The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-04


 The voters overwhelmingly granted the request of their commissioners for a s1,9ooOO0 bond issue yesterday and gave thereby the three commissioners of Bir- mipgham a remarkable vote of conf- dence. A total of 36eO votes were cast for the issue and only $40 against the proposition.
 The bond issue election was carried yesterday in the Is wards of Greater Bir- mlngfam and the commissioners were as- sured by 6:30 o'clock last night that by approximately ' to 1 they would be en- powered to fund the debts of Birming- ham for 30 years with bonds maturing in that length of time bearing per cent in terest.
 The vote was not large, but the torrid weather and the confidence of the gen. eral public that the question would be voted favorably are attributed as the chief reasons for the light ballot.
 The election yesterday was taken to be sngularly iattering compliment to the commissioners That conclusion was reached principally when it was recalled that in the bond election for an issue of only s4oo,OOO the opposition boiled 6s4 votes against 1t. The one voted yester- day is ssoo.o0o greater than the other elec- ton.
 The ballots will be canvassed this morn- ing in the office of President Culpepper Exum of the commissioners. Although it is the Fourth of July and a national oit ba hal in to expedite the formalities surrounding the issuance of the bonds authorized.
 Received By Officials
 The returns of the election were re- ceived last night by the city officials at the city hall. The vote being of very short length the counting was very easy snd by 6:3o clock almost every box was piled in the office of Secretary Scud- der Ryall. The officials. were amazed at the heavy vote cast for the bond issue at Enseyt It was anticipated that Ensley would declare against the proposition on account of the unwilingness of that To- cality to come into Birmingham original ly. The vote for the issue was 42O, while 149 were thrown in against it. The of- ficials readily admitted last night that Ensley redeemed herself by giving the largest vote for the issue, notwithstand- ing it also had the largest adverse total. The svote at Ensley includes Wylam, Fairview, Tuxedo and a portion of Co., rey.
 Smallest in Second Ward
 The smallest number of votes cast against the proposition was four votes l,, f1,of e. orl rlan rAta ip f1,aV ward for the issue was 247 votes, being a perfect landslide for the bond issue.
 The Ninth ward known to local pol ticians as the Bloody Ninth" came into the wind-up with 255 votes for the issue, while 2S Ewere against it.
 The voting began early yesterday morn ing in brisk style, votes being cast with out cessation until about s:3o. That was caused by citizens going to their stores and offices in the early hours. There- upon the voting eased down. However, fin the late afternoon the voters began to swamp the polling places again and from then until they closed every minute saw . vote dropped into the tin repository.
 Former Alderman Walter Moore, who has opposed the bond issue, voted No. I in the Fourth ward as has been his GUS tom for many years and his vote was 'NO" in capital letters Mir Moore also made little speech there against the issue to no avail as his home ward cana in the 219 for, and s5 against.
 Throughout the day not one discordant note marred the election. Although po- 1icemen were at convenient places about the voting booths no disorders even were suggested.
 With 'the authorized bond issue of yes- terday the floating debts of the city will. be paid. The sum authorized yesterday will run the total bonded indebtedness of the city to about s6O00.OOO. The commits sioners asserted last night that when the debts were paid there would be sxerted successful efforts, they hoped, to keep the income of the city in line with the expenditures and allow Birmingham Go remain forever free of harassng debts.
 Drennen Greatly Pleased
 The officials of tho city and the cam paign committee of which Walter Mel vile Drennen was chairman were ex- tremely grati1ed last night when the totals were received and it was found that the bonds had been authorized by yto1.
 MT. Drennen said it was immeasurably gratifying to him personally as business man of Birmingham that the voters ex- hibited such confidence in their commis- sioners and in the judgment of the busi- ness men of the city.
 The commissioners, who were more deep N interested than any citizen If possible were on hand early yesterday morning to assist in the election. President Exum at the city hall assumed charge of the automobiles with Horace Shropshire, Jr purchasing agent, and they kept the ''buzz buggies' on the go during the day, transporting voters to their respective wards. At every suburban box one or mora cars were on hand as the automo- bile owners had responded gratifyngly to the call for cars.
 The votes were cast without the loss of ! any great amount of time by reason of the excellence of the automobile sched- ules.
 Judge Lane kept in touch with the boxes from his office and was deeply interested