The age-herald., 1897-12-14

D O es
 foux looking as dapper as you please, in a long overeoat and the regulation silk hat. MT. Roden chided him in a good hu- nor for selling clothing at double price and then coming out and declaring himself for dollar gas. So he went home with the thought that he had a lawyer, and just as merry as a youngster looking forward to Santa Claus.
 There was not full committee present. Chairman Moore Lynagh, Drennen, Alt man and Evans answered to their names. Four witnesses had been summoned, and only three of them were present, Messrs. Roden, Nabb and Chalifoux. They were sworn by Mayor Evans
 MT. Chalifoux was the first to be put on the stand. MT. Altman questioned him. MT. Chalifoux gave the committee the bills that had been rendered him by the gas company for every month of the pres ent year, with the exception of December. They were all made out for $165 per thou- sand. MT. Chalifoux said that he was a- lowed 10 per cent discount by paying be- fore the 10th.
 When this evidence was adduced Mir. Alt man asked him if he had anything else that would be of value to the committee.
 For Dollar Gas
 CT am strongly in favor of dollar sas," said the witness. He then submitted a paper showing that in Lowell, Mass, gas was sold at $1. He added that in Lowell coal cost $4.5O per ton.
 MT. Nabb of the Morris hotel submitted racaiptc for 10 of NoupT,1bor They were made out for $1 per thousand. MT. Nabb said he had verbal contract with the company to this effect and thought he was entitled to 1t on account of being the largest consumer in the city, his bills av- eraging $20O per month.
 MT. Roden here laid down his cigar for moment and asked to be allowed to put a question to the witness. Chairman Moore assented.
 "The Morris has an eleosric light pant of its own, has 1t not?" queried MT. Ro den.
 'Yes, but it is not running was the re- ply.
 MT. Roden said he asked the question to show that it was running it's own plant, and to compete we had to put prices down. He drew hard on his cigar and leaned back on that unlucky chair.
 MT. Roden Trys Again
 Mir Nabb was dismissed, and then came Mir. Roden's turn He did not move, and sat facing the committee as the other wit nesses. He clung to that same chair. MT. Roden was summoned to appear and bring all the contracts and the franchise the gas company had made with the city.
 The first question was on this point from MT. Altman. Mir. Roden said he did not have any of the papers; that they were In the hands of the gas companys attorney, MT. Tillman, and that gentleman was in Montgomery.
 MT. tS.man asked if MT. Tillman had a copy of the original franchise.
 q suppose he has I gave him all the papers month ago.
 Mir Altman then argued that the com mittee should have the franchise. He said it was almost impossible to tell what 1t was from the council minutes, on account of so many changes having subsequently been made. 'It would take half dozen Philadelphia lawyers to figure it out" said he. He added that from the reading of the contract as taken from the minutes it ap- peared to be an exclusive one.
 Mayor Evans said this was stricken out by resolution.
 MT. Roden Tells Them Something
 MT Roden said it was not done by res- olution; that the state constitution pro- hibited al exclusive contract from being granted to any one. Every lawyer and most every business man knows that" said Mir. Roden.
 Chairman Moore asked MT. Altman what ba fad saving fba franchise in the hands of MT. Tillman.
 "Yes," adaed MT. Roden, "all the papers were given to him when this row was first started to see what our rights were"
 City Attorney Lowe then asked MT. Roden if there were other consumers who got gas for $1.
 scale"
 What Is the basis of this scale?"
 MT Roden explained that the large con- sumers got lower rates.
 There was silence for some moments, and MT. Lowe again asked what was the basis of the sliding scale.
 q couldn't tell from memory. I don't make out any of the bills.'
 Was this scale made by resolution?',
 ''Yes, by the board of directors
 He said he would have to consult his lawyer before he would consent to show this resolution. When I have a lawyer do as he says,'' and MT. Roden smiled.
 He said he could not tell from memory the price paid by the government for gas. He explained that bids had to be sub mitted at the first of every year and a contract was made.
 MT. Roden said if the committee would excuse him he would advise the city of Birmingham that 1t had better not try to take care of Uncle Sam, that the govern ment had always been big enough to take care of itself.
 MT. Altman Retorted
 "The government is bigger, but it don't feel any bigger than we do,"wa MT. Alt mans reply.
 Mayor Evans said the committee and the gas company were together as far as