The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-20
NEW COUNTY FIGHT !. GETTING UNDER WAY Will Change Line-up of County
 Politics STATUS OF THE CAMPAIGN Indications Are That Amendment Will Carry and That Bessemer Will
 Be a County Seat This
 Time Next Year.
STATUS OF THE CAMPAIGN


 taken up the campaign for a new county there is speculation as what the outcome will be, and in case the proposed amend
 ment carries and Bessemer gets her new county, what the effect will be on the county elections to be held next year. The situation is this:
 The last legislature decided to submit an I amendment to the state constitution to the people for a vote. This amendment provides for the formation of a new county in the state wherever certain re- quirements are met. These requirements are that the proposed new county must have certain area, a certain population and certain property valuations; also that a county from which territory is taken shall not be brought below these requirements, and that no part of the new county line shall come within seven miles of an existing courthouse.
 It is believed there are not over three sections in the state outside of Jeffer- son county which can conform to the requirements. lnueeu, the plan WAS rediiy proposed for the benefit of Bessemer. In the November election this year the people of the whole state will vote on the proposition and it seems to be the general opinion that the amendment will carry by good majority. The reasons given for this are chiefly the growing power of Jefferson in the councils of the +ata fIa of tbar ,arfS of no state to split mp the county so that it will not have such large representation in the legislature.
 In case the amendment carries Bes- semer will have smooth sailing In form ing her new county. She will present to the probate judge of the county from which the most territory is to be taken, which will be Jefferson, a petition signed by 800 qualified electors. This petition will set forth the territory proposed to be I taken in and give the name by which 1 the new county is to be called The pro- l bate judge must within 90 days from the l filing of the petition call an election in l the territory specified to vote on the ques- | ton. No one can vote in this election except those actually living in the ter ritory embraced in the proposed new county. There could be little doubt as to the outcome of this election if called for the south end of Jefferson county Bessemer has already practically agreed upon the territory to be taken in. The line will probably start little below Ox- moor and proceed in such manner as 10 take in as much of the Louisville and Nashville railroad as possible. It will then probably pursue a zig-zag course across the county in such way as to keep seven miles away from the Jefferson courthouse. It would pass just below Powderly, run near Wylam and vineville and thus across the county. In addition there will be a small slice taken from Shelby county none from Bibb county, a big slice from Tuscaloosa county and a piece of the lower end of Walker coun- ty. Of course. these lines are only tenta- tive, and need not be decided upon until the advocates of the new county get ready to circulate their petition. Not the least interesting feature of this new county movement is the effect on elections in Jefferson county. Next year | comes the race for the most lucrative office in the county-sheriff. Suppose the constitutional amendment passes in No- vember and Bessemer at once gets busy. If the new county Is created during the early part of next year it is pointed out that the absence of the big country vote in the south end of the county will make a big difference in the political lineup in the county.