The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-21
MAYOR IS URGING
STREET EQUIPMENT
Danger In Not Handing Gar
bage Properly
COMMENDED BY CITIZENS
Street Commissioner Points Out That
1t Is Now Nine Miles From
One Side of the City
To the other.
COMMENDED BY CITIZENS

Iheres but one proposition facing the
city of Birmingham in the matter of In
creasing the equipment of the street de-
partment," said Mayor O'Brien last night
1T Is this: Is it cheaper to spend a few
thousand dollars in perfecting the sani-
tary conditions of the city and ward off
disease or to attempt to get along with
the present equipment and run the ever
imminent risk of having an epidemic
which will blot out hundreds of lives?
This Is the actual state of affairs
Even with Street Commissioner MeCar-
tins systematic handling of affairs It
Is not possible to move garbage more
than once a week. This needs remedying
and the only remedy lies in the in
crease of equipment. Not just In the
purchase OF two or three wagons, but
at least ten garbage wagons and large
amount of other equipment for street
work, and a sufficient number of mules
to handle the work. Mr. McCartfn thinks
the present equipment should be doubled
Having lived in Birmingham during
the cholera and yellow fever epidemics.
l am in position to know what I am
talking about, and l believe that every
citizen who survived those epidemics
agrees with me in reference to the quick
removal of garbage
Mayor O'Brien has received messages
from a host of citizens commencing him
for his stand In this matter Among these
was a letter from Robert Jemson, Jr..
president of the Jemison Real Estate &
Insurance Co., in which he states, ut
| is remarkable that the streets have been
4 lxat, in,
| case with such lack of equipment"
This letter reads:
Hon. Frank P. o'Brien, Mayor City of
birmingham, Ala.
Dear Captain O'Brien-I want to ex-
/; tend to you my congratulations on your
most important step toward improving
the facilities of the street department,
which Mr.. McCartins letter, as published
in The Age-Herald indicated. / presume
that the letter was written at your sug-
gestion and means that you are In hearty
sympathy with our most efficient street
commissioner, who is certainly to be COM
mended for the most excellent results
that he has accomplished with such lim-
tied facilities.
AS a matter of fact, 1t Is remarkable
that the streets have been kept in good
shape, as has been the case with such
lack of equipment. l have always found
MT McCartin and other officials In his
department ready and willing to do the
best they could with the outfits at their
command and I feel sure that If he Is
furnished with the additional equipment
asked for. and with your cooperation, he
will be able to accomplish a work that
will be more appreciated by the citizens
of this community than any other one
thing that you could do. or l might add
that has been done by any of your pre-
decessors. viz, improve the conditions
of the streets as regards repairs and
cleanliness.
Again congratulating you on this move
ment, remain, with regards. yours very
respectfully, ROBERT JENISON, JR.
Mr.. McCartin says that IL every one un-
derstood the exact situation there would
be absolutely no objection to the granting
of his request.
From the western limits of the city at
| the extreme end of East Lake is dis
! boy could tell at a glance just what
| length of time 1t would take to handle
! the garbage this distance Then consider
| the street repair work proposition. We
| have a million dollars worth OF paving
| down in Birmingham. Are we to let IL
| go to waste just because we can't spend
little money in providing equipment with
which to repair 1t?
| II sincerely trust that the City Council
| will look well into this matter and grant
| Mayor O'Brien's recommendation, for the
| equipment is sorely needed