The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-03-17
KEEPS TABS ON
THOSE Who MOVE
People of Birmingham Cannot
Escape Bills and Rent by
Old Expedient.
MUST REPORT ALL TRANSFERS
Ordinance Requires Owners Of Vans
or Other Vehicles to Report All
Moving to Poliee-Helpful
to Authorities.

Birmingham Ala-Those who find
it cheaper to move than to pay rent
or meet other bills, are pretty we'll re-
formed in this city, or are in process
of being weeded out in either case by
means of an ordinance so riveted that
offenders cannot escape. The ordl-
nance requires the owner of every
transfer or other vehicle to report
promptly all moving to the chief of po-
lice, and entries Of the same are at
once made in a book duly alphabeted
and dated, and the book Is always
open for the inspection of any and
everyone who may ask to see it.
OF course one who plans to turn
delinquent will try to conceal his iden-
tity while in the act of moving, but
the ordinance makers foresaw that
impulse and attached penalties for
false names or misleading reports,
which fairly shut out that form OF
trickery. Altogether the ordinance has
worked so we'll that Birmingham has
been solicited by other cities for copies
of the act and for the experiences I'M
| der it which have made 1t magic
cure for bill-evasion. 1t is fixture
| In Birmingham, for it has been in
force since March Of 1918.
Generally Helpful.
Its enactment came about In that
year through the Retail Furniture
Dealers association. At the ensuing
election II had an able enfOrcer in
Commissioner Of Public Safety Arlie
Barber, who thoroughly believed in 1t
and kept everybody concerned up to
the scratch. He found that some OF
the colored laundresses had a fashion
of suddenly changing their addresses
when we'll stocked with the linen Of
their clients; that in some districts
overdue gas bills gave sufficient cause
for families to vacate quarters, ana
!. delinquents for rent and for trades"
mems accounts were common In all
, districts. The telephone company had
occasion to compliment the commits
sioner on the accuracy and complete
) ness of the records in the book of the
r chief Of police, for in one case the
company escaped damages for non
e delivery Of a message, in suit In
: which the person addressed had
q moved, but claimed to be living In his
s old home at the time of the message
: His claim was thrown out of court by
l. the evidence of the chiefs records
e Furniture dealers who had been be
l. hind the original enactment soon found
0 their. troubles eased by 1t, and finally
q they were almost without bad bills.
q Police Are Benefited.
In time the detective department OF
the city benefited by the ordinance
? for 1t enabled them to locate unde
sirables, bootleggers, bond-skippers
and the kind Of women who scattered
themselves over the city after the
abolishment Of the old red-light dis
trict.
Once there was concerted attempt
by the transfer warehousemen to undo
: the ordinance. They obtained re
straining Injunction against its en-
forcement and went into court on tht
issue Of constitutionality. The SUI
preme court ruled that 1t was botl
e constitutional and reasonable. Mino
changes were made In 1t, not inter
fering at all with its efficiency, ant
. It is here to stay, with the approva
of every reputable interest