The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-23
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Water Problem.

l
 The City Council. at it's meeting Thurs day morning. February 1s must have misunderstood the intention of the wa ter committee. This is said because those of the City Council who opposed the report of the water committee most forci- bly expressed themselves in favor of municipal ownership A proposition is before the water committee by which the city of Birmingham can, in the near fu- ture. get control of a large, bountlful water supply which will furnish water, pure and good, for domestic use and practicable for industrial purposes. speak of the North Birmingham propo- stion which has been presented to the 1 City Council of Birmingham in the re- quest of North Birmingham for fran chise contract to supply the city of Bir- mingham with 50.0o0,0OO gallons of water per day, at very low price.
 l If North Birmingham should be given this franchise contract one may readily see. since North Birmingham will ulti- mately come into the city of Birmingham, at the next session of the legislature. or otherwise, that the city of Birming- ham is for all practicable purposes giv- ing to herself franchise contract; only the prelimlnaries will, in any event, be conducted by the city of North Birming- ham.
 The water committee came to the con- elusion, it seems, that the proposition of North Birmingham to get water from the Sipsey Fork deserved and called for immediate and serious consideration; for of all the proposed sources of water sup ply for Birmingham, five of the best en- gineers of the Birmingham district have already said over their own signatures, and in public print that the supply from Sipsey Fork fcan be obtained by req sonable outlay of money and "can be brought here without great expense;
 that it is the best source of supply that has yet come before the people of the Birmingham oistrict." Since the wa ter committee has this proposition before them, all they could do in a business way was to select a competent, careful and conscientious engineer to verify the surveys, plans and figures that would be presented to the water committee of Birmingham by the authorities of North Birmingham.
 This is the same course that a person pursues when he buys property. The seller presents the property and says the title is good, yet the buyer retains an attorney to examine the title for him. the buyer; not until the attorney indorses the fact that the title to the property is good will the buyer pay for the prop erty.
 The North Birmingham proposition seems to be the quickest way to the municipal ownership of the waterworks by the city of Birmingham. One who, at this time, or any other time, would throw an obstacle in the way of the North Birmingham proposition, conscious ly or not, fortifies opposition to mu- nicipal ownership. Any one who is really in favor of municipal ownership should consider, should look before he leaps for municipal ownership must come; every step possible to be taken now and here after, must be had with the most con venient speed and not be checked by the friends of municipal ownership.
 The idea that the city of Birmingham should buy the Birmingham waterworks
 
 the municipal ownership of the water works because the Birmingham water works have it 'in their power to post pone any sale of their system to the city of Birmingham until 1920. This is the position or claim of the Birmingham wa terworks, it appears. Any one who is in favor of buying the Birmingham water works for the city of Birmingham is not an advocate of municipal ownership now: such person postpones his true advocacy of municipal ownership until 1920, if he favors the purchase of the Birmingham waterworks by the city of Birmingham
 Can you say that the City Council of Birmingham Is against municipal own ership? You cannot judge the City Coun- cil of Birmingham by their act performed Thursday, for on last Thursday the City Council of Birmingham did not see the proposition in it's rue light; those who know the individuals of the City Council of Birmingham believe that many of them are truly warm advocates of mu- nicipal ownership.
 It will soon come to pass that the City Council of Birmingham will see the ilSht ttiid HO bouy VIII Dt Qulchef to respond to the wishes of the people of Birmingham for the ownership of her own waterworks.
 There is no true patriotism exhibited in any act which causes delay in the solution of the water problem for the Birmingham district. Any delay shows a lack of patriotism or a lack of appre- citation of the great needs of the Bir- mingham district The public and the press are clamoring for more water and they want it soon. The idea of waiting nine years for relief is heart-rending. If the North Birmingham proposition will. as they say, supply us with plenty of water, we will become Greater Blrming- ham.
 Let the Greater Birmingham water works come, and hand in hand with it Greater Birmingham will pc realized by