The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-19
CITY ID GIVE. S78,OO0 FUND. TOPARK BOARD.
Harrison's Department Gets Increase Of $40,0O0 In Ap- propriation For Use Of New Commission During 1924 COMMISSIONER CHOICE, TO HEAD WORKING BQss' Amount Comes At W
 Birmingham's Greg < ,a-
 son For PIaygro0 S york.
 Formal Action tuesday


 Commissioner W. L. Harrison saw the fruition Thursday morning of his year-long campaign to establish a park board for Birmingham when the commission appropriated S7S,000 for use of the newly Bir- mingham park board in its initial work.
 The appropriation of $3S, ,000 a year ago, which Commissioner Harrison obtained, was the highwater mark of finances for Birmingham's parks and playgrounds since this branch ot. city government was established. This year the appropriation was more than doubled
 Announcement of the s7S,000 ap- propriation was made following the business session of the commission Thursday morning when the board met to wrestle again with the bud get. It remains for the commission, in regular session, to adopt the bud get next Tuesday, but the appropria- ton for parks and playgrounds was definitely settled Thursday morning.
 Commissioner Harrison was the recipient of congratulations from his fellow members and other city o1- ficers when the announcement was made after the meeting. He has been fighting for the park matter for more than 12 months without let-Lp Father of the park board idea, he had the bill providing for board prepared in the city legal de- partment, took it to Montgomery, and after several trips to the capital during the session of the legislature, where at times he met stiff oppo- sition, he finally won through to sue cess, the law being adopted as MT. Harrison had had it written.
 p, xx.,S
 The commissioner, as prospective chairman of the park board, mas through his individual efforts seen Birmingham buy several parks, m prove others, and begin and carry through the greatest park ana pray ground program Birmingham has known when final reports were re- ceived on the season just closed.
 It is known MT. Harrison simply wished to give the citizens greater confidence in his work through CO., operative manag ement, not wishing to ask large sums to be put at his individual control. It was his belier that with a representative body 10 work with him, the subject would make a greater appeal to Blrmlns- ham people.
 It became known Thursday morn ing in the city hall that the muniei- pal officials expect MT. Harrison at tomatically to become chairman or the park board, in that the city held MT. Harrison responsible, as commls- sioner in charge and the hnk pc tween the board and the commission, for what is done, and IS not III clined to look with favor on so i'm portant a municipal matter as the chairmanship of the park board pe- ing left with one not so familiar with the work as the city comnis- sioner. who has handled it alone heretofore.
 Chairman Election Saturday.
 The election of park board ch airman is expected to be held Sat urday and the final adoption or tne budget, including the $7S,00O appro priation for the park board, will not be held until the following Tuesday. There was no threat made by onyone at the city hall regarding the matter, but from the atmosphere or those who mentioned the matter 1t was clearly gathered the city's financial interest in the park board will be governed in its entirety by whether or not Mr. Harrison is chosen chair
 When the election of the park board is held all board members Will vote. This insures MT. Harrison or base of two votes, ana since, "tsn one exception, all members of the hoard are of MT. Harrison's naming, his unanimous election is predicted by those watching the situation
 It became known Thursday morn ing, and before that, for that matter, that pressure was being brought to bear on the newly elected members to vote for a chairman other than Mir. Harrison, reports stating there was a distinct movement to have M. p Phillips made chairman and that measure was being brought on K. w. Wharton, nominated hy Commis- sioner W. E. Dickson for member shin. and Mrs. Charles A. Sharp to support MT. Phillips. Just what the oIfcome will be remains to be seen.