The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-07

IoTlnal reply to tne question asked during your term as president of th
 Dr. Barrett points with pride to tl the financial standing ol the city I he has held his official position dur He also mentions the improvement schools as being activities with whi pleased. A number of other improy
 pr. Barrett Said
 Well, financially, the good old town is Al. With any sort of honest. businesslike administration. there will never again be the necessity of a bond issue to pay deficiency in rev enue, You know these bond issues formerly were quite frequent. In fact as you recall about the first thing an incoming administration would do was to issue bonds to pay the debts inherited from the out going.
 "In my judgement, the greatest
 thing accomplished during my
 term of office is the placing of
 Birmingham on a sound financial
 foundation. The payment of priH-
 cipaf and interest on all our
 bonded indebtedness, issued or to
 issued. fs absolutely assured, and
 1t would take practically crlm-
 final mismanagement to make It
 otherwise. Birmingham bonds
 today arc as safe and as eagerly
 sought for by investors as any
 security issued by any munich
 paIity in the world.
 But it has not been smooth sailing to reach this financial port of-safety by any manner of means. It has t. ken long pull, a strong pull and a pull all together to accomplish it, The people have co-operated in a splendid manner.T In fact, no former administration probably ever had such co-operation from the citizens.
 Called in Wartime
 'I assumed the duties of president of the commission in November, 1911 The commission was called upon to administer the civil affairs of Bit- mingham against a back ground of war. Everything was disturbed with the future hazy and uncertain.
 "The Central High school and the Pratt City school were burned within three months after I assumed office These calamities added to our embar : rassment and difficulties. We could secure but little material for pup lie improvements distressinglF need cd and necessary. and both labor ana material doubled and trebled in price But we pulled through in good shape There was harmony and cooperation and good old fighting spirit among the members of the commission.
 Cut Expenses
 "yye trimmed everywhere It was nossible to trim. To every approprl alton and every expenditure we ap- piled the acid test: Is this absolutely necessary to the proper functonihs of the government|
 saved Money
 .During this period of mount
 irr prices we lived within our
 income and paid our debts.
 .sl'his record stands uncpua'eo
 by any city during the war pe
 riod and Birmingham receive"
 fIatterinG comment from
 press throughout the country.
 "And we have progressed Tar afield in other lines of munieipai en' deayor besides our finances.
 eve are now building two mag, nifcent high schools, the Central nr phillips High school, to cost wneI comnleted. about s1.500,000, ana ths Noodlawn High, which will COS comnleted more than $600,0Vo ihess two schools represent the last woro in school architecture.
 ..W.e are spending s1,00o,ooo on out erammar schools at the present tinle and our programme calls TOY en. svnanditure of a million more neX' wear. af
 eve are completing new central fire station at a cost of sSs,UoV ana a fire alarm telegraph system cost ing s275.ooo. - o,rd Eve are preparing to break srouno for the new municipal auditorium costing around s600,o00, and this structure should be completed neN' summer.
 Street Improvements
 eve have actually completed of have in course of construction, $i,' 500 ooo of streets. sidewalks and sew ers and with the improvements a. ready agreed upon, such as the pay inc of Eighth avenue to Ensley, eh- larrement of the downtown sanitary sewer system, connecting the pavlne on Tuscaloosa avenue with the paVeo county highway at the western city limits. paving of Avenue from SIX taentb to Twenty-fifth street, ano other smaller Improvement protects will increase this amount several hundred thusand dollars.
 "A Municipal market or markets will be built in the next few mcntns if the people will ratify proposi- tion to be submitted to them on oc- tober 10, providing for the issuance of bonds to the amount or sSoo'Voe for this purpose. ,,-
 ..Our present programme also CAL for the erecting and proper equippihs and maintenance of puohc eomioi stations next year. These sta,iohs are soreiv needed and will be built al the earliest practica ble moment.
 More Money For Schools
 eve have increased the appropria j. ton to our public schools from $oEs,- 600 in 1917. to 31,400, 900 in 1921. The appropriation for the present flscal year is almost as large as the total amounts expended for the entire foui years preceding this administration.
 "The appropriation for health TOT the present year Is $80,000, being within a few dollars of the entire amounts expended for the years 1914 Is. Is, and +, and our appropriation for libraries in 1921 of $60,0o0 also about equals the total expenditure for the four years previous to lslS
 Building Schools
 I've built the Acipco school at g cost of s75,000 and rebuilt and en- iarged the Pratt City school which was almost destroyed by fire in th' early part of 1918.
 ''We have established branch li' braries at Vivian and Pratt City ana
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