The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-01
SHRINKING WILL NOT BE COMPULSORY UNDER ORDINANCE City Will Flush All Paved Streets at Its Own
 Expense REMAINDER WILL BE DONE UPON REQUEST Whole Thing, However, Is Still Tenta- tive-System Is in Vogue in Other Cities of the South,
 Says GaffOrd

From a statement made yesterday by City Commissioner James Weatherly Il is probable there will be no compulsory features to the suggested sprinlSling ordi- nance which he has been considering for the past few days. City Attorney Romaine Boyd has the drafting of the ordinance to do.
 From wha' information 1 can gather from practices in other cities" said MT Weatherly yesterday, 'it is the city's duty to flush all paved streets at its own expense. The sprinkling tax is charged to those citizens whose streets are not paved. but who want their dust elimi- hated
 City to Flush Paved Streets
 "rhe impression that we intended to sprinkle the costly paved streets is wrong; for we purchased a very high ago for another purpose. We plan now to flush the paved streets in the busi' ness section every night and the paved streets in the residence section about once a week, all to he done at the eX- pense of the city. When a property own CT goes to the expense of paying his paving assessments then I think it is the duty of the city to take care of the dust.
 Then in the suburbs where the streets are unpaVed, there l think we will make the voluntary sprinkling proposition. II the residents along q certain street want i: sprinkled and send us petition, we will sprinkle 1t and tax them so much per front foot, which l think Is only far If the ma ,ority of the residents of a street don't want it sprinklea, then we'll not sprinkle it.
 "The whole thing, however. is still ten tative. It will have to be carefully con sidered from every angle before we take final action"
 In General Use
 "rhe street sprinSling tax idea, said Street Commissioner Frank Gafford, 1s followed in almost all cities of any size St Louis, Atlanta and all of Birming' hams neighbor cities have it.
 we used to have it here in Birming- ham when MT. McCartin was street com. missioner but it has since been abolished The general practice in other cities throughout the country, which l have seen with my own eyes. is to flush the paved streets at the city's expense. the residence streets about once week and the business section about once day
 '"rhen for the other streets of the city the tax is charged Tn most cities the sprinkling contractor deals directly with the people, the city having nothing te do with it whatever, except that the work is done under the city's supervision and if the residents have a grievance the city will look after it for them. In some of the cities where have seen it worked the sprinklers even sprinkle along streets where some of the property owners want 1t and some don't. When they come to the property of resident who don't want to pay the tax, they shut off their tank and pass him by.
 q think 1t Is very good thing and the only way Birmingham is ever going to get rid of her dust There will be some who will object to the tax, of course, but I believe they will be few and they will not hinder the working of the system"
 Raul Believes in Oil
 'I am particularly anxious for the flushing of the paved streets" said John l.. Kaul last night, land in the financial condition the city is at present I think the citizens could well afford to pay a spriukling tax. Flushing is the only real way to clean a paved street. and Is the practice followed in all progressive cities I have heard it said tl:at the merchants of New Orleans would not consider for a moment the discontinuance of the street flushing there, where 1t has been prac- ticed for many years. Asheville, N. C.. has reputation all over the country fol cleanliness and all cities where the dust problem has been really solved have don't it with the flusher.
 "Sprinklirg on the unpaved streets II the suburbs would help matters, but 1T my opinion would not be as well as oiling which would cost no more than the tax on the sprinklng. The sprinkling lays the dust for an hour or two at the mos and then the street is as bad as ever while a well oiled street will keep il down all day In Birmingham where there is so much dirt and grime anyhow | am inclined to believe the oil would prove best for the. suburbs.
 ''I have seen several towns where there was little real paving at all, practicall, all the streets being oiled and it makes a very satisfactory condition. As far al the tax is concerned. I think it is onl, equitable that each property owner pay LOT his own sprinkling CT oiling or what ever is done, as the benefit accrues tt himself only, the man in Birmingham recersing no benefits from the man IT Ensley who sprinlsles his street and vict versa.
 ''It is big problem and one Bir n1ingham should meet right now