The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-15
SANITATION WILL
 BE VITAL FACTOR Is Strongest Argument Against
 Division of County SMYER PRESENTS REASONS New County Line Would Cut Trunk Sewers in Two and Cause
 Endless Confusion In Fu-
 ture Control.
SMYER PRESENTS REASONS

Probably the strongest single argument that has been used against the new coun- ty has been the necessary splitting of the countys sewerage system and the att tending danger of divided control. R. B. Smyer, secretary of the Jefferson county sanitary commission, who has long been familiar with the county's sanitary sys- tenn, has explained the situation in a let ter addressed to the legislature of Ala bama, which is as follows:
 Why the pending legislation, for the creation of new county out of the pres ent territory of Jefferson county, should be defeated, from the standpoint of health and sanitation;
 Jones valley from East Lake to Ensley and from East Lake to Bessemer GO miles) contains about three-fourths of the entire population of the county, or, per- haps, 15O,O00 people. The valley is drained by two small streams, Village creek, beginning at East Lake and run ming southwest by Ensley, and Valley creek, beginning at Birmingham and run ming southwest by Bessemer. Both of these streams are small, crooked and sluggish and mere branches, except in time of flood. Thirty-f1ve years ago, when the cholera practically wiped out Bir- mingham, the little city had no sanitary system, and the epidemic was undoubted- ly caused and nurtured by insanitary conditions.
 Since this epidemic sanitation has been the dominant and most important public question before the citizens of this val- ley, and as soon as possible after the constructed and installed a sewage sys- tenn, emptying the sewage into Valley creek a mile or so below the city
 As the population of the city increased, as the sewage increased and as the su- burban and rural population below the city increased. the accommodating deposits of filth all down the creek gave forth foul odors all down the valley, and im- paired the health of this suburban and rural population and rendered conditions intolerable. Fifteen or Is years ago the county undertook to relieve these condi- tions by canalizing and cleaning out the creek, hoping to facilitate the flow of the stream and the carrying away of the sewage without deposits along the banks. After a few years, and after spending thousands of dollars on this project, 1t was found that 1t was a fail ure, and did not afford the desired re- lief Numerous injunctions and other suits were filed by citizens down the val ley against the city and also against the county for creating and maintaining this nuisance. On the question our su- preme court held that this method of dis posing of sewage could not be restrained, but that damages suffered therefrom could be recovered This meant swap ping property values, life and health for dollars, and also meant nothing short of ultimate bankruptcy from this contin- other smaller towns that disposed of their sewage in this manner.
 About 10 years ago the Commercial club of Birmingham, the Mayor and Alder men of the city and other public bodies began to discuss the problem of how to get rid of this sewage with the least cost and without creating this nuisance and impairing the health of the people. Sur veys being made, it was at once ascer- tained that the sewage should be carried by underground sewers, below the zone of population, and there treated by mod ern methods before turning 1t into the creek again. It was further ascertained that the city of Birmingham was unable, and the city together with the small mu- nicipalities was unable to construct and maintain this sewage system, even if it were possible to unite on some joint plan of construction and operation. As the health of not only the people living near the creek, but of the whole district, was menaced by an epidemic, that seems to mercy, 1t was determined to ask the leg islature to empower Jefferson county to construct and operate this system for the benefit of all It's people.
 Eight years ago the legislature granted the county this power, and it through commission constructed the system at a cost of ssGo0O0
 The system COIStIuCtSu COnSISIS III a main trunk sewer from East Lake to be- low Ensley, 10 miles; in main trunk sewer from Birmingham to below Bes- semer, 15 miles, with sewage purification plants at the outfaIl of each sewer. In addition the county has constructed near ly 10 miles of branch trunk sewers to the numerous towns, connecting them with the main trunk sewers, and for Bessemer alone 1t constructed branch trunk sewer nearly two miles long.
 The towns of East Lake, Woodlawn, Avondale, Kingston, East Birmingham, North Birmingham, Thomas. Pratt Ems ley, Birmingham, Graymont, Fairview, Elyton, West End, Brighton and Besse- mer now have access free of charge, to this sewer system. and most of them have their municipal systems now connected herewith, and others are now building their municipal systems and soon will be connected Other persons outside of mu- nicipalities also have the right under the law to connect with and use the system free of charge.
 The purifcatlon process, used by the
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