The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-30
ADDRESS ID VOTERS URGES ISSUANCE OF . S1,1OO,OOO BONDS Prepared by the Committee Named at Chamber of
 Commerce Meeting SETS OUT NEED OF
 NEW COURTHOUSE Erection of New Jail Is Mandatory and So Both Should Be Built at
 Same Time-Benefits Every
 Citizen

| | AD SptCldl Nplitnillct dppOlDltu last fweek by President John W. Sibey of the Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of drawing up an address to send out to the voters of the county in behalf of the proposed million dollar bond issue for a new courthouse and jail, finished the ad- dress yesterday and copies of it will be mailed without delay to the voters of Jef- ! ferson county.
 The campaign to see that the bond is sue is carried was started some time ago by the Chamber of Commerce. Men from every beat in the county were invited to attend meeting held in the criminal court room at the county courthouse last week. About 125 men responded to the call and enthusiasm in support of the bond issue ran high. The address as drawn up by the special committee fol- | lows:
 ''To the Voters of Jefferson County: "The Chamber of Commerce of Bir- mirgham is an organization composed of over 2000 members who represent every l industry, trade, business and profession The Chamber stands for the best interests of Jefferson county. It stands for prog ress, for modern ideas and for the culti- vation of a healthy civic pride in this great district. The president of the Chamber of Commerce presided over a public meeting held at the courthouse on 1 July 25. which has been called by him. and at that meeting the proposed bond issue to be voted upon August 12, was in dorsed by an overwhelming vote. Need of Courfbousa
 "The undersigned committee was apointed to draft an address to the people of the county in favor of the issue. We recognize the necessity of adding to the facilities for the trans acton of public business and of pro- viding for the proper care of records for the health and comfort of jurors and witnesses in our courts of justice | for safeguarding the health of pris- oners confined in our county jail and for enlarging the county hospital so as to provide means for caring for the sick and maimed. instead of being forced to | turn them away, as is now too often necessary because of the limited fa- cilities afforded. In fndorsing the ap- peal made to the voters of this county by the board of revenue for funds suf- fcient to provide these greatly needed utilities we feel that we are not only performing a civic duty. but that we are acting with sound business judg- ment
 We appeal to the voters of not only the cities of Birmingham and Besse- mer, where the additional courthouse | facilities are to be provided, but to the voters of the country beats as well, to favor this proposed issue of $1.100,- | 900 of bonds at the election on August l12. The taxable values of Jefferson county are over $150, 100000 and the bonded indebtedness, including the is- sue now proposed will be only 3D. 100000. an insignificant amount for a county of this size.
 We call your attention to the fact that you are going to get value re- ceived for your money; something tan gible and permanent and something that you can see for yourselves. You | will get modern courthouses, provided with every facility for the proper care | of records, for the trial of cases and | for the convenience of all parties en- gagged therein, special features being comfortable and sanitary sleeping rooms for jurors who may have cases under advisement over night and suit cluding ladies.
 l Must Have Jail
 "The state jail inspector has per- emptorily ordered that new jail be built in accordance with modern san litary ideas. holding that the present 1 jail Is a pest hole for the spread Of | tuberculosis and other diseases and that it is a menace not only to the health of the prisoners confined in It.. | but to that of the entire community. This expenditure for new jail will | involve a large amount of money and must be made whether the bond issue is authorized or not. If the bonds are not authorized by the people the board of revenue will be compelled to levy a special tax to provide the funds. "The need for the proposed annex | to the county hospital is patent 1 that no sound argument can possibly be advanced against it.
 We urge all patriotic citizens to thoroughly inform themselves upon the questions involved in this bond issue and to satisfy themselves as to the need of the facilities to be provided thereby and will say to those voters who have not the time or disposition to investigate themselves. that it is the deliberate judgment of this committee | that the best interests of the people of | the county will be subserved by a vote | In favor of this proposed bond issue.
 "W. F. c. HARDING,
 "H. L. BADHAM.
 l JOHN l.. PARKER,
 "J H. F. MOSLEY.
 "J c. GWIN. Bessemer,
 "CHAS. DEW, Trussville, | Commit tee" The same committee appointed J. H. F. Mosley and Charles Dew as spe- cial committee to organize the forces in each beat in suport of the bond issue These men are at work now and expect to accomplish a great deal be- l fore the election on August l2. | NEW COAL COMPANY
 IS ORGANIZED