The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-09
REPORTS OF WORK ON COUNTY ROADS O'NelIl Gives Resume to BosFd
 of Trade S2OO,OOO SPENT IN 1908 Emphasizes Necessity for Provision Whereby Counties May Attend to
 Public Highways Running
 Through Municipalities.
S2OO,OOO SPENT IN 1908

| teresting resume of the road work in state and county during the past year He dweus especially upon the importance of connecting with the surrounding coun- ties and bases his report on authorized figures. Here it is:
 Jefferson county is bounded by the fol. lowing counties: Blount, Walker, Tus- caloosa, Bibb, Shelby and St. Clair. Birmingham is losing a great amount of trade from certain parts of Jefferson and adjoining counties and large stretch es of productive land, well adopted to agricultural pursuits, remain uninhabited i on account of lack of good roads.
 Road Supervisor Joe Hill stated that there are in this county 129O miles of public road; that the county now has 225 miles of standardized road of the first class. That the completion of some 75 miles of links upon main thoroughfares. these links varying from three to 14 miles, would carry all the main highways across Jefferson county to the borders of ad- joining counties.
 Supervisor Hill estimates that the con- struction of some 800 miles additional roadway would bring the system of roads in this county to a point of completeness which would require only the keeping in order of 400 miles of dirt roads in neigh borhoods not, strictly speaking, main highways.
 MT. Job Going president of the Board of Revenue, states that Jefferson county has ample funds from bridge and road taxes and other sources to expend s15O,- GOO a year on construction of new roads and improving old ones.
 He would like to have legislation en- acted allowing counties to keep in order and repair all county roads running through municipalities.
 Report of Work Done.
 He reports the following work done on Jefferson county roads from January 1, 1908 to February l, 1909:
 New standardized macadam roads built, 26 miles.
 Old roads rebuilt and put in first-class condition, 24 miles.
 Estimated cost, $125,0OO to $150,00O
 Twelve steel bridges constructed; esti- mated cost, $24,OO0.
 Six reinforced concrete bridges con- structed; estimated cost, s150O.
 Miscellaneous repair work on roads and bridges estimated cost, $3o0O0 to s4o,ooO
 Total cost for road work for 1soS. es- timated, s2OO,OOO
 lndorsed Amendment. The Birmingham Board of Trade and Wh olesale Grocers' association indorsed Overton amendment to constitution allowing state to assist counties in building good roads. Twenty tn ousand mailing slips were enclosed in letters to the merchants of the state request ing them to work and vote for amend ment. The amendment was carried by a good majority.
 Senator Overton states-with the state paying part of cost of construct ing good roads in counties-our sena- tors will be able to get federal assist ance in building of good roads in Ala bama.
 We recommend that legislation car rying out intent of good road Overton Amendment be enacted at next session of legislature.
 Nearly all the through roads in the county running into municipalities arc in bad condition on account of the law, which does not allow counties to do any work on roads in municipalities.
 The municipalities pay the greater part of the bridge and road tax to coun- ty and get no benefit to their bridges and roads in return. At the last leg islature the following law was adopted to remedy this injustice and made a part of municipal code bill:
 "Section 12O. After the adoption of sloners and board of revenue of coun ty where there is levied a special road and bridge tax, or either, shall pay over each year to each municipality therein one-half of the money collected on such road and bridge tax or either on the property located in such munich pality. Any money derived from levy of a special bridge tax not expended by the municipality in maintaining the bridges within it's corporate limits, in any year, shall be returned to the boards of revenue or court of county commissioners and credited to the coun- ty bridge fund for the purpose of main taining bridges of the county outside the corporate limits of such munich pality."
 Explanation of Litigation.
 Jefferson county contested the pay ment to the city of Birmin gham of this fund. The attached letter from Hon. E. D. Smith explains outcome of liti- gation:
 June 8. 1909. John w. O'Neili, Esq. Birmingham. Ala.
 Dear Sir: With reference to the con- test between the county and city as to the provision in the municipal code, which purports to instruct the Board of Revenue to turn over to each municipality one-half of the special road and bridge taxes collected on prop erty in such municipality. beg to ad- wise you that the effect of the decision of the supreme court was to hold,
 1. That the legislature. under the constitutional provisions, had no power to authorize or instruct the county to turn over one-half of the special bridge taxes, which, under the constitutional provisions are only to be appropriated for certain debts incurred by the coun- | A.. l4..ts S1~ h,id uas opJ o,,bItc h,,f1a