The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-28
Organized Fight On Proposed
Division of County to Be Made
At Joint MEETING at Chamber
Civic and Business Organi-
cations to Bring Defeat to
Measure That Is Said to
vitality Affect Business
Interests of City

CITY is llneu up Sol1dly against
the proposed division of Jeffer-
son county, and strong commit
tees have been appointed from
each to make an organized
fight on the measure.
A meeting of the joint COM
mittees will be held this morn
ing at the Chamber of Com
merce, when definite plans
will be made to bring about de-
feat of the bill.
The Retail Merchants association
went on record as unanimously opposing
the proposed Pettus county in resolu-
ton adopted at a meeting of that body
yesterday morning in the auditorium of
the Chamber of Commerce, it being the
opncensus of opinion that division
of Jefferson county such as is now pro-
posed jim the state legislature would dis
rupt the commercial activities of Biz
mlngham.
| Attorney Borden Burr made a stirring
talk opposing Pettus county. which he
declared would separate Birmingham
from IS per cent of the industrial &C
tivities in this district and hinder it's
growth in other respects
TAKE AWAY TRADE
This issue was discussed at length, and
| it was stated that the division of the
county would naturally take trade away
fl ON Birmingham and the majority of
rnaA 40 H.
and with so many large industries in
| the proposed Pettus county it could be
readily seen just what effect it would
| have on this city.
| committee composed of Joe Saks,
chairman; w. J. Adams. Louis Piztz,
John DeShazo, Harry White, Ira Randall
and Jacob Burger, was appointed and
Will meet this morning at 10 o'clock
with the general committee from the
| Chamber of Commerce, Civic associa-
| ton, Rotary club, Kiwanis club, Civ
| itan club, Country club. Real Estate ex-
| change, wholesale merchants and other
civic organizations at which time definite
plans will be formulated for the defeat
of the Pettus bill Every effort will be
made by these organizations to defeat
| this bill, and large committee will go
| to Montgomery to protest against the
division of Jefferson county. The meet
! ing will be held in the auditorium of
| the Chamber of Commerce.
! The committee from the Civic asso-
| iation is composed of T. ]. CrittEnden,
chairman; G. r. Harsh and Frank f.
Butler, and they will organize a much
larger committee to go to Montgomery
and work for the defeat of the bill. The
committee from the wholesale merchants
was appointed yesterday follows: R.
A. Porter Sid w Lee. Nick Carter and
| +. H. Mills, while the committee from
he PaoI Ectc to ic On1n
| of T. Fl. Motion, w. NJ Malone, Pat
Oliver, Robert Jemison, Jr., H. A. Nose
| ley and F. f. Butler.
| w. NJ. Malone, a real estate man. who
was present made a brief talk in which
he stated that if the bill was passed
| 1000 stores in Birmingham would be va
cant by the first of the year.
Opposition to the proposed Pettus coun-
| ty bill is growing daily and according
to Joe Saks, chairman of the retail mer-
chants committee, immediate action is
imperative at this time. He urges every
retail merchant in Birmingham to be
present at the meeting this morning
when plans will be adopted looking to
the defeat of the Pettus county bill.
LINED UP SOLIDLY
Jefferson county is going to be left
| as an orphan on the doorsteps of an i'm
poverished widow if the Pettus bill goes
| H..
the Chamber of Commerce. yesterday aft
ernoon in an interview on the proposed
| division of jefferson county.
'I am glad to see the citizens of Biz
mingham lined up SO solidly in opposi-
ton to this bill. and to know that Biz
mingham has walked up to the injurious
effects which will result from its pass
age.
/ Eve have heard good deal Of talk
about the county line being only an inn
aginary line That is true. but If that
| Imaginary line is drawn across Biz
/ minghams front yard within five miles
of the Jefferson county courthouse, we
will find it constituting very concrete
barrier to public improvements which
effect both counties.
THE proper maintenance of Birming-
hams trunk sewers is absolutely es-
sentiaf to the health and sanitation OF
| this city. The boundaries of the pro-
posed new county leave good part
| of this sewerage system in the new Pet
| tus county. Under the Pettus bill, Great
| ing the new county, this sewerage system
! is placed under the joint control OF the
boards of revenue of Jefferson and
Pettus county. Are these two boards or
revenue acting jointly. going to work
in complete harmony at all times? Com
mon sense dictates negative reply.
There will be pickering and friction
Birminghams pubic nealtn VIII DC Inc
sufferer.
! 1.-THE boundary line of this new county
cuts us off the Warrior river. doesn't
leave us even toe hold. We have done
our part to help improve the Warrior
! and we are ipst beginning to realize the
+ advantage of cheaper freight rates
! Eventually we hope to have terminus
on the Warrior with a railway running
to il. A part of this railway would run
through the new Pettus county and De
under the control of the county officials
OF the county.
"This. proposed division is entirely un-
necessary, besides being grossly unfair
/ to BIRMINGHAM | can see notnins ~
- commend it. It is fostered. in my
Judgment by officeseekers. who want 10
create new county offices Birmingham
should line up solidly in opposition.