The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-16
HOW GREATER BIRMINGHAM
 IS TO BE REGULATED

internal government of Greater Birming ham Is as follows:
 A BILL.
 To be entitled an act to regulate cities that alter or rearrange their boundary lines so as to absorb or extinguish the government of two or more cities or towns.
 Be it enacted by the legislature of Ala bama
 Section l. That when any city alters or re-arranges it's boundary lines, so as to absorb two or more cities or towns, the Mayor of the city so altering or re- arranging its boundary lines, together wi.h the mayors of the cities or towns so absorbed, or whose governments have been extinguished, shall constitute com mission, whose duty it shall be- as soon thereafter as practicable, to meet and d. vide all the new territory added to the city so altering or re-arranging its boundary lines, into new wards. regard less of any limitation or charter of the city so altering or re-arranging it's bound arv lines so as to afford an opportunity to all persons entitled to vote at elec- tions in said city to vote therein.
 Sec. 2 Said commission shall so divide said new territory added to said city,. that each ward shall have as nearly as practicable, an equal number of qualified electors and the number of wards ere ated, in addition to the number already in existence in said city shall not ex- ceed twenty.
 Sec. 8. Each ward in said city shall have two aldermen or representatives in the council or governing body of said city; and when said new wards are ere ated, an election shall be held in each ward created by said commission, Dy the qualified electors therein, who shall elect two aldermen from each ward, 10 represent said ward in the council or gov
 aif when elected and qualified shall hold office until the next regular eleetlon TOT aldermen in said city, or until thelr successors are elected and quallneu, anu their successors shall be elected by the qualified electors in their respective wards The election of aldermen uhuer this act shall be conducted according 70 inc laws governing elections for offices under the laws of this state, provided, however that in no event shall there be more than forty aldermen or represen- tatives in the council or governing body in said city.
 The council or governing body of said city shall by resolution or ordinance at any time after the new wards have been created in the new territory added to said city, and the aldermen have been elected and qualified to fill said new wards, may re-arrange the respective wards of said city into voting precincts, as many as shall be necessary, and in no event shall there be exceeding three hundred electors residing in any one vot- ing precinct the council or governing body of said city shall have the power to change or to re-arrange the lines Of the wards in said city as often as may be necessary for the purpose of equaliz- ins the number of voters entitled to vote in each ward in the city.
 Sec. l. There shall be and is hereby established in such city so altering or re-arranging it's boundary lines, an in- ferior court of criminal jurisdiction, with at least as many divisions as there are police districts, to be known as the police court of said. city, which shall have ex- elusive jurisdiction of all offenses against the bylaws and ordinances passed and ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen of any city that so alters or re-arranges its boundary lines, so as to absorb one or more cities or towns: except viola tions to the revenue laws of the city, of which offense it shall not have juris- diction and 1t also shall have the power to examine all persons charged with fel-. pnies and commit same to jail, admit them to bail, to discharge them as law and evidence in every case. may require.
 Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the coun- ell or governing body of the city so altering or re-arranging it's boundary lines, within thirty days after said city shall alter or re-arrange it's boundary line, or as soon thereafter practicable, to divide an the territory of said city into police districts to be numbered con secutively; each city or town so absorbed having a population of four thousand or more inhabitants at the time of said divi- sion in the said police districts, shall be in a separate police district and each such district containing such city or town, shall have at least one division of the police court hereinafter provided for, and a judge to preside over the same, who shall be a resident of said district and perform the duties and exercise the powers possess the qualifications and be selected in the manner hereinafter pre- scribed
 Sec. 6. If there shall be at the time this act goes into effect such police court in the city so altering or re-arranging its boundary lines, or in any city or town which is so absorbed, the judge of said court shall continue in office as such judge until the expiration of the term for which he was elected and until the next election for aldermen thereafter. The Mayor of each of the cities or towns which have been absorbed or whose gov ernments have been eXtinguished, hav- Ing population of four thousand or more. at the time of the division of the territory into police districts shall be judge of the district of the police court in which such city or town is located during the term for which he shall have been elected Mayor and until the next election for aldermen thereafter, and his successor shall be elected by the quali- fled electors of the police district in which he presides. Such judges shall take and file his oath of office in the same manner, and at the same time as the Mayor of said city, the substance Of sad oath being the same as that re- uuired of circuit judges in this state and during his term of office he shall reside within the corporate limits of said city: such judges shall have the power to administer the oath and take affidavit in all cases in which oaths and affidavits are required by law, to take recogniz- ance, admit to bail, approve bail bonds, do every act and issue every process, mesne or final. necessary to effect the due administration of the law in the cases of offenses, jurisdiction of, or power over which are conferred by this act He may be impeached and removed from office in the same manner that the cir cult judges are impeached and removed Said judges shall receive annually, a salary which shall be fixed by the coun- cil or governing body of such city. to be paid in monthly nstallments out of the treasury of the Mayor and Alder men of said city, upon warrant for same
 If the office of any of the judges of said court shall at any time become va cant by death, removal or resignation or failure or refuse to qualify. said va cancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor. The person so appointed shall hold office until the next regular election for Mayor and Aldermen of said city. If the office of any of the judges of said court shall become vacant by reason of sickness. disqualification or in &sf,t.v IA11 oaf1 tnf hn