The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-26
THE TIME FOR
ACTION AT HAND
by NED BRACE.

to investigate the gas qussbion. I am a
small gas consumer. I have the right to
kick. And 1 speak for the poor folks,
the widows and the good women, many
of whom taloe boarders to make both
en6Is mest. They should not be disedim-
mated against.
The committee of the board of alder
men START out by asking somebody to
prefer a charge against the gas COM
pany, which charge they say thy viii
present to the president of the gas COM
pany. don't know who wrote the res
olutjon, but if 1 was president of the
gas company and wanted to continue to
gst a big price for my gas, this lis the
resolution 1 would have had presented.
1t strikes me that If 1 was on the
board of aldermen wouldn't wait on
amy citizen. 1 would go ahead and do
my duty.
Suppose the mayor and aldermen WIRE
to make a contract with a company to
pave First avenue for ten blocks with
asphalt, for SLAB a. square yard, and
that company should render its bill for
s1.65 square yard and print on its bin
that a discount of 10 per cent would be
given if paid by the 10th of the month.
Do you think the mayor and board of al
dermen would pay it? Would they pass
q resolution saying to citizens that il
any one of them desired to complain
or make charges against the contracting
company they must do SO in writing and
these charges would be at once furnished
TO the president of the contracting COM
pany? No. They would promptly re-
fuse to pay THE bill, and would annul the
Contract.
ut appears to me that the board of
aldermen have one thing to do. Decide
the fact, has THE gas company changed
more for gas than it solemnly contracted
TO charge? If the gas company has,
then There is a second step to be taken
declare the contract void. That being
done, make a new contract with this or
any other company which will furnish
Fights the cheapest This latter step
opens up a big question. That question
is. what is a proper price to pay for
gas in Birmingham? Some say one
dollar, some say nfnaty cents, others
seventy-five CENTS, and there are those
who say good lighting can be furnished
tDare as low as fifty cents.
Everybody knows that new bi-prod-
uct plant will soon be built at the Sloss
furnaces, out on First avenue. Several
hundred thousand feet of gas will be
made daily and this gas will naturally
BE- for sale. Practical men stand ready,
I hear, to pipe this throughout the city
of Birmingham.
But this is neither here nor there in
the question at issue, as view it. The
gas company's contract with the city has
been violated. The aldermen have but to
so announce, annul it, and make a new
one on the best terms they can with this
or new company.
Every man of this board, zIt one, has
announced himself for dollar gas. If they
meant what they said they can get 1T.
the contest for dollar gas. There are
those who would make 1T appear per-
sonal as against the gentleman who is
president of the gas company. That Is
all wrong The people believe they are
entitled to dollar gas. If they don't say
so and demand 1T, how can they get
it? If the gas company can't sell gas
at that price at a profit on the actual
not watered-invesIment then the xonl-
pany should explain why. No man in
Birmingham would ask any other man
or set of men to sacrifice himself or
TIN: nselves for the good of the COM
munity. All the people ask Is for justice
and fair dealing.
Mr.. Roden is THE president of the gas
company. 1 hear The has said many
harsh things about The Age-Herald and
gentlemen connected with it. I don't
censure Mr.. Roden for representing his
company to dhe best of his ability and
making big dividends. But he shouldn't
get angry with those who contest for
what they believe to be their rights.
-
Mr.. Roden has been good citizen or
Birmingham. He has worked hard to
build up e(he city. He has been an earn
est worker in the Commercial club; ma
put his shoulders to 1.-THE wheel to bulld
the new cotton factory; he aided IN the
auditorium; he was largely instrumental
i'm building the Alabama brewery and he
has been in many other things.
I wouldn't censure him for trying to
| get a dollar a. gallon for his beer, nor
fifty cents a yard for cotton cloth.
Neither would censure THE people for
| protesting against these prices.
Railroads get the highest rates they
can for freights, but they are regulated
| by the railroad commission. The Conn.,