The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-20

Torn into shreds by factional jealousies, politics and indifference, Jefferson coup- ty yesterday voted against the bond is- sue. While the returns are incomplete it may be said beyond any danger of contradiction that both the bond issue for the Birmingham courthouse and that for the Bessemer courthouse are hope lessly lost.
 The returns from 31 boxes and from all the large polling places show that indif- ference played the bigger part, as only 5037 voters appeared at these boxes, and the total vote for the county will not run over $500. There are now fully 15 900 qualified voters in Jefferson county
 The vote in the S1 boxes for the Bir- n1ingham end of the bond issue was 2497 in favor of it and 25SS against The Bessemer bond issue received 2337 favor able votes and 2s1s negative
 It Is thus seen that Bessemer leads by a majority of nearly, 100, but a study of the returns proves that the county vote yet to come in will easily kill this slight majority.
 County Against Bonds Issue.
 Seventeen boxes which are outside of Greater Birmingham and Bessemer re- ported last night and all except one of these country precincts voted strongly against both bond issues, Jonesboro vot- ing 37 to 2S in favor of the Bessemer bonds, but showing a majority against the Birmingham bonds. This makes It quite plain that the remaining country polls will wipe out this deficiency
 The opponents to the bond issue were out in full force, while the friends of the measure were either too lazy to get out or did not care enough to make the effort.
 The defeat of the bond issue may be ascribed also to the fact that the ticket was split, that the agitationNaganst thu fee system came up at critical time and that the campaign was entirely too ighthearted and began too late, while the board did not submit definite drawn plans and estimates of cost to the pub lie for their inspection, and the recent panic made some wary of any bond is- sue.
 Jealousy Played It's Part.
 Selfishness and jealousy resulted in the cross which had been feared when the two tickets were presented. Bessemer voted three to one against the Birming- ham issue and three to one in favor of the Bessemer issue. On the other hand Birmingham's four voting places gave Bessemer 96S in favor of its bond is- sue and 663 against. While Birming- ham was not so pronounced there were several hundred voters who split the ticket Birmingham proper gave l297 In favor of and 66S against the bonds for the big courthouse.
 The farmer argued that he wanted good roads to get to the present courthouse before paying for another, forgetting that the county will have to throw nearly S1O0,O00 into improvements on the present jail, which might have been used on the roads this year, had the bond issue passed.
 The campaign for the passage of the bonds began only a week ago. Previous to that time the board had not worked up, nor presented any drawings, or bus mess proposition to the voters. But even after the campaign was inaugurated there was but one mass meeting and no or ganization was put out to work at the polls.
 Ensley and probably other sections voted for vengeance against Birmingham. The election showed perhaps more than anything else for a long time just how unfriendly and how inimical to cath oth- CTS interests are the various sections which make up the great Birmingham district.