The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-01

leaned against the counter at his soda
fountain. Looking out his front door one
can see the large acreage of which the
present 40 under consideration forms a
part. Having held the option for some
time upon this 40, I was interested in the
same and I felt that Mr.. Causey being a
resident of that section, was more or less
acquainted with the market value of the
properties.
II asked Mr.. Causey what he thought
| this acreage was worth and he remarked
that he had been trying to get some land
on the sewer In the vicinity of this land,
because the city wanted it; that he had
| ridden around a great deal and spent
most of the Sunday previous in obtaining
prices; that he had not obtained a price
| on any land less than $500 per acre, and
| he pointed out to me a Mr.. Waid who
| happened along at that time and said:
| Mr. Waid has 26 acres that fills the wants
| of the city, but he Is asking $1,000 an acre"
l then remarked to Mr.. Causey that l
| felt that Mr. Tarrant who had 40 acres
would sell his 40 acres for a less price.
Mr.. Causey then said that he knew the
property and that it would please the city
| if the county sewer was on the property,
and that he thought he ought to get in
touch with Mr.. Tarrant If the property
could be had at low price. He asked
me If knew Mr.. Tarrant and told him
yes and he asked me to make an engage
ment with him, which did.
introduced the Two Men.
"a few days thereafter introduced Mr..
Tarrant to Mr. Causey and to Mr.. Nc
Donald, and they at that time offered
to buy the 40 acres at price of $500 per
acre. Mr. Tarrant at the time said Cen
tlemen, this proposition has up to this
time been a cash proposition, and have
made you unusually liberal terms and
! L want this matter to go through with
out any unnecessary delay. One of the
two aldermen from the Eleventh ward
turned to me and said: Forney. you have
been on the board some time; how is the
best way to do this?' l then remarked !:
Get at least majority of the Board Of
Aldermen as soon as you can to go out
and look at the property and make note
of their ideas about the purchase This
was acted upon and a few hours after
wards, either Mr.. Causey or Mr.. Ms
noraia tclephoDed me that they thought
1t best to let the matter go through the
finance committee, and so this course
was pursued by them. The proposition
was then introduced in the board and re-
ferred to the finance committee, and l
believe to the parks and lands commit
tee. l am told that the members of this
committee went out and looked at the
land. They made their report to the
board in this wise, not recommending the
land or the terms of sale, but that a spec
ial committee of five be appointed by
the president of the council to take up
the question of the purchase of land in
the Eleventh ward, and that this special
committee be given power to act. This
resolution, no doubt, included any lands
that might come to the knowledge OF
Alderman Cooper and Copeland, which
proposition was before the board at the
same time. The City Council had not at
that time passed any resolution or mo-
ton accepting the proposition of any
landowner. nor had they passed any res
olution or motion showing that they
wanted any land. All powers and ideas
were transferred and placed in the spec
ial committee. This special committee,
in whom this matter was exclusively en-
trusted was appointed by the president
of the council by authority of the City
Council. and George b. Ward, as Mayor,
Aldermen Heidi, Burnett, Hogan and
Estes were appointed as the committee
This committee took the proposition alb
initio and did not accept the proposition
offered by r. r. McDavid & Co. for
Alderman Cooper and Copeland but did