The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-06
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FIRST AVENUE BOULEVARD
le Editor of The Age-Herald :


 A large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the city hall in Woodawn yesterday afternoon pursuant to a call of the women's clubs of that section of the city.
 Mir. Editor, you will overlook mighty live issue if you do not keep up with this move ment, and you will be very derelict in your duty to the public if you fail to give these de- termined women your support by giving pub licity to their efforts in creating and beautify- ing gateway to our city through which we hope to receive many tourists in the near fu- ture arriving over three of the now being con- structed great highways from the north, north east and northwest,
 These women say they are determined to have constructed and to beautify First avenue from the vaduct to Roebuck, and no objection ar obstacle is going to deter or discourage them. I gathered from the speeches made at this meeting that they had already convinced the city, the county and the' officers of the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power company of such fact, and at this meeting the city went on record as being with them and for them" and would do everything in their power to help accomplish the work necessary to construct and beautify boulevard as outlined.
 The county agreed to widen their strip of road to the curb, and it was said that the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power company had said they were willing to have done their part of the paving, it being only question of financing or paying for same.
 With such encouraging information and as- surance, a resolution then offered and adopted that a committee be appointed (which was done) to get busy on the proposition, and that petition be made, signed by ma jority of the property holders, asking the city commission to have passed an ordinance TO open up, pave, curb and sidewalk an 80-foot avenue for the west side of Cain or Forty fourth street to the east side of Lacross rail- road crossing connecting the same with street improvements then made, and the cost of such paving, curb and sidewalk be assessed to the proper parties viz: the street railway and the county (which takes of the paving) and Che abutting property the cost of sidewalks and curbing, and that same be paid either in cash or 10 years as provided by law now existing.
 As the author of this resolution I was, as is usually the case made to pay by being ap- pointed chairman of this committee, and I would feet inadequate for the job if it were not for the fact that the balance of this com- mittee are composed of several of the afore- said determined women who are going to put this work over.
 Being one of the largest property holders of the abutting property to be affected by this ordinance, owning about 1000 feet frontage with depth of 140 feet, and as we had long since figured out that frontage on a wide, well paved boulevard or avenue would De worth twice as much as it now is, our company would widen out without condemnation pro- ceedings, and that in making a deed in Janu- ary. 1917, to frontage of 75O feet on the south side of this avenue, we had reserved strip of land 20 feet in width to be used at any time the city saw fit to widen this avenue and that this 1750 feet of frontage would con stitute about 40 per cent of the owners, and that I was satisfied that nearly all of the other owners of abutting property would look at the prouosition the same as did and would set back, and if there were any who could not agree that their frontage would not be doubled in value by such improvements, then it would be up to the city to condemn same, the cost of which could only be nominal, for It would be hard to find set of revenuers or ap- nraisers who could find any measure of damage
 MT. Editor, the committee appointed want to act quickly in this matter; therefore, nave taken the liberty of asking you to publish thls so we may be able to quickly reach all Of the property holders to be affected and to request them to call at my office, North Twenty-first street, and sign the petition to the city to get busy and put this much of the avenue or boule- ward in condition to be beautified by the pro motors of this movement Yours very truly,
 RICHARD RANDOLPH.
 Birmingham, March 4, 1922.