The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-27
Ward Lines to Conform Large Iy With the Suburban
 Boundary Lines
GREATER BIRMINGHAM Is
 GIVEN IMMENSE BOOST
Action at Yesterdays Meeting Was Unanimous and Everyone Wants to Treat Outlying Towns With
 Utmost Consideration.

Greater Birmingham will have forty aldermen and twenty wards, the pres ent lines of the t. wns to be absorbed to be retained as nearly as possible
 This is the agreement arrived at by representatives at the meeting held yesterday morning at the Commercial club. This was incorporated in a reso- lution introduced by Mayor Perryman of Woodlawn
 The meeting was called to order by Jere c. King, who was elected chair man of the meeting Robert W. Ewing was elected secretary MT. King made a short talk, saying;
 This meeting was called for the purpose of bringing the representatives of the different towns together in or der to harmonize any differences which might exist That we are to have a l Greater Birmingham Is a foregone con l clusions but we want to have n good city and the only way to have 1t Is by 1 treating the outside towns fairly, and 1t is the intention of everyone work ing for Greater Birmingham that these towns shall be fairly represented on 1 the Greater Birmingham council. If these towns are given a fair represen- tation there will be no contest"
 Ward Makes Appearance. Mayor Ward made his first American ] appearance since his return from Eu- rope just at this time, his entrance making everyone forget all about i Greater Birmingham in the inspection of a quaint green bonnet which rested 1 upon his curly locks. Mayor Ward was accompanied by John w. o'Neill.
 Mayor Ward was asked for his opin- ion and said: q am heart and soul in 1 this proposition, and as far as I can assist in the council of Birmingham l l will advocate a broad, liberal policy. l do not think we should squabbie l over small matters. l understand the board of education has opened the schools to the outside towns and I am l glad of it. We should appear as one large family and not as one big fel- i low absorbing the others"
 J. A. Dearing of Fairview stated that he thought there was practically no opposition in Fairview against com ing into Greater Birmingham. but that they wished to be fairly treated.
 John w. O'Neil said he believed the 1 Birmingham council would do the right thing, and he believed the outlying towns should be divided into wards on a basis of population. He also re- ferred to the fact that an ordinance had been introduced into the Birming- ham council authorizing the sending of the fire department to these towns.
 W. E. Perryman mayor of Woodlawn, l then introduced his resolution.
 J. H. Adams of Graymont, wanted to know if the division into wards was to be done on a basis of population, saying i Graymont and Elyton could not preserve present lines on the population basis. MT. King replied that the division would, of course, be done according to popula- ton, but the endeavor would be made to follow the present lines as much as possible.
 w. M. Lindsay of Woodlawn. stated that he could not see how anyone could object to the population basis.
 Would Preserve Identity.
 MT. King then stated that the idea was | that the territory should be divided so that each ward would have equal popu- lation but that the identity of each town was to be preserved: that Cray mont would have to go almost to Fair view and that Elyton would no doubt
 
 Woodlawn should have 10000 population, they would have four aldermen from | two wards. Pratt City would be likely to l have two wards. Add to East Lake the Rugby Heights and Gate City Ter | ritory and you have enough for two wards" MT. King also referred to the | fact that the data which is being gotten up for the directory shows the Greater | Birmingham territory has population of 10000.
 Mayor Martin of East Lake, agreed that the only equitable play of representation | was on a population basis. '1'he reso- lution presents a spirit of fairness and can't conceive of any well founded op- position. East Lake will support 1t.
 George Whitfield of Avondale said he 1 could not see any objection to the resolu- ton.
 The resolution was then put to a yite and unanimously adopted after which the names of w. F. Perrynan and John l W. ONeill were added to the executive committee making the total number of 1 members twenty.
 MT. O'Neill moved that MT. King be 1 made chairman of the campaign commit tee, Mr King being unanimously elected. l J. IT, F. Moseley suggested that as the 1 prohibition election would be pulled off | on November 1, the date for the Greater | Birmingham election be named for about | December 10. Upon suggestion of Mayor l Ward tnlB quesuOn VIII Dt itll ppel | a week or two, after which the commit tee will decide on a day which he shall name This date will probably be about l December 1.
 Ex-Mayor Hudnal of Pratt City. arrived just after the meeting had broken up.' | but declared that the resolution was the | thing.
 | Some of those present were John H. | Adams. Graymont Mayor Martin East Lake; W. NJ. Lindsay. Woodlawn: Mayor Perryman Woodawn; J. A. Dearing, | Fairview: R. IT. fIagood, Elyton; George | Whitfield, Avondale; Mayor Ward, J. E. | Babb, R. W. Ewing. J. H. F. Moseley 1 John w. O'Neill, Jere c. King and others.
 Marriage Licenses Issued.