The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-27
WILL CONTINUE
THE INVESTIGATION
Although No Charges Have Been Pre-
lerred.
THEY WERE NOT EXPECTED
No One Wants to knife the Birmingham
Gas Company.
Mr.. RODEN STILL HOLDS HIS PEACE
Says He Will Talk to Aldermen of Conference
But Not to Newspaper Men-The Com
mittee viii Hold Meeting
Tonight at 1880.
Mr.. RODEN STILL HOLDS HIS PEACE

No charges have been preferred, but
the investigation will be continued.
"Will the gas company consent TO a
conference with the board of aldermen
in regard to a readjustmert of rates?"
This question was put TO President B.
Roden, of the Birmingham Gas COM
pany.
az have nothing to say on any subject
to newspaper men," replied Mr. Roden.
"Then you will not consent to COM
| ference?" was the next feeler.
81 tell you I will mot talk to newspa-
per men. 1t IS none of their business.
If some Of thesaldermen will come to see
me 1 will talk to them"
A newspaper represents the people.
Mr.. Roden will tell the people lit lis none
of their business.
MADE A WATERFALL.
The special committee of the board of
aldermen made a waterhaul in its reso-
luton calling upon the citizens to pre-
sent charges against the gas company,
| that this committee might submit Them
to the president of the gas company
The citizens very properly refrained
from making any charges. Had any Cit
izen suit to bring against the gas
company he would file it in court
mo one has filed any charges against
the gas company" said Chairman Wal
ter Moore of the committee of investi-
CATION at O'Clock last evening
BY the committees resolution all
charges We're to be filed with the chair
man by 6 o'clock yesterday evening
1.-THE committees Intention was and is
to give everybody an opportunity to
bring any and all charges against the
gas company that they might desire"
said Mr. Moore
But of course If no written charges
are filed the matter will be thoroughly
Investigated Our sole intention is to
give each side a. fair and impartial
hearing ard obtain as much informa tlon
as possible on which to base our re-
port"
1t is considered nothing unusual that
no one preferred charges.
The citizens are standing aside to see
If THE gentlemen who compose this spe-
cial committee of the board of alder
men will fulfill their very simple duty
in the matter.
This is not a criminal prosecution. 1t
is simply a matter of business. It is
nothing more NOR less shan What the gas
company has NOT fulfilled its contract
made with the city government to fur
nish individual citizens with gas ait $1.4S
a thousand fset. Everybody knows this
price alone is too high for B.rmng-
ham.
AIN OPPORTUNITY.
The fact that the gas company has
exceeded this gives the board of alder
men AN opportunity to aDrogate it's con-
tract with the gas company, and proceed
to make new contract with this or
some other company.
The citizens want dollar gas. They be-
lieve that Ghey are entitled to it, They
believe that the board of aldermen &c
make a contract with some company to
give them dollar gas. That is all they
want. and that is a very simple mat
ter
All the members of the board of alder
men, with one exception, have individ-
ually declared themselves in favor of
dollar gas. Chairman Walter Moore, of
this committee, has repeatedly declared
himself THAI way. He and the other gen
UlcnlGIh IOW IdNt dll DppDIlult-ly u utiIl-
ons'trate If they are really in favor of
giving the citizens, whom they repre-
sent, cheaper gas. They know BiTmfrg-
ham is entitled to cheaper gas-the peo-
pie know 1t and want 1.-THE Owners OF
the gas company ibhemse elves know it. The
opportunity is at hand to move in that
direction, and If the city officials are in
earnest in desiring dollar gas, they can
get lit.
NOT a PERSECUTION.
There is no use in making this a pros
ecuti ion nor a persecution of the present
gas company. This gas company, like
every other business concern, of course.
wants to sell It's product for the highest
price 1T can get. They are nothing more
than human in that. Every man wants
all he can get for that which he has
for sale. SO 1t is everybody WARTS to
buy as cheap as they can.
This is all there is to the question.
The city has an opportunity to free
itself from it's old contract to pay very
high rate for gas. Ere, d f ON this 1t can
make a new one. Everybody knows that
gas can be made here and sold for a
dollar a Thousand at a handsome profit
10 the producer.
WILL CONTINUE
Each member of the committee has de-
clared himself in favor of the investi-
CATION without charges being preferred
by private citizens.
In an interview Mr.. Drennen said: IF
the Birmingham Gas company has
charged $14S1a and $1.65 for gas, cur
COMMITTEES will be able to report Ut to the
hoard al tha nayt rneatfnp -
This is simple calculation. The gas
company cannot deny tqlet its bills are
all made out for $1.65 for each thousand
feet 1t allows 10 per cent. off If paid in
a limited time. There Is the calculation
The gas company also charges meter
rent. There is no stipulation covering
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