The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-09
REPORTS ARE MADE !.
To BOARD OF TRADE.
Street Remaining Committee
Advances New Plan
EXPLAINED IN DETAIL
Would Avoid Many Complications.
Recommend May | as Day for Re-
naming-Viaduct Committee
Is Named

Is Named
Numerous reports were heard and COM
mittees appointed at the regular month
ly meeting of the Board of Trade yes
terday afternoon at 4 o'clock in the di-
rectors room of the Chamber of Com
merce. The feature of the meeting was
the reading of the report of the street
remaining committee. of which Robert
w. Ewing is chairman. This committee
submitted a lengthy report, in which n
substitute plan agreeable TO the business
men of Birmingham is urged on the city
commissioners in place of the plans filed
by City Engineer kirkpatrick sometime
ago.
Other reports heard with great interest
were that of the fake sales and auction
committee. Mr.. Linnehan, the chairman,
reported that he had succeeded in having
an ordinance passed which forbade the
advertising of bankrupt stocks unless a
merchant was actually a bankrupt. 1t
was stated that this ordinance would
greatly curb the evil of fake auction
sales so prevalent in Birmingham during
the last few years.
The committee on express rates, through
its chairman, Sterling A Wood. reported
progress in its work. 1t was shown that
some of the rates now in effect represent
ed cut of over 80 per cent in the rates
in effect a few months ago.
Committees Are Appointed
Among the committees appointed was
a viaduct committee composed of C. c.
Heidi. j. w. O'Neill and j. d. Collins.
This committee will cooperate with the
city commissioners in securing the build
ing of viaducts by the railroads in Bir-
of j. d. Rosenberger. J. II. Tinder ] .
w. ONein and p. H. Linnehan, was
appointed for the purpose of looking into
the cases of itinerant merchants during
holiday time. 1t is stated that many
men hire space in the downtown district
in windows to sell fountain pens, corn
cures and various other articles and pay
no license to the city for the privilege.
The committee will seek to have an ordi-
nance passed restraining these agents
operating in Birmingham in the future.
In the absence of President J. f. Shelby
the meeting yesterday was presided over
by Robert W. Ewing, first vice presi-
dent.
The report of the street remaining COM
mittee went into the situation at length.
After giving the objections to the renam-
ing plan of the city engineering depart
ment and reciting the needs for reform
of some kind in the street names. the
committee presented the following specific
recommendation:
Recommendation of Committee
!. Instead of the city proper being d-
vided into four equal sections, ii Is now
suggested that the dividing line be our
present First street which would be
known as "Centeri or Central" street
and all territory lying west of First or
Center street (Which runs through old
Elyton) would be known gs west" That
territory south of First avenue and West
of Center street would be known as
southwest and all other territory west
and north of First avenue and Center
street would simply be known as west"
with the exception of Ensley. which. in
order to meet the wishes of the people
at that point who have just recently re-
| named their streets and gone to the ex-
pense or placing the Dames in the side
walks of the city anf whose streets do
not lie horizontal or parallel with the
streets and avenues of Birmingham, il is
suggested by your committee that they
be permitted to retain their own system of
numbering and naming their streets and
avenues and that a satisfactory line of
demarcation be drawn around this par
t1clular part of Greater Birmingham and
let that be designated in a general way
as Ensley, just as Glen Iris" or any
other park home cite would be now desig-
mated.
The report embodies recommendation
that the avenues on the Southside be
known by number with the added desig-
nation, south instead of by letter. 1t is
also recommended that Highland avenue
retain its name, but that after it doubles
back toward town from Lakeview that 1t
be known as Ninth Parkway" 1t Is
thought best that Altamont road also re-
main unchanged.
The report says that there are over 100
duplicates in the names of streets and
avenues in Birmingham and declares that
short streets on South Highlands are a
source of trouble. In this connection it
is recommended that the first short street
lying parallel with the regular numbered
street take the number of the street after
which It comes. followed by the word
place" and the second Intermediates
street the word plaza" Following tba
same plan the first intermediate avenue
would be a court" and the second a tor
race" Alleys parallel to street would he
known as lanes under the scheme.
Should Begin May
The committee thinks that n deipite
time should be set for the re-numberinr
and remaining and suggests Nav as a
proper date. This would enable the lgI5
directory to contain the new street, il is
pointed out 1t Is suggested that the new
names of streets and avenues be chisseled
In the concrete pavement and that signs
should be placed in the residence section
Attention is called to the confusion re-
sulting from the various subdivisions and
suburbs of Birmingham, in which streets
and avenues are not parallel with those
of the city proper. recommendation for
a civic plan is made.
This section of the report reads as fol-
lows:
Not only would it be wise to adopt n
grand boulevard or driveway which might
run from the west to the east as slg-
gested by Mr.. Hill Ferguson several years
ago, when he was chairman of the civic
Improvement committee of the Chamber or
Commerce. but the territory surrounding
Birmingham should be plated and
mapped so that parties beyond the present
limits of Birmingham should be able to
obtain, by visiting the city engineers Of
flee, an understanding of what streets and
avenues would be necessary when the
city limits and streets of Birmingham are
extended as made necessary in a few
years. If this plan were followed and a
tentative map made not only of the pres
ent city limits of Birmingham, but all the
territory for several miles from Birming-
ham in every direction, 1t would be a
great hoon to the real estate prorno ers