The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-28
CITY OF BESSEMER SELF-SUSTAIN|NG Contract Let for Improve
 ment of the Library WILL CANVASS CITY Professor Persons Continues Critically Ill and Will Be Taken to Hospital
 for an Operation

Bessemer, August 27.-(Special.)-In recent interview, Mayor Lewis summed up the result of the retrenchment policy of the present administration, and said it would amount approximately to sl0,00O annually. For the most part, this saving has been effected by the curtailing of the smaller expenses, but there are two items in the street department on which the city has saved over $250O The practice Of hiring drivers for the trash wagons was dispensed with and that work was turned over to trustes. The men, seven in number, had been drawing SIPS a day. The city also made arrangements with the corporations operating here to take their accumulations of slag and ashes and repair the streets instead of buying chert as heretofore, the result be- ing a saving to the city of nearly $20O0, At present, the city is being run on slightly less than S100,000 annually, and were it not for the fact that the interest on past indebtedness had to be met out of it's income, the administration would be able to show small surplus for the past year.
 The women of the city who have worked faithfully for several months past to raise money for the improvement of the Carnegie library are about to see their hopes realized, as the contract for the woodwork of the interior has been let and the work will start September 1. This will include repanting the walls, repairing and finishing the floors and installing new shades. A number of do- nations are yet to come in and 1t is hoped that these will net a sufficient amount to purchase new carpet, rugs and sew eral new books. It will be remembered that few months ago the women held a tag day at which time a neat sum was realized. It was seen, however, that this amount would not be sufficient for the necessary repairing, so the interested ones made application to their friends and the corporations of the city for assistance. The responses have been liberal and do- nations from the following corporations have been received: Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, Bessemer Soil Pipe company, Central Foundry company. and the Sloss- Sheffield company
 The committee on entertainment of the North Alabama conference of the Meth odist Episcopal church, South, which will convene at this place in November, held a meeting with the subcommttees ap- pointed by the various denominations in town, and divided themselves into five committees, which will make a canvass of each of the five wards in the city to list the names of residents who can en- ,, certain one or more delegates. This can vass will begin tomorrow and will be made from house to house until accom- modations for the several hundred dele gates and visitors have been secured. The committee for the first ward will be: Dr. R. P. McTyiere, B. c. Jones, H. E. Evans, w. c. Terry, Hugh McEniry, J. A. Sni- der and Robert Mingea; second ward IT IN T Tilman, J. D. Powell, J. M. Crook, w. A. Cochran and J. M. Shipp; third ward, J. w. Donaldson, Charles M. Ray, Maj. T. T. Huey. pr. J. M. Tubb and H. E. Bum- by; fourth ward J. J. Kerr, J. c. Far ris, w. A. Simmons J. F. McPherson and w. L. Riley; fifth ward J. c. Mo- Grew. w. T. Lovelace, Saunders, E. L. Huey and L. S. Morer.
 The funeral services of Patrick Blaze, aged 100 years, who died suddenly Satur- day morning at the home of his son, J. K. Blaze, near Toadville took place this afternoon at Liberty cemetery at 2:30 o'clock, where interment was made MT. Blaze had been confined to his bed sev- eral months following a fall in which he sustained ractured hip. MT. Blaze was born and reared in this county where he vas widely known and highly respected. He was a Confederate Veteran, and is survived by three sons and four daugh- ters. and large number of grandchil dien.
 The Pastors Helpers of the First Methodist church will hold both a business and social meeting at o'clock in the church parIors Tues day afternoon at which time all mem- bers are urged to be present.
 The Womans auxiliary of the First Presbyterian church will meet with Mrs. George Stevenson on Dartmouth avenue Monday afternoon at o'clock All members are requested to be pres- ent.
 The four bands of the Woman's Mis- sionary union of the First Baptist church will meet at the church Mon- day afternoon at f o'clock at which