The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-20

B Gamb1ll, Moore. a
 
 Authorizing the mayor to borrow $150,- OO0 for the use of the city, allowing the board of education S200OO for schools. the purchase of 1S1a acres of fround for $6OOO in the Eleventh ward to be used for dumping purposes, the appointment of committees for the ensuing year and the forming of ways and means commit tee an entirely new one for the board, and the address and message of Mayor Frank P. O'Brien were the principal fea- lures of last nights council meeting. i w. R. Starbuck and Dr. H. L. Mar tin were also again seated as council men from the Tenth ward, formed of the Avondale and Mountain Terrace ter ritory recently annexed.
 l Mayor O'Briens message was read by 1 himself and appears in full elsewhere in these columns. The message was char acteristic of the mayor, dealing boldly with the questions handled.
 President Harry Jones introduced the mayor immediately after the reading and adoption of the minutes, his speech of introduction being short Our mayor needs no introduction to a Birmingham audience"
 'It Is needless for me to say that there is no greater honor that could be conferred upon me than to be mayor of Birmingham" said Captain O'Brien. Mot for the dollars and cents in it but for the pride in being an executive off, ficer of the town which, pardonably, have helped to build. You know the pride which a father takes in his child. That is the way I regard Birmingham, to whom l have given the greater part of my life. It Is natural that you should expect me to give my views regarding the proper governing of the city and have incorporated them in the nature of a message to you"
 Talks on City Finances.
 The mayor in his talk touched particu- larly upon the condition of the city's finances and the manner in which the rentals derived from the space let in the city hall and other funds had been incorporated in the sinking fund for the payment of interest on the citys bonds. Such action he stated was not legal and asked that the council pay back to the general fund of the city the money with interest that had been so used The money involved amounts to over S111,0Oo.
 According to Mayor OBrien the plac- ing of money in the sinking fund Is de- cidedly expensive to the city. To carry on the general work of the city 1t Is often necessary to borrow money and pay 5 and per cent interest, while the city can secure only and 4 per cent for the sinking fund from the banks In which it Is deposited.
 Under the head of new business the an- nexaton of Avondale was taken up. First the Tenth ward was again created, then the nominations for aldermen were fin or der. Alderman John w. O'Neill nomi- mated w. R. Starbuck and Alderman B. H. Cooper nominated Dr. H. L. Martin. Their election was unanimous, and MT. Starbuck was sworn in immediately. Dr. Martin was not present and will be seat ed at the next meeting.
 Estes Declines to Serve.
 A feature of the meeting was, the de- clining of Alderman Estes to act chair man of the public buildings committee, the only chairmanship assigned to him on the new appointment of committees. AL derman Coffee Jackson was substituted for him.
 The recommendation to appoint City Clerk Horace E. Shropshire, Jr, as pur- chasing agent for the city and the ask ing of unanimous consent brought out the announcement from President Jones that a ways and means committee was to be appointed and that all changes in the work of the city offices would be passed upon by 1t. For this reason he declined to vote yes in order to make the vote unanimous, and the recommen- dation went to the ways and means com mittee President, Jones explained that he meant no offense to the committee presenting the recommendation, but that he simply wished matters to be regular. The ways and means committee, it is be- lieved, will recommend the appointment of MT. Shropshire.
 Alderman Gambill brought the health department into the limelight again by nominating Sanitary Inspector T. D.