The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-11

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SSSos5soSoSss
! "If we need quick legislation to OBJ
tain a water supply, let's have spec
ial session of the Legislature" was the
pointed remark made by James A. Van
! Hoose yesterday afternoon at the meet
| ing of the Board of Trade. IF the
! business men of Birmingham find that
| they need help in providing for the
| growth of the greatest city in the state,
! the governor can be induced to call IL
| special session and the cost would be
| a mere bagetelle. Spent $1,000 for an
| extra session rather than loose time
| every moment of which is worth thous-
ands of dollars.
This was only one of the 1--WE mean
| business remarks uttered at the meet
ing and applauded by those who favor
| the county taking part in the I'M
dertaking. The members = desiring
Greater Birmingham to handle the
| proposition were so interested as to
say, "Ensley must come into Birming
| ham," b. III. Cooper advanced the idea,
declaring that: "Ensey will be the
| greatest sufferer when corporations be-
| gin drifting off toward the rivers on
account of a lack of water supply. All
Ensley's interests are our interests, and
she should be persuaded to come in,
join the great work which confronts
u.s. and share in the profit
Shopping Days Demanded.
The passage of resolutions and the
appointment of a committee to take up
the water matter was only one of the
important actions. Upon the presen-
| tation of the Importance of shopping
| days by Coleman Blach a committee
was appointed, consisting of r. w. Ew-
| Ing, chairman; C. Blach, M. V. Joseph,
j. w. O'Neill, Murray Brown, O. Chal-
| ffoux and S. w. Lee with instructions
| to take up the matter of securing re-
| duced rates within a radius of 100 miles
| from Birmingham on two shopping
days, Wednesday and Thursday of each
| week. Mr.. Blach proposed that all
| trains coming from the east and north
| give the rate on one day. and those
from the west and south on the other
| day. The merchants could put on re-
| dueed prices, advertise the days in the
| papers, and 1t would soon become a
matter of profit to both the railroads,
| the retail and whosesale mer-
chants" he said. The board indorsed
the plan and the committee will i'm
mediately go to work on the local pas
| senger agents
John w. ONeill of the good roads
committee, reported the adoption of
the Oyerton amendment which the
board had indorsed and said that the
committee would get right in behind
the newly elected Board of Revenue to
see that Jefferson's roads are main
tanned as they should be.
A motion was passed instructing the
license committee, John L. Parker chair
man; j. ID. Collins, George Bowen. J. H.
Roll, b. f. Barbour, C. f. Bell and Joe
I Slaughter, to investigate the license
schedule and look after the interests of
the merchants when the council draws
up its license increases. There was also
| general jollification over the defeat of
the new county amendment which Pres
| ident Ewing said would ultimately be bet
| ter for all concerned.
Cooper and Van Hoose.
| The water question consumed most of
the afternoon. The resolution as given
above was introduced by J. d. Collins
B. III. Cooper then said that he favored
the resolution, gave a short history of
| the previous developments, and especially
the work OF Engineer Kay on the survey
from the Warrior river which was not
satisfactory to Engineer Kendrick, and
which he did not consider the proper
osition now than we were before" he
said but recently there has suddenly
been an awakening and I believe public
sentiment Is now behind the matter and
quick action will result" He advocated
municipal ownership and advanced his
idea of annexng Ensley.
]. A. VanHoose, remarking that it is
pitiful how slowly the needs of the city
have been worked out narrated the de-
Of ba 10
In 1903 which. he said. was carefully
drawn and provided for commission to
spend big sum. sufficient to find the
proper plan, get all the information nee
essary. take charge of the watershed and
build the system. He intimated that 1t
was killed by interested opponents, but,
he said, "Things have changed so much
that it might be advisable for the city
of Birmingham to take up the matter.
However, cannot agree with Mr.. Bowie
and Mr.. Smith that the county cannot
take a hand in 1t. w. A. Walker held
that the system could be built by in
ference that 1t was to supply the sewers
with water. But If we need legislation
why not have an extra session of the leg
islature?"
After discussing the matter fully and
telling of Senator Morgan's prophecy
that Birmingham would rue the day she
had refused to set about bringing the
Warrior river to Birmingham he de-
scribed the activity of Los Angeles. city
of 100000 people, spending 100000 to go
$50 miles for water, and exclaimed: God
have pity on such a town and such a
people as will not go 10 miles!''
He charged the inactivity to the efforts
of the selfish interests. and closed with
the statement that whenever Birming
ham decides to be Independent and to
manage her own affairs she will complete
this necessary work.
County Plan Means Delay.
John w. Tomlinson attacked the present
watershed and insisted that health should
always come first. I'VE have no ak to
grind, and We ought to back up the mu-
nicipal authorities and stick by them
Alderman Cooper offered his assistance
on the city council and said that he would
do all he could to carry out the project
OF the board.
J. ID. Collins advocated municipal con-
troll of the proposition, urging that Biz
mingham go ahead with the authority 1t
has. He said that If the county handled
II, Warrior and other parts of the county
would not receive fair treatment. and In
sisted that some are advocating the coun-