The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-22
Certain Members of Revenue
 Board In Opposition
WAIT ON CITY COUNCIL
Read, Crook and Dickey Fear That Birmingham Will Not Be Will ing To Do Her Share
 of the Work.

The Board of Revenue is now some
 what divided on the Red Mountain tunnel
 proposition. Hugh McGeever and Job Co., 1 ing are ready to take time by the fore
 lock and get busy on preliminary details for the construction of the tunnel. Capt.
 John B. Reed, Captain Crook and Colonel l Dickey haven't sufficient confidence in l the Birmingham City Council and are
 holding off awaiting the action of the i Board of Aldermen on the matter. l A number of taxpayers and Alderman ] John ". O'Neill representing the City l Council held meeting with the Board
 of Revenue yesterday afternoon to dis
 cuss the matter and quite a lengthy ses-
 sion was held.
 l Hugh McGeever of the Board of Reve- : nue led the fight for the tunnel, support
 ed by Job Going, MT. O'Neill and the
 taxpayers. The three remaining mem l bers of the board were willing to take no action whatever until the city council
 acts.
 i After threashing the matter out com
 pletely, showing the advantages of the
 tunnel, MT. McGeever could not get
 majority of the board members to vote
 for the tunnel. The opposition seemed
 to fear that the City Council might not
 tote fair and held aloof.
 City Would Do Its Part.
 Mir. O'Nell speaking in behalf of the l council stated that that body had already
 indorsed the tunnel project and that he
 felt assured that the Board of Aldermen
 would do it's part in whatever arrange
 ment was made. He stated, however,
 that he would like to obtain some idea
 of what the tunnel would cost, in order that he might present the matter to the
 council in tangible form. He stated that
 he did not think the county engineers estimate of the cost of the tunnel could 1 be considered definite and added that he
 thought the board should advertise for
 bids on the tunnel and in this manner
 see just what the work could be done ] for.
 MT McGeever then offered a motion i to the effect that the board advertise for
 bids on the work, the bids to be received
 with the understanding that the body
 should not be bound to accept any of l them if the cost of the tunnel proved too
 
 great.
 Captain Reed stated that he thought i it useless to advertise for bids unless the board intended to accept one of them,
 adding that contractors would not go to i the trouble of getting up bids unless the 1 board was going to accept them lie
 stated further that he thought the board
 might incur some useless expense MT. :, Crook and MT. Dickey thought likewise. , Several of the taxpayers present imme- diately arose and volunteered to bear the l expense of the advertising. l Still Commissioners Reed, Dlckey ana 1 Crook would not vote for the resolution, 1 stating that they thought the Clty Coun- ell ought to act first.
 The meeting Jagged on for an hour long, CT with no results, and finally 1t was de- eided to hold an adjourned meeting ETH day and have a number of the members of the Board of Aldermen present Apparently three members or the Boaru of Revenue arc at present opposed to the inauguration of the work on the tunnel.
 Letters from Citizens.
 Prominent citizens favor the tunnel and are taking interest in the light, as IS shown by the following letters; .ooo Birmingham, Ala, July 21, 1908. (. 0. Simpson, Chairman Citizens Con- Dear Sir Referring to the proposed tnn- ne. through Red mountain, with view 10 making an easy and accessible highway between the city and the territory to the south of us: While am not informed as to the prop sble cost of this work, it seems to me that if if can be done within reasonable limit of cost 1t would be very desirable Tn pro- viding an easier access for those of our population who would like to live in de- sirable suburb such as this territory would afford.
 There is also a material advantage in that there would be opened up to Tar mers and truck gardeners on the south of Birmingham a better opportunity than now exists for supplying produce or all kinds to the city. If commodities or tnls sort consumed in Birmingham could De grown to large extent In the Vlclnlty It would provide an important and profitable source of industry and would have the ef- feet of cheapening the cost Of living which 1t Is claimed by many is on (. higher basis here than in the older cities of the south Conditioned, of course, upon the feasibility of this proposed tunnel from an engineering and financial standpoint, It would seem that it has everything to com '''e''e JNO. H. FRYE. Birmingham, Ala, July 2l, 1908. c. O. Simpson, Chairman Citizens Com mttee
 I regretted to note from an article this morning, that there is any opposition 10 the proposed tunnel through Red mouI- tain; but that Is to be expected, as some hodv Is always prone to object to any lining. no matter how meritorious it may be. Greater Birmingham cannot be held in the narrow limits of Jones valley. l be- leve the day will come when there will not only be the tunnel now under discus sion. but a dozen more.
 | The cost of this one Is so inhnitesimal compared with the benefits resulting to the | city and county that I do not think it should be considered for a moment. The increased revenues from the enhanced value of the territory brought in touch with the city will repay the cost many times. By all means, let's have the tun- mel. and the sooner the better.
 COURTNEY w. SHROPSHIRE, MD. -------ses---------