The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-18
80 per 1000 gallons, together with the me-
ter rent amounts to 55 cents.
Reading of the Meter Concealed


ter was made until last April, when the
company put i'll a meter, and then arbi-
trarily and without authority of law, or
the consent of the consumer charged
price of s1s5 per month, not showing the
consumer the reading of the meter for any
month until November. This November
bill showed that 1i21 gallons had been used
and that the charge including meter rent
was &c.
"sixth: At No. 1880 First avenue,
double store occupied by the McGeeVer
LIQUOR company; for this place hxed
charge of $3.50 per quarter was made until
n few months since when the company pat
in a meter, and then arbitrarily, and with
out authority of law, or the consent OF
the consumer, charged a minimum price of
$425 per month, not showing the reading
of the meter on the bills rendered for any
month except for the month of November
1897 which showed that 5,5S6 gallons had
been used which at the rate of SOe per
| 1000 gallons including meter rent, amount
to $1.90.
Unless Greater Than Minimum
"Seyenth At No. 113 North Twentieth
street. a store occupied By Simon Klotz;
for this there is a meter, but the company
arbitrarily and without authority of law,
or the consent of the consumer, charges
a minimum price of s1.4o per month, not
| showing the amount of water used unless,
per chance, it is greater than that which
would amount to s1.4O at 80 cents per 1000
gallons.
Eighth. At No. 1868 Second avenue,
a building occupied by the Showers Furni-
ture company; for this building fixed
a,ta ic
though a large building, the purpose for
which it is used is such that but little
water is used Only one closet and one
sink have been used for several years I'm
der the contract which the water works
company has with the city it should fur
nish this place with measured water, and
do not believe that the quantity used will
amount to 50 cents per month
ninth At No. 1922 Second avenue, occu-
pied at present by H. Lowenthal; for this
store there is no meter, and the company
arbitrarily makes a charge of si25 per
quarter
Tenth At No. 21S North Nineteenth
street. a store occupied by the Great At
antic and Pacific Tea company; for this
store a fixed charge of s4.25 per quarter is
made, price arbitrarily fixed by the COM
pany.
eleventh. At No. 22O North Nineteenth
street, occupied by Miss McCrossin; at this
store the rate is arbitrarily fixed by the
company at s4.25 per quarter
Fear of Sanitary Laws
'rrwelfth. At No. 222 North Nineteenth
street a store occupied by M. Bennie; the
consumer refused to pay the full price ar
bitrarily fixed by the company, but to
avoid being arrested for violating the city
sanitary laws, cut off the fixtures for other
purposes and pays only for a water closet.
Thirteenth. At No. 224 North Nineteenth
street, occupied by H. Barnard; at this
store a fixed price is charged, contrary to
the contract, which the supreme court of
Alabama says obligates the water COM
pany to furnish to occupants of such prop
erty by measurement only
Fourteenth No. 1908 First avenue, a
store occupied by ]. Friedman & Co. as
place of merchandise and not dwelling,
the company arbitrarily makes a fixed
charge of $3.50 per quarter.
Fifteenth. At No. 1924 First avenue,
the clothing house of J. Blach & Sons; at
this place fixed charge of $40 per annum,
allowing discount of 10 per cent for pay
ment in advance for the entire year, has
been made until recently
Sixteenth. At No. 1916 First avenue, the
clothing house of Kemper & Co.; at this
place the arbitrary rate of $3.50 per quar-
ter is charged.
Seventeenth At No. 300 South Twentieth
street, occupied by E. II. Hickman as a
grovery store and not as a dwelling,
charge of $3.50 per quarter, and he is not
allowed the privilege which the supreme
court of Alabama says he is entitled to,
by using the water and paying for only
what he uses, at the price prescribed in the
contract, not providing meter
'Eghteenth. At No. BOG South Twentieth
street, a store occupied by the furniture
dealer A. D. Allen, who has to pay a fixed
price of A.25 per quarter for the very small
quantity of water used by him. He has
never yet received the benefits and pro-
lection which this contract guarantees to
every consumer of water for the same pur-
poses for which he uses it.
Regarding Elevator
Nineteenth. At No. 1919 Second avenue,
building occupied by the Empire Laundry
company, in which there is an elevator run
by water power; 1 charge that the COM
pany is charging minimum rate of $5
per uiOHin ADF the water LOT LIlS eleNdlOr,
and unless the quantity used is suffifficient
to amount to more than IS the consumer is
not shown the reading of the meter.
twentieth. AT No. 1878 Second avenue,
building occupied by the Showers Furniture
company, in which there is an elevator,
charge that the company fixes a minimum
price of IS per month for this elevator,
which is arbitrarily done, and in violation
of their contract.
'Twenty-irst. At the Watts building,
corner of Third avenue and Twentieth
street, In which there is an elevator,
charge that the company for long time
arbitrarily fixed minimum price of $25
per month for the water used in this ele-
vator. The price was afterwards reduced
to 500 per month, which was still more than
I regarded as an equitable and just rate,
and as consequence the elevator was
closed down and has not been operated for
several years. Since the decision of the