The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-31
THIS CARRIER BOY IS AN
 ORIGINAL BASEBALL FAN
Harold Witherspoon Makes Emergency Deliveries The Age Herald and Says He Intends to See Every Game at
 Redwood This Year
By ELLIS c. HoLLUMs

Accompanying this article is a photo graph of the very youngest boy on The Age Herald staff-Harold Witherspoon. Il years old. Harold is in the carriers de- partment and has a wheel which he uses to make quick delivery of papers that other carriers for some reason have failed to deliver He rarely makes more than a dozen calls in single morning and it's usually less than six. This out of several thousands of subscribers.
 Haroid's long suit is school and base ball. He is in the senior sixth grade at the Barker school, and by the time he reaches his twelfth year will be ready to enter high school. He is an enthusiastic baseball player and fan. He is captain of the Twenty-fourth street team and catches the hottest sizzlers that ever ca vortet down toward home plate. (Mr Lus- sier: Please pardon use of your word '.ca- vorted'D
 In addition to being an ardent follower Of the national sport on his own account. Harold is regular dyed-in-the-wool fan Last year he knew every member of the DdfOn tcdIu Wtii tnOuS II lO Sdb lhChA ps their given names. He knew their rec ords. batting and fielding, and could tell you their life history. He is on terms almost as intimate with the new mem bers of this years baseball squad and by the time the season opens will have become very well acquainted with them all He only missed three games last year, and says he will see every game played at Redwood this season.
 By the way, he has made it a point to make capital from his friendship with the subscription from every member of the team. He says if man is in position where he is likely to be written up" every day, he ought to read the paper that's going to do it. Good logic. too.
 Harold's chief ambition in life at the present time is to be a great baseball catcher and have the two major leagues and the Federal league fighting for his services. He told me this in confidence, and it must not be repeated.
 In many circles Harold is known as Preacher Just why such an athletic boy should be called Preacher is be- ) oiit iics uiiCSS U iS uut tO tnc ldCt tiidl he has married more couples than most fellows his age. Yep. it's a fact. He has acted as minister in four Tom Thumb" weddings, and so well did he act the part that the name Preacher" just stuck to him.
 Harold is a very studious boy and a story is related of his eagerness for knowledge that should be repeated. The raconteur (what does that mean, Miss DollyO will not permit the use of his
 
 bond issue will increase our taxes, but as l see 1t the very opposite will be the case, and besides will perpetuate the citys credit and place it on a sound financial footing.
 Tn conclusion, I feel certain that When this proposition is understood by the yot- CTS of Birmingham that they will work and vote for the passage of the bond is- sue"
 Following Is MT Ull1nan's statement:
 City Cannot Perform Functions
 T am in favor of the bond issue be- cause no municipality can efficiently per- form It's functions when its finances are in an unhealthy condition.
 q am called on at regular intervals to defend suits in the courts, personally 1n- jury suits, which are the direct results of the crippled financial condition of the city.
 There are numerous open ditches, un- safe bridges, wallSways. sidewalks, high ways and streets throughout the vast area of 5e square miles. which require the ex- penditure of many thousands of dollars to make them safe for pedestrians. The city hasn't the money to make these 1m- proyements Citizens are subjected daily to the danger and serious and permanent injury. and in case of injury suits are brought against the city for damages. and the taxpayers of the city are sub jected to the danger of large verdicts to compensate the injured party.
 If sufficient financial resources were available to remedy these conditions, the initial cost would be insignificant com pared to the expenses and loss resulting from injuries to citizens.
 "rhe credit of the city is the most val uahle asset which tine community has, ex- cept it's school system. If the system or public schools is crippled the result Will be so far-reaching that no one can set the limit to which it will reach Fire pro- lection, pcice4 protection sanitation and health ;.re far too important functions to be destroyed or crippled and rendered in efficient fer the sake of a few paltry dollars.
 q shall vote and give my hearty sup port to the bond issue"