The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-11
PLUMBING IS NEW
FAD At CITY HALL;
BOARD IS RUSHED
With Choice PIumS Harvest
ed, Municipal Tree Will
Undergo a Second
Shaking
Let's go plumming!
Something new ?

Something new?
Nope, the old, old story,
They've been plumming at the city
hall for the-past few days. Crowds
in the corridors, some rushing the
line to get audience with one of the
commissioners. The big plums have
been given out. There are still some
little plums, however, which will be
gobbled up with the second shaking
of the municipal tree.
Others, not seeking plums. but bent
on bringing the attention of this anu
that commissioner to such-and-such
a need, have thronged the Railways
The poor commissioners have been
busv mortals these days. They have
to use diplomacy. They couldn't al
ford to make more than thousand
enemies the first few days in office.
They have been forced to sit with
ears propped open. listening to nu-
MARQUIS complaints and suggestions
outside offices, and some even Went
So far as to carry their lunches.
Brother Cloe has listened, and lis
,ansd. until he was almost on tho
verge of chartering a dictaphone ana
reouestins his visitors to do their
talking in It,
President McLendon has been
aoually as busy receiving callers and
listening attentively to what they had
to say, and why.
Carpets Worn Threadbare
So 1t has been all down the list OF
commissioners. With so much hoof-
age upon the floors of the various OIL
fices. IL looks like the new commits
sion will be forced to include pur-
chases OF new druggets for the vari-
Gus offices in the new budget. Inc
old ones have been worn threadbare
nv the continual army of office
seekers. favor -askers, advice-givers
and slappers- the-back.
Sapoliologically speaking, the city
hall has been thoroughly cleaned out
from cellar to garnet. The old adage
that a new broom sweeps clean was
never more thoroughly evidenced than
In the recent sweeping at the city
hall. To begin with, the constituents
swept the old commissioners out of
the second floor with one fell
Sweep" you might say.
Immediately thereafter. Messrs.
McLendon, Cloe. Harrison. Dickson,
and Mrs. Echols took the broom in
their own hands and continued the
tidying-up process. Chief of Police
Shirley was swept out of office, and
then came various sweepings and
wailings and gnashings of teeth.
The city attorneys office failed to
escape the sweeping process; new
CITY clerk was appointed, new city
physician, q new comptroller. and on
down the list. The interest of the
commission is now centering upon
appointments to minor places.
The comings and goings and the
carryinzs-on of the throngs which
advanced upon the city hall almost
wore the "L' out Of the elevator. 1t
was ever thus. however, and the first
few days after taking charge of
new political office are always the
most trying of the entire term.
Johnny Whozit, who cast a ballot in
Precinct So-and-So. and caused 20
other voters to do the same thing. is
there with some advice. Sometimes
for all the victorious candidate
knows Johnny might have voted the
populist ticket straight through but
out of courtesy and because he doesn't
know Just how Johnny really did
vote, he must listen to him..
Later, after the new has worn off
after the commissioners have learned
to look after routine matters in a
routine sort of way. and after a
touch Of normally at the city hall,
the commissioners will be able to
take life in more peaceful and phi
losophic vein. = But. until then, the
bedlam will continue to a certain ex-
tent, and the us-Sl line of worriers
and advisors will be on hand to help
save the city, county, state and coun-
try. with some fresh. homemade
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