The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-09
NORTH BIRMINGHAM ASKS FOR REMEDY Resents Public Criticisms Instead of Some Measure
 of Relief

| F. D. McArthur, president of the North Birmingham Commercial club, has writ ten a letter to pr. Robert Nelson, city health officer of Birmingham. bearing
 on the water controversy so far as it af-
 fleets North Birmingham.
 President McArthur states that his let ter was submitted to the club before be- ing sent and was given the hearty in. dorsement of the members to Dr. Nelson. The club also named aNcommittee to ap- pear before the County Medical society.
 President McArthurs letter to pr. Nelson is as follows:
 Being a citizen and property owner of North Birmingham and having heretofore
 appeared before the city commission re-
 garding the water problem. I read with something more than ordinary interest
 the report to the Jefferson County Medi-
 cal society accredited to you and pub
 lished in the daily papers of April %. The
 unenviable notoriety acquired by such | publicity as given in that published re-
 port and inevitable consequent damage
 to that section, both as to property val-
 ues and future settlement, are to be de-
 plored. The published statement contains | the following: I advised the people of | North Birmingham In the middle of Feb | ruary to boil all water for domestic use, | but they appeared to have ignored my advice, and rather resented it also.' When few persons give expression | to resentment 1t does not authorize a gen. erality here applied. to apply to thou sands of others also; I did not resent your advice but rather welcomed prop nt1 fn | injurious agitation of the water question
 for that vicinity, but it seems that, like Banquo's ghost, 1t will not down, but
 after we had secured water from the Birmingham supply then follows this re- port of yours published which is enough to call forth the honest resentment of every interested citizen of North Bir-
 mingham against either yourself and de- partment or the members of the city com-
 mission for giving us water at which such criticism might be levelled.
 "I have been advised (whether or not it is correct I cannot say) that practically the whole north side of Birmingham uses the Five Mile creek water. If such be the case and the typhoid at North Bir- mingham is to be attributed to the use of this water, then why not the other
 section using water from the same source
 be infected likewise? Then if the Five Mile creek water Is not responsible for
 the quoted prevalence of this fever, but it Is to be attributed to the pollution from the old water still in the pipes, then why such publicity and ;n such manner that 1t is inferable that the source is the present supply of water? If there is any doubt as to the purity of the present sup ply of water it does seem to me that prompt and vigorous measures should be taken looking toward the condemning of
 that supply and it's prompt puriication; the Birmingham Waterworks company
 should be compelled. it seems to me. in
 stead of bringing the supply from Five Mile creek through an open canal to in contamination. as the proposition of fixing of meter rates.
 '.I want 1t understood that I do not
 criticise any steps of the department looking toward the eradication of any evil detrimental to health, but on the contrary think every citizen should join hands looking to that end, but I do re- sent uncalled for publicity of such char acter along with the mass of interested
 citizens of North Birmingham without l prompt and positive steps being taken to remove the cause.
 II am sending a copy of this letter to
 each of the commissioners and will also
 present the same to the Commercial club
 of North Birmingham at it's regular meet
 ing next Tuesday evening for their con
 sideration. Yours truly.
 IF. D. M'ARTHUR.
 Copy to Hon. c. Exum. Hon. James Weatherly, Hon. A. O.. Lane."