The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-15
BROWN IS VIGOROUS
 IN DEFENDING BOARD FOR FIGHT 0N TICKS
Thinks the S2O,OOO Spent Is One of Best Investments Ever Made in Jeffer-
 son County

"The criticism of the board of revenue by the Jefferson county board of health
 for having spent s20,0o0 for the eradica- tion of the cattle tick from Jefferson county appears to be unjust said R. A. Brown, president of the Alabama State l Fair association.
 "The voters of the county should con- slider few facts in connection with this subject. The sanitary sewerage system ] of the county represents an expenditure of approximately s90O,00O. The Hillmar 1 hospital almshouse and pesthouse
 amount to approximately s400,000 making a total investment of s1, 300o00. The an- nual upkeep and extensions of the sew craze system costs $20,00o, the annual interest on this investment say, $6o,oOo
 Total paid by the county for the main- tenance of the Hillman hospital and health department is s64,SO making to- tai of over s14o,000 annual cost to the county for the benefit of the health con- ditions The 5000 appropriated for the health department is included in the above figures.
 '"The board of revenue has expended $2O,GOO for the eradication of the cattle I tick, and I am informed that 1t will cost 1 sS0O0 or s4OO0 additional to complete this work The cattle from Jefferson county are now bringing s1O to s12 per head more than they were before the eradication of | the tick There are approximately ,0O0 animals in the county, which adds $400,00O i to the wealth of the county, to say noth- l ing of the additional value of the dairy products. It would be safe to say that ! $500 900 would be conservative estimate 1 of the financial benefits derived from the expenditure of $90,O0O by the board of rev. 1 enue After a few months it will only re- uure small amount of money to main <, tain this department I believe the phySi- clans who subscribed to this article will | a gree that the eradication of cattle tick will improve the health conditions of the county by supplying pure milk and bet
 ter beef products
 l .T regret to notice that these distin- guished physicians have charged that the | moneyed interests have rushed in ano protested against the dfscontinuance of the dipping of cattle. It is well known ! ct that men of means long ago estab- lshed a dairy near Birmingham where | they could get pure and clean milk for their children, and in addition to this, men of means, when an epidemic occurs I cality, while the poor people who live | in the city as well as the country people
 are forced to stay at home and endure
 the hardships that befall them. This $20,
 GOO has been spent for the benefit of the | farmer who has not the sanitary sewer. 1 age system and the advantages of tho 1 Hillman hospital at his door. This smal l amount of money, to my mind, is the best investment that the county has
 made for the benefit of the people whose I conditions need improvement and who will supply to the citizens of this county clean and pure milk as we'll as anima lproducts free from the cattle tick. ia vor better health conditions and better conditions generally, but at the same l time believe in a spirit of fairness with. I out any attempt to criticise or to destroy what has already been done.
 When you stop to think that this grea
 county has spent only $20,000 for the ben eft of the cattle raising and agriculture
 1 industry, 1t falls into insignifcance. com. pared with the amounts already spent il other directions, to say nothing of tn, I perpetual cost to~the county for exten l sions and upkeep.
 I "The farmers and country people al l well as the poor of our city deserve nor,
 l than they now get, and I commend tn,
 board of revenue for their action in tn I continuance of this work"