The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-26
Many Families Are Said to Be in PitiabIe Con-
 ditiOn
COMMITTEE CHARGES
 UNFAIR TREATMENT
Stated City Officials Have Not Used East Birmingham Citizens as They Had Promised-Suffer-
 CTS Had No Insurance

The citizens of East Birmingham have started a relief fund for those who lost heavily yesterday in the fire in which the homes of 19 families were destroyed and 20 others partly destroyed
 X committee was appointed yesterday afternoon by the East Birmingham Civic league. composed of J. E. Ellis, chair man. J. H. Trice. treasurer, w. S. Wells, j. c. Tidwell and the Rev. Walter $. Brown. Two hundred and eighty-fve dol- lars was raised on the spot by the mem- bers of the league and a canvass will be made of the city today to secure addi- tional funds for the relief of the fam flies
 Treasurer Trice said last night;
 "The burning of one home is an awful calamity to the people living in East Birmingham; for most of them are work ing people and have bought their homes by dnt of much saving and personal sac- rilice. They buy them on the install ment plan. paying $25O down and so much per month, with interest. The people from whom they buy their homes hold mortgages on them until the places are entirely paid for. and as happened yes- terday, when a home is burned, it is a total loss to the man who is buying it.
 Little Insurance
 "These people who lost yesterday car ried little or no insurance on their houses or goods because they were not able to do this and pay for their places, too. Besides losing thelT homes and their household effects, they lost all their eat ables which were in the houses. We are trying as best we can to help them. We have taken them in our own homes and are providing for them the best way we can until something better can be done. We raised $2S5 for them last night and we are going to go to the people of Birmingham today and ask for more money for them.
 The following list of the sufferers and a comparative amount of insurance was given The Age-Herald by MT Trice:
 John lowers. lost everything; no in- surance.
 A. M Early; lost everything; no in- suranee.
 MT. Schultz; lost everything; no in surance.
 R. R. sutherland; lost everything; was insured partly.
 S E. Hall; lost everything; no insur- ance.
 win Gilivan; lost everything; no in surance. J. C. Bishop; lost everything; no insur- ance.
 J. o. White, lost everythinga no in
 R. W. steward; lost heavily; no in- surance.
 Robert Pcarman; lost everything; no in- surance.
 l J. Grim; lost everything; no insur ance.
 N. D. McAIullen; lost everything; but little insurance.
 J. E. Pogue; lost everything; no in- surance.
 W. c. Buck; lost everything; no in
 MT. Tarrance; lost everything; no n- surance.
 Robert Pogue; lost everything; but lit- tie insurance.
 Mrs S. McMurray; lost everything; no insurance.
 Mrs Mollie Beall; lost vacant house; no insurance
 In Pitiable Plight
 From this list it appears that but three of them made any pretense of carrying insurance and even these three carried but little. It is said by the committee for the relief of the sufferers that they are indeed in a pitiable plight
 Besides trying to relieve their fellow citizens, the members of the league are taking steps to secure better protection from the city. Alton P. Stephens, chair man of the fire and police protection 
 East Birmingham is the only suburb of Birmingham which voted voluntarily to come into the greater city. Before the election we were promised that We should receive better tratment than any of the other suburbs who were forced in by law and legislation. But they have done just the reverse Every other sub urb has a police station and a fire sta tion We have neither. We have six electric arc lights in the entire borough and three of them are owned by the railroads We have water plug every quarter of a mile. We are one and quarter miles from the nearest fire sta fiou which is the Avondale station. It Is a mile and half to the Norwood sta tion and the same distance to the Wood lawn station. The streets in East Br- mingham are in almost an impossible condition. Ne pay $50,o00 annually into the city treasury in taxes and since we have come into Greater Birmingham we have not received one cent in improve ment
 Got to Come Across
 Now, after what happened today they have got to come across. There Is no middle ground. We are going To make them trouble if they don't give us what is coming to us. I am not speaking for myself alone. but for every citizen of Fast Birmingham. MT. EXum says that he is going to give us more fire plugs and an ordinance forcing the use of metal shingles. after half the town has been burned up. He is too late with his advances. We are going 10 nave everything that the other precincts have or the commissioners are going to have 4 sweet old time trying to get around if The city of Birmingham has got to make good its promises to us of two and a half years ago.