The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-27
COMMISSION NOT
WILLING TO SELL
PRESENT CITY HALL
Think People Should First
Have Opportunity to Ex-
press Attitude Toward
Civic Center

Citizens of Birmingham, not the
city commission, must take the initi-
alive and demonstrate their desire
for a civic center il one is to be
created here, majority of the COM
mission told Hill Ferguson Monday
afternoon when his proposal for sell
ing the present city hall site and
building and erecting a new city hall
and library as a unit of a civic CEN
ter project surrounding Woodrow
Wilson park was considered at a
special hearing.
Commissioners w. L. Harrison and
w. E. Dickson were outspoken in
opposing action without a vote of
the electorate indorsing bond issue
for new city hall and other public
buildings. Following the hearing,
Mrs. Mary Echols reiterated senti-
ments expressed several days ago,
saying she believed the property now
occupied by the city hall building
would be as valuable to the city as
to private individuals in future years
and that the commission had no
moral right to act without obtain
ing an expression from the people"
I'VE are unwilling to place our
selves in the position of eoercing the
people to vote for a city hall bond
issue by selling the present struc-
ture," declared Commissioner Har-
rison I'VE cannot sell the building
we have and go through with this
proposal without first knowing that
the voters will favor such a bond
issue"
Dickson Concurs.
Mr.. Dickson concurred in this opin-
ion and also pointed out that the city
would lose nothing in values by ma
ture consideration of the project. The
present property will be worth $780,
900 in three years if it is worth
100000 now, he predicated.
Commissioners w. B. Cloe and
President D. E. McLendon, who de-
clared in favor of Mr.. Ferguson's
proposal last week at conference of
commissioners and citizens, did not
wage any fight for adoption Of the
plan Monday. No poll of the board
was made Monday, members merely
expressing informal opinions. Mrs.
Echols expressed no opinion at the
hearing.
Mr.. Ferguson told the commission
Monday that no element of personal
speculation entered in the project, all
options being made in the name of
the city. When the meeting opened,
he offered four reasons for adoption
of the plan: First. that the civic
center idea is good; second, that his
was the first concrete plan offered
whereby the city would acquire a
large frontage on a park; third, that
the fire hazard and danger, to valu-
able records in the present building
is great, and, fourth, that a special
fire hazard exists in the municipal
employment department. where there
is no exit to a fire escape or elsva-
tors without descending to another
floor.
He declared there would be no OBJ
ject in holding the prese:.. building
be leased without first being i'm
proved. Cost of improvements would
be prohibitive, he said.
Cooperation o. County.
Cooperation of the county in a
civic center undertaking in almost
vital, Commissioner Cloe and Har-
rison declared Both are much inter-
ested in the realization of the Idea.
Commissioner Cloe believes people of
Jefferson county and birmingham
ARE sufficiently public spirited to
indorse the project and vote neces-
sary funds" Mr.. Harrison disagrees.
doubling interest in the matter at
present.
An attempt to obtain partial sane
ton of such an idea by the public
Is scented in efforts reported
launched for a vote on a library bond
issue for funds to build library at
Park avenue and Twentieth street.
east. Members of the library board
were in conference with the city
commission Monday afternoon, but no
definite decision was reached, it is
understood.
Regardless of action taken in this
direction, it is accepted at the city
hall that the civic center movement
will be given no further impetus
along present lines by the city COM