The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-07
Not a Dissenting Vote at General Meeting of the
 Chamber of Commerce
GUM SHOE METHODS
 BY THE OPPOSITION
Delegation Will Be Sent to Montgom- cry to Protest Against Division of County-Only Bessemer De-
 sires Separation Is Report

At a general meeting of the Cham Der of Commerce yesterday morning ths body went on record unanimously as being opposed to the plan to divide Jeff ferson county and a committee is to be appointed by President Johnson to go to Montgomery to fight the efforts being made along this line.
 A strong resolution introduced by John H. Frye and seconded by Dr. H. A. El- kourie was unanimously adopted after several speeches were made.
 President Johnson presided. It was stated that a delegation of Bessemer citizens had been at Montgomery for weeks quietly working on a separate county plan for that section of Jeffer- son and that as the sentiment of the county outside of Bessemer seemed to be practically unanimous for the main tenance of Jefferson county as unit, the gumshoe methods" of the opposi- tion would have to be met with and op- posed.
 Oppose Division of County
 Those making speeches strongly oppos- ing the division of the county included President Crawford Johnson, H. U. Sims, Walter Moore. L. J. Haley, Jr., J. W. Mcqueen c. Ohme, pr. H. A. Elkourie, John H. Frye, Solon Jacobs and oth- CTS. The petition unanimously adopted will be circulated and every member of terested will be asked to sign 1t for presentation to the legislature.
 J. R. Reeves of Toadvine stated yes terday that beats 27 and 24, Toadvine and Short Creek, were against the d- vision by a 10 or 15 to vote and other parts of the county were the same. Lead ing men from Bessemer are also active against any division of the county.
 The resolution adopted was as fol- lows:
 Resolutions Adopted
 ''Whereas, numerous reports have come to Birmingham with reference to pro- posed legislation looking to the dismem- berment division of Jefferson county into two or more separate counties;
 And, whereas, there is reason to be- lieve that the overwhelming sentiment of the citizens of the county is opposed to such a movement and that the subdi- vision of Jefferson county into several parts would not only initiate against the advancement of this section but would be prejudicial to the interests of the state at large;
 And. whereas. Jefferson county now constitutes the second largest center of population in the southern states, 1t would be especially injurious for divi- sions to be created that would make the largest county in the state of Alabama the tenth or possibly the fifteenth in point of population among the counties of the south;
 And. whereas, it would greatly in- crease the existing cost of the admin istration of justice, the maintenance of charities, the handling of problems of santa ton and the investment in public buildings. to divide this territory into two or more counties.
 Therefore, be it resolved by the mem bership of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in mass meeting assembled
 '1. That this chamber places itself on record as opposed to such a move- ment as has been described in any form.
 "2. That we petition the representa- tives of this county in the senate and legislature to use their best efforts to prevent any action looking to the di- vision or dismemberment of the county"