The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-02

rapidly as possible. especially in the con gested district. To this end 1t would be well to have your engineer figure out the number of blocks 1t would be fair to re- quire to go under ground each year and then pass an ordinance requiring 1t to be done. You should also see that telephone poles come off of all streets along which tho companies have constructed under ground conduits.
 VIaducts.
 Tn my last annual report is the follow ing: "The question of grade crossings is one that from now on will gradually be- come more acute. Provision should be made for free and safe passage from the center of town into the residence dis tricts."
 The question has already become acute Vigorous and determined action is de- manded of the council towards seeing that viaducts or other safeguards ara provided immediately wherever feasible The interests responsible for these danger ous conditions are the ones to provide the funds for the remedy As a rule de- day Is all they ask for and is what youi will have to contend with. grade crossing commission" authorized by the legislature, is probably the only medium through which the great move can be
 
 Liquor Traffic.
 Much of the time of this administration has been taken up in regulating the liquor traffic and trying to put 1t on higher plane. When I came into office the city was infested with great numbers of vicious dives frequented indiscriminately by both white and colored, male and fe- male These places have been cleaned out and closed permanently.
 The first move towards reform was cut ting all music out of saloons, the dice and dominos, then pool and billiards. Every saloon has been given to under stand that if women are allowed therein same will be sufficient cause to close it up. They expect also the same penalty if the Sunday law is violated. Therefore. saloons as now operated are freer from vagrants and the disorder and licentious- ness usually indulged in by such gather ings than ever before.
 Notwithstanding all this regulation the low class saloon is continuing to thrive and people continue to be debauched and | turned into vagrants. In my opinion as a. step towards future and permanent regu- | lation and in justice to the saloon inter- | est. which Is anxious to know --sa4at-i- expect, the board should now conn
 self firmly and boldly to the policy
 pursued during the year 1907. | As basis for this policy I ht l recommends
 l 1. That the annual license to be f--za not less than $2500
 2. That all saloons be confined tral district, either the fire lo s6b some arbitrary boundaries calledo 80 loon lirnits SO 8. That no applicant be allowed gu rate a saloon unless 1t be clearly oo that he either owns the building 20 business or the lease and the 1 oo In other words. let 1t be plainl;o oo that 1t Is the applicants moneyo ~ instead of another's. This will fed' custom now In vogue of the br. and wholesale dealers putting irrt9z' sible and transient barteepers in cfuu of saloons without the knowledge or l sent of the authorities. Jus l 4 That all saloons now located in Wa is known as the segregated district the city be closed by July 1 and that saio district hereafter be kept free from tn | liquor traffic.
 Segregation. ,ga- You are entitled to the thanks of | people for having carried through yo: | plan of segregation. l It has reduced the number of unfort- mates in our midst over 75 per cent h | driving hundreds away It has recla' | every other section of town from | cion and contamination. l It has made 1t possible for wom, r | children to go and be seen in a. every other part of the city at all ,r sna., v, 1 without fear of being mlsunderst, .aa | embarrassed. It has done more l vent thievery. debauchery and la,,ts more to prevent insidiousJ tempt s,c,, more to reduce llcentiousness incips. and chronic, than can ever be known n the public or the authorities. It should be regulated sternly; kept in the background and conditions improved from year to year.
 Streets. This is probably the largest and most difficult of your departments to handle Considering conditions, 1t is being success fully and ably done. During the coming year 1t is hoped we can restore our chert streets to good con- dition. Also that system will be pvt into operation that will keep water gal and plumbing excavations from les.-' ruts and gulleys across our higsi the We have ample power to do this. school An examination of the street conlca- sioner's report and recommendations II asked, so you can see the large scope o1 his work.
 With sincere thanks to members of the Board of Aldermen. city officials and employees for courtesies extended the above is respectfully submitted. GEO. B. WARD Mayor