the population
is not more than one-half Of that OF the
territory which should utilize the sewer.
l also notice that the county now mas
revenue from taxation of something IKE
NAH mlllOn OOudIS, anu las VI iis'iie
over 100000 a good part of when IS
derived from outlying property In TINS
section, taxed on a basis of town lots,
which derives no direct benefit from such
revenue.
Now, taking it into consideration the
indiffurate time at which these small cor
porations can get authority to issue Donos
and their possible inability to sell same
and the inpracticability of the afore-
raising a fluid to build sewers, and the
Imperative need of having these connee-
tions made I would suggest that the
county build these branch sewers connect
ing every half mile with the main trunk
sewer and assess the cost of same pro-
portionately on the property lying one,
quarter mile on each side OF the sala
branch sewers, said assessment 70 10
paid on the ten-year plan, now IN opera
tion bv the city for like and street inn
provements.
Further. after the construction OF
these branch sewers, make 1t compulsory
that all improved property be conhecteu,
pipes for such to be connected from the
branch sewers and be laid by the county,
and assessment made on aDu'eins PIP
erty proportionately. such assessments W
be paid by the property OWNERS ,v mrr1
completed These assessments Wouiu
amount to very little and not TO De
hardship to any one to pay.
My object in making these Suggestions
Is inspired by the fact that our company
the King Land and Improvement com
pany. owns several hundred lots. so as,
sessed. in and around Avondale anu
Kingston, within three miles OF tie eits
limits of Birmingham, upon which we
are constantly building houses with sanl-
tary accommodations as prlnh.ive %
these of Rlount and Walker counties ana
which are a daily MANAGE, not only 10 .iie
health of the residents of such communl-
ties. but to the population of the city
win such ever-increasing Sickness
breeding centers, what protection mas a
clean city of small area, with pure wa ,,,l
etc, against typhoid malaria ana hKe
diseases. -, .d
1t is time something were done ana
why should not the county with lls 1A-
cessive taxation and unnecessary surplus
take up this work.
RICHARD RANDOLPH,
President King Land and Improvement
Company. o,
Birmingham, August IA, 1895