The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-13
WANT TWO ROUTES ACROSS MOUNTAIN Beard of Trade Hears Report
 on Road Question URGE TUNNEL AT ONCE Also Ask Board of Revenue To Appro- priate For Opening Ss. Charles
 Street Across the
 Mountain.
URGE TUNNEL AT ONCE

The Board of Trade. always in the lead on road matters. has sprung another im- portant road issue Last month it be- gan a movement for a tunnel through Red mountain which spread so rapidly that it seems now almost certainty. Yesterday the board insisted that a road across the mountain at St. Charles street connecting with the Montevallo road, is equally as important as the tunnel, that this road can be built on very low grade, and that circumstances demand both connections with Shades valley.
 In a terse resolution the board calls upon the Board of Revenue to appro- priate the funds for both purposes, and push the work through under proper en- gineer's supervision. No other business of importance was transacted except the appointment of a committee on nomina- ton of officers, consisting of John w. ONeill, J. D. Collins, Sol Caheen, George McCreery, B. H. Cooper J. F. Shelby and John L. Parker. The term of the present officers has expired, and the new officers will be elected at the next meet ing. Here is the resolution as passed:
 "The Board of Trade committee appoint ed to investigate and report on the sub ject of new road and tunnel through Red mountain, after due consideration, reports that
 Whereas, The Board of Revenue of Jefferson county, recognizing the great need of more and better roads from Shades valley and the southern part of this county, into Birmingham, have or dered a survey and estimate of cost to be made by the county surveyor of road from Twentieth street. in Birmingham, through a tunnel in Red mountain into Shades valley at Rosedale, said road be- ing needed in addition to the road re- gently surveyed by same engineers from the end of St. Charles street, near Glen Iris, in Birmingham, to the MonteVallo road in Shades valley, about one mile distant and
 Whereas, This committee of the Board of Trade of Birmingham, believing that one of the most important things before the merchants and citizens of Birming- ham and of the whole county is to open up this beautiful Shades valley and the healthy mountain resorts on the other side by building, not only the road across Red mountain from St. Charles street, but also by building a road from Twentieth street In Birmingham through tunnel in Red mountain to the Irondale road at
 
 good roads into Shades valley, thereby al- lowing Birmingham to expand further south where home builders can have the advantage of magnificent residence prop erty at a reasonable price, and all within less than one mile of the present high priced South Highlands property, and really surpassing the South Highlands from point of health, beauty and clean Illness; and
 
 Red mountain being very steep Che best one having a 121a per cent maximum grade) it is readily seen that the mer- chants of Birmingham lost thousands or dollars of trade each year from people lly- ing south of Red mountain going else where to buy, and also to the fact that this close lying fertile valley Is slow to build up on account of present bad foads across the mountain; and
 'Whereas, The demand and need Of these roads are so urgent, we deem 1t nec- essary that the Board of Revenue De urged to begin work on both the road and tunnel at once, and push both to conl- pletion as quickly as possible.
 "Whereas The St Charles street road has been estimated to cost less than Slo,O0O for wide, first t-class macadam road, built on an easy per cent grade at the steep est place on the mountain, and on as low as 2 per cent grade at other places, and the Twentieth street road and tunnel has been estimated to cost $6oOoV; and 1t is for the best interest and welfare of the citizens of Birmingham and Jef- ferson county that both be built With as little delay as possible, be 1t Resolved, That the Board of Revenue of Jefferson county be asked to appro- priate the necessary money for both the road and tunnel or whatever part of the estimated amounts will be needed, and 1 that they be asked to authorize and order said road and tunnel to be built according to surveys and maps already made by the county engineers; and that they be asked to take whatever action is necessary to insure the prompt beginning of said work nr,d tIa,nl ,'