The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-02
MISS R|TTENBURY
/. IS AGAINST CAMP
IN MOUNTAIN PARK
Cites Various Discrimina-
tions Against Residents of
the Rosedale Section
CLAIMS 1T LOWERS
PROPERTY VALUES
The Car Service on the Edgewood
Line Is Not In Accord With the
Promises Which Were
Originally Made

Shades Valley has written the following
letter to the city commission and the
city park commissioners protesting
against the use of Red Mountain park
as a site for the anti tuberculosis
camp.
"Gentlemen--I had thought I would
not go into print, but an unintentional
remark q am sure it was unintentional)
which was credited to me. when II
should have been given to Rabbi New
field. has made me take the pen again
in opposition to TIE proposed location
of the nti-tuberculosis camp on the
city property over Red mountain
about two years | with others op-
posed it on the same grounds that
do today. The reporter failed to men
tion that % citizens had signed their
names to the petition read by Mr.
Ryall. Thirty-four of these signers are
white people and 81 colored, and with
the exception of six, all are residents
of this valley. In appearing before
the commission | represented SO peo-
pie who are opposed to locating the
Jefferson county anti-tnberculoss camp
over in this valley on the city's prop
erty.
In my reference to the negro town
of Rosedale, | merely answered DR.
Newfield, who thought that if we could
stand the negro town of Rosedale we
should not object to the anti-tubercu-
losis camp. | replied by asking If
Rosedale was an incubus, why should
We be inflicted with another? This
much in behalf of Rosedale Some 2S
years ago a white man got hold of a
tract of land on the sunny side of Red
mountain, laid off a town and sold the
lots to negroes, who have built their
homes there. Many of them are pret-
ty well built cottages, surrounded by
vegetable gardens and flower yards
They have three churches-two stone
ones-ffacsimiles of the white mans
church, and they have their stores and
schools. In the early days of Rosedale
the town was Incorporated. No saloon
was allowed in the town, nor has there
ever been one in It, There was an un-
derstanding among the citizens that If
an undesirable brother came into their
midst he was to be escorted to the edge
of the town and told to "git'-and he
got. Lately there have been some
thieves and recei.ers of stolen prop
erty caught over in Rosedale, which
has been very mortifying to the old
negro residents. But don't YOU have
that by the wholesale in Birmingham
and under the vigilant eyes of the
police2 l have oftcn thought that when
our northern friends visited us that
instead of rushing them out to see the
steel plant and furnaces If we wuold
take them out to see the negro settle
ment of Rosedale If would be an OBJ
Ject lesson to them In solving the negro
proDiem one which they could take
home and profit by It, remember
once when some W Wilkes Barre Ca steel
city) people visited us that we rushed
them out to Ensley to see the steel
mill-walked just five miles when one
mile walk to Rosedale would have
shown them what they would have ap-
preciated and surely needed more.
'The big road over Red mountain over
which runs the Edgewood car line In a
monument TO the negroes of Rosedale.
There was no road, only the paths through
the woods that the negro made in 20
Ing back and forth to his work. one OF
these paths resulted In the broadening
of one Of them into the Red Mountain
road leading nut from Twentieth street.
The farmers living In this vicinity went
into town by the Green Springs or the
Twenty street road Gentlemen.
the negro has been with us long while,
he Is here to stay, and with all his fault;
he Is the best southern shade you and /
have ever known, so let us treat him fair
AS TO the Edgewood car line. we who
hive over here on the sunny side of Red
mountain understand that the car line
was TO be operated independently for one
year, then every third car down Twen-
tieth stree was to be the Edgewood car.
We did not get that arrangement and we
objected to the arrangement we did get.
The only revenge l would infliot upon Mr..
r l...f 90 I....~ II.
minutes four times at the end of Twen-
tieth street In drizzling rain, then ride
over the mountain and come out the
front way all together without regard to
race or color. Two times would
think. be convincing that we are not be-
ing treated exactly right. The curve
leaving Twentieth street going on up to
Red mountain is about a 20 per cent
grade This is in the city limits and we
hold Mr. Exum responsible for that and
our revenge on him would be to stand by
and see him drive four times one-horse
wagon loaded with feed and groceries
on rainy. sloppy day. Two trips would
convince him that we had grounds for
complaint 70 grade and paving Now.
gentlemen. I think Mr. Exum is honest.
know Mr. Lane is. We all make mis-
takes. but gentlemen let us not make
any more If we can help It, There is no
sentiment in science and hot air is easily
generated. Let's look at this camp prop
ostion from a practical and business
standpoint
81. My home is a small tract of the ola
Clifton land survey; eight have an inter-
est in it, one minor. We object to this
camp.
"2 The people over in the valley do not
want the camp because they not only DO
not wish to live near 1t, but because 1t
will depreciate the value of their land.
which is just coming up a little. climbing
over the undesirable burdens OF the pau
per cemetery and the pest house which
we had with us for so long we have said
nothing about the new pumping station
which the South Highlanders fought
They objected to II on account of the
noise and SMOKE. We have it with us
much needed utility for the South
Highlander was water. When we are
taken into the city we will profit by Mr.
Westherly's smoke ordinance.
'3. The 1870 acres of land that the city
owns on the west side OF the Twenty
fourth street road is valuable piece OF
property and should be used for park
purposes The natural lay of the land Is
adapted for park. ('rhe growth OF trees
there Is beautiful-a park needs shady
ways. An expenditure of less than si0-
oDo on drives and walks and clearing
away some Of the underground Is All
that is needed To allow the anti-tuber-
culosjs camp 10 be located there would
destroy the trees. contaminate the beau
tiful spring with its water flowing
through-in fact ruin 1t for a park. Is it
not a too expensive property to give
when a few miles further out cheaper and
more desirable land can be bought? II
am not mistaken. Fulton county and At
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