The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-13
SHRINKING LAW
 WILL BE ADOPTED
Commissioners Have Prac-
 tically Made Decision
NO COMPULSORY TAX
Zone System Will Be Employed and Sprinkling of Unpaved Streets Will Be Done Upon Petition Only
 With Citizens Taxed

Although it has not been fully drafted. the commissioners havo practically set tied their minds on a sprinSlins ordi- nance
 It is stated that they will pass an ordinances much like the one outlined the last few days in The Age-Herald, making 1t a voluntary matter regarding the sprlnlSing of unpaved streets. They will flush the paved streets in the business district at the citys expense, and in the residence districts for which purpose they have ordered a high priced modern flusher. They do not regard anything but bithulithle or brick pavements, how ever, as being paved street.
 To Employ Zone System
 It is stated that they will then lay the city off into zones of several blocks each, giving certain contractors the con tract in certain zones. Then if the citi- zens of any streets or block in that zone sign petition they want sprinSling they can get 1t and pay the sprinklirg tax of one half cent per front foot. If they do not want it. the commissioners say. it's their own affair.
 They state that after passing such an ordinance they will then have done all there is in their power to do. They have given up the idea of compulsory or arbitrary tax. After such an ordinance Is passed. they state, no citizen in any part of the town can come to them and make a legitimate complaint about dust for all such citizens will be referred to the sprnklng ordinance and told to get up a proper petition and the street will be sprnkled.
 With the new fushers the commission CTS have ordered for the paved streets and with the sprinkling ordinance giving the citizens of any street an opportunity to keep their dust at a small monthly cost, the commissioners believe that the dust evil in Birmingham this summer is going to be as nearly eliminated as 1t can be until the city is financially able to sprinkle all streets itself.
 w. D. Moore, who lives in North Bir- mingham, stated yesterday that he be- leved the citizens of the main thorough fares of the city would be gald to avail themselves of the proposed sprinklins ordinance and pay to have the dust kept down on their streets
 Not All Streets Need Sprinkling
 ''rhe sprinkling under the proposed or- dnance, he said, 'I believe, however. will be confined almost entirely to the streets and avenues which are the main thoroughfares of the city. On the most of the streets where the main arteries of traffic do not reach, the citizens will not feel like paying the tax for the sprinkling because they will think it is entirely un- needed and uncalled for.
 "I am sure the compulsory tax would not work at all, because there are so many streets just like that, where there Is not enough traffic to warrant the citi zens raying tax to have the sprinkling done. The tenant, of course, I think Is the man who should pay the tax. Up here on my street I would not feel like paying the tax because all the sprnkling necessary can he done with n hose but down Huntsville avenue or Thirty fifth avenue where tho traffic is heavy all day 1 would think that the residents would be glad to have the opportunity to get their sprinlSling done that way