The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-03
Birmingham Alive To
Observation-Disclosures
OF NeW County Bill
and Business
Men Opposed to Sewer
System and Warrior De-
velOpment Being Under
Control of Another County

Birmingham is keenly alive to the
dangers attendant upon the proposed
establishment of Pettus county. The
lethagy and indifference which marked
| the attitude of most of the citizens OF
the city and county has finally given
posal to split the county.
AS the features of the bill, which
seeks to take much of the industrial
territory of Birmingham and place it
in the new county for Bessemer be-
came known, the objections to the
measure are more apparent to the peo-
pie of Birmingham and a large part of
the county.
That Bessemer would acquire Fair
field and many industrial cities and
plants closely linked with Birmingham
was overlooked here when the meas
ure first was proposed The business
men of the city are keenly aroused over
this as well the other features of
the Ross bill.
Should Pettus county as now pro-
posed become a law, Birmingham would
not even control it's own sewer sys-
tenn as this would have to pass
through the new county. Another OBJ
lection of vital Importance at this
time relates to the Warrior river. Now
that Birmingham is preparing to es-
tablish facilities on the Warrior to Sc
cure the benefits of cheaper transporta-
ton by water it is contended by To-
cal business men that serious blow
would be dealt the project if the river
fro N
other county. The roads to the river,
also would have to traverse Pettus
county.
Business men here who have been
studying the provisions of the bill were
surprised to find that the lines of the
proposed new county come within
four and one-half miles of the JEFF
ferson county courthouse. With Bir-
mingham growing as she is. it is con-
tended that the future progress of the
city would be greatly hampered if all
outlying territory were in another
county.
The merchants and business men
generally heartily indorse the fight
being made now to defeat the proposed
division of Jefferson county and are
unanimous in their declarations that
the best interests of Birmingham and
jefferson county will be conserved by
preventing the separation of the con-
tigous territory from Birmingham.
Some of the reasons advanced against
the proposed division of the county fol-
low:
We JACK ADAMS
There are two vital reasons why Biz
mingham should oppose the Pettus coun-
ty bill, which provides for the division Of
jefferson county and the formation of
Pettus county, First and one of the most
important is the question of sewer drain
age. which must pass through the
boundaries of the proposed Pettus county.
This would bottle up our entire sewerage
system and we could not dig a ditch
without the permission of the Pettus
county officials. which would mean that
we would be forced to go before two
boards of revenue instead of one, as at
present, to obtain relief from the con-
gestion which is becoming more acute
each year.
Second and of much importance. is
the question of Birmingham on the War
rior river. Birmingham had been work.
ing on this for the past % years and
now, when the goal is within sight, to be
cut off completely. as will be the case
if the new county of Pettus is formed
according to the proposed boundaries,
means that Birmingham will be known
as an inland town, and all the work
we have been putting forth for so long
will have been in vain.
Another question is the fact that the
proposed line of Pettus county will come
within four and ne-half miles of the
Jefferson county courthouse and will take
in the majority of the industrial plants in
this district.
1T is just a matter of a few years I'M
til Birmingham and Bessemer will be one.
and 7 don't see why these two can't get
together and pull for one big city. the
metropolis of the SOUTH
HILL FERGUSON
"The biblical quotation of what God
orr nature hath brought together, let no
man put asunder' might well be applied
to the situation of the proposed division
of jefferson county. Birmingham 10 To-
Gated in the valley between the hills on
both sides: beyond these hills is rough
ground that cannot be made into city
such as Birmingham. Birmingham occu.
pies the eastern and middle section OF
| this basin and Bessemer occupies the
western corner. Each is valuable to the
okher. and to cut them apart would bring
about such a condition as existed be-
tween the smaller suburbs and Birming-
| ham previous to 1910. The valley is a
natural formation for a city or county
i ana SuOulQ not pe ulNlueu ny d County
| line
MARC LINK
Il have just returned from FISHING
| trip on Lake Huron and other of the
| Great Lakes and was surprised to heal
| of the extent to which the Pettus comfy
advocates had pushed their aims. They
| slipped up on US so very neatly that i
reminds me of the story of the farmer
who walked his newly hired man be-
| fore it was yet light. The man asked
| him what he wanted and when told tha
he was to help cut oats that morning
! asked if they were wild oats that they
! had to slip up to in the night. OF course
| every citizen can see the fallacy of form
| ing a new county. and I am confiden
| that the measure. by the help of the CD
position the business men of the cit,
, are putting up at the capitol will bt
overwhelmingly defeated
PRYOR PLUMLEE
| although the business men of tn
town are making good progress in OPP
posing the dividing of Jefferson befor.
1 the state legislature. they almost waitet
until it was too late to offer opposition
The best interests of the city are involve
in this division of old Jefferson and i