The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-15
LICENSE SCHEDULE |S ADOPTED WITH
 SLIGHT CHANGES Committee Practically De- cides Upon Purchase of
 Ensley Park SITE OF 43 ACRES
 IS TO BE UTILIZED Commission Also Authorizes Work to Begin at Once on Crematory for
 Garbage Disposal-North
 Birmingham Park


 Birmingham Park
 The adoption of the license schedule, thus throwing down the gauntlet as to the general revenue bill. the practical pur- chase of $90,0OO worth of park acreage for Ensley park, and authorization of the crematory plant on the city jail site were among the three most important subjects acted upon yesterday by the city con- mission.
 The way the official body got down to business yesterday and the important work transacted reminded those near the throne" of the days of yore when many heads would fall and many sensations would be created within day by the "big three'
 The most important proposition acted upon was the passing of the license sched- ule, which ignores the state revenue bill. The adoption of the schedule taxes the corporations insurance companies, banks and other business concerns practically as they were taxed this year. The action will either mean that the city will save S1O0,000 or will lose that amount in round figures only after fight.
 Tho commissioners announce that every effort will be made to protech the city's interest in the matter, and that the of fieiats have no idea of letting that amount escape. The chances. are that wher efforts are made to collect the li- censes placed by the commission some test cases will be brought to determine whether the state revenue law is valid. That action will preGpitate a fight which the city intends to join and carry direct to the highest court. The other items of the license schedule are not changed very materially from the schedule passed last year. The mercantile taxes are prac- tically same, as well as those of other lines.
 Buy Two Adjoining Tracts
 The commissioners when they opened the session yesterday heard from sev- erai Ensley citizens relative to a park site in that community. It was finally determined to buy two tracts merged to- gether belonging to the Ensley Land com- pany and to company headed by Lee c. Bradley attorney for the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company. The total amount is given at about 43 acres. No final action was taken because of a request of Commissioner Lane that the final purchase go over until next Tues day He explained that the matter was one of considerable moment, and that nasty action should in all events be q that he had looked over the tracts con- sderably and knew practically all about them, and was ready to vote. But in def erence to Commissioner Lane he agreed to the sales being passed oyer. President Culpepper Exum explained that he did not desire the opinion to be formed that he was acting hastily as such was not the case. Said he: T have had these figures before me for some time, and I know two tracts comprising about 4S acres However, have no objections to the proposition being passed over.''
 Only Three Tracts Offered
 There were only three tracts offered the city of. Birmingham for public park at Ensley. One was by the Ensley Land company. of which Walker Percy is pres ident, one was owned by Lee c. Bradley and J. K. Brockman and associates. while the other is in the hands of Weakley x Goodman of Birmingham All three tracts adjoin and are situated within good walking distance of the center of Ensley. The 'Possum valley pike runs through .t. tlz st.. T will prove fine automobile boulevard to Corey.
 The Ensley Land company offered its 19 acres at s40,OoO while the tract of Mr. Bradley and associates, composing PAST acres, was put in for about s50.000, &C., cording to statement of MT Brockman. The land adjoining the purchased sites was put in at s5S,67S for 8 acres. The comm.s- sion finally decided to buy both tracts that of the Ensley Land company and that owned by MT. Bradley and asso- ciates. That will be the vote next Tues dy as both MT. Weatherly and MT. Exum announced that they would do that Judge Lane made no statement as to how he in- tended to vote. tFt EnSley Citizens Present
 J. J. Walker, J. M. Dupuy. MT. .Burgin. J. K. Brockman, NJ. H. Mcdowell and otlrer citizens of Ensley made short state ments as to the park- They practlca!r' agreed that the tracts agreed upon were the logical park sites of Ensiey and they also practically agreed that the tractoffer- ed by MT. welSley was not as desiiab:e for park purposes as the other.
 The land bought bodies up and takes in blocks from Avenue T. Ensey. near the high school and faces the Possum valley pike for considerable distance. The land has been used heretofore for holiday celebrations at Enslcy and Is said to be very attractive asa park. On the land at this time is pavilion built by the citizens of Ensiey for dancing pur- poses. The park is about four blocks from Palmer station on the South Ensiey car line. It Is held to be feasible for ths students. of Che high school to use the park for play ground purposes, Tho fo.cst on the tract Is said to be one of the most splendid bodies of virgin wooladn herr- abouts and in every way desirable for park purposes. A t
 The final ratification of Cha park the matter of buying about II acres from company represented by p, Wilkinson willg be nettled. Tho iaad offered by Mir. Wili-inHon isI situated adjoining the Green spfing1 pnsls of