The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
OLD CITIZEN RECALLS
FAMOUS "RUMSEY FIRE
ENGINE TAX LEVY HERE
Frank " Evans Tells How Dr. Phillips Was Chosen Superin
tendent of Birmingham Schools 80 Years Ago-An In
terestng Account of Young City's Difficulties
When It Attempted to Float
Bond Issue
by FRANK V. EVANS
Bond Issue

ny NhtNN
The recently repeated discussion of tax
alton as it affects the municipality of Br-
mingham and an observation of the pres
ent splendidly equipped fire department
OF the city tmpel reminiscence and retro
spection by this writer.
II the reader will delve into the archives
of the city of Birmingham there will he
revealed to him one of the earlier meth
DDS adopted for financing the city, which
tive. if not legal, and successful If out
|of the common order of acts govern
mental.
Some time in the early seventies, when
Birmingham was in its infantile dress,
the authorities that nourished the baby
municipality purchased an old-fashioned
|Eand-pumping machine for its volunteer
fire department This pump was called
the "Rumsey engine name devised
from the manufacturer from whom it was
purchased. The purchasing power was s
|per cent time notes of the city, which
went forward in due course. At maturi-
|ty these notes fell in hard places. In
|other words, there was no money in the
|city treasury, save so much as was nec-
|essary to pay current expenses, which
|said expenses were met generally and
mostly by the issuance of "city script
made payable when taxes came in and
|generally discounted at rs cents in the
dollar.
Suit followed default in payment of the
Rumsey notes. Judgment was rendered
against the city and some one unauthor-
ized finally collected the money and put
|out to parts unknown leaving the strug-
|ging young municipality to make good
the laundering default by again paying
the. notes.
Constitutional Snag
1t will be recalled that the state con-
stitution of 1875 inhibited towns or cities
from levying a tax rate OF greater than
90 cents on the 500 valuation. except for
debts contracted prior to the adoption
OF said constitution. Fortunately for
Rumsey his claim was immune from the
then constitutional limit. The municipal
board Immediately proceeded to levy a
tax of 25 cents on the Sl00 to pay the
Rumsey debt.
A second year the same dose was re-
peated to the afflicted tax payers and
not murmur arose. Again and again
the Rumsey tax of 25 cents per 300 was
printed on the receipts, until far along
into the eighties, and 1t Is safe to say
that enough money was collected under
the subtifuge "Rurnsey tax" to pay for
half dozen of the finest fire-dghting ma
f.ic bxr fba aift oil
enough to lead the city up to strength to
care for itself Finally good citizen and
large tax payer, still living in Birming-
ham, protested against further such pro-
cedure and the assessment of the Rum
sey tax ceased.
Its an ill wind that blows nobody
good and l venture the assertion that
had not the "Rumsey pump been pur-
chased and the then apparently evil
things which followed been enacted, Bir-
mingham would have been 10 years later
in reaching her splendid position among
American cities.
First Bonds Issued
Continuing in retrospective mood my
mind wanders back to other incidents of
the city of Birmingham's early financial
management.
The first bonds issued by the municipal
ity were dated some time in 1882 The
Issue was $4,000. 8 per cent 10 year Mar
1set and City Hall bonds.'' and the au-
thorities felt fiattered that purchaser
was. found who planked down 30 cents
on the dollar for them. The proceeds of
these bonds We're used for the construc-
ton of Birmingham's first city hall and
market house, on the very site now oc-
cupied by the modern building. The