The age-herald., 1898-02-12
MAJ. ". ]. MILNER
 ON THE STAND In the Investigation of the Special
 Water Committee. HE TESTIFIED RELUCTANTLY
As to Certain Things in Connection With
 the Water Company.
ONE OTHER WITNESS EXAMINED
The Consumption Per Capita is Greater in Br- mingham Than Any Other City in the Uni- ted States Except Pittsburg = h.
 vestgation Adjourned to Monday.


 ply to the minority report of the special water committee of the city council was resumed yesterday afternoon at the city hall Aldermen Meighan, Kerr, Drennen and Mcknight were present. Two wit nesses were on the stand during the after noon, F. B. Merriweather, meter inspe ctor for the company, and Maj. W. J. Milner, the superintendent.
 The greater part of the session was taken up by the examination of Maj. Mllner. He spoke in a very low tone and told of his duties in connection with the company He evidently disliked to divulge the amount of his compensation, and only did so with great reluctance. However, his salary of $2,700 per annum is not one to be ashamed of.
 F. B. Merriweather was the first placed on the stand and proved more intelligent witness than he looked. He said it was his duty to test the meters and keep up the mains. He explained how meter was tested, and said they were tested whenever there was a complaint, when they were first put in. Very few meters register more water than goes through them, but very often less. He put in the meter at the First National bank. After the building in the rear of the bank was torn down he found a pipe connected with the main which had no meter or cut off. There is recording guage in the company's office which gives the pressure at all hours of the day. The pressure is automatically reg istered on a chart, which is filed away for reference. Leaks are reported every day. There is no increase in leaks when the pressure is high.
 The witness said that on two or three oc- casions he was sent to the rolling mills to test the pressure there The first time 1t registered about 50 pounds and the last time about 80 pounds. About 4,O)0 gallons a day is consumed there, flowing through two finch pipes which are connected at the junction of 6 and S-inch mains. He had never found but two or three people who desired meter put in. They think it means a larger water bill.
 Pressure Varies From 80 to 10 Pounds
 Cross-examination: I think there are about 800 meters in the city. It requires about three days to read them all. Every one cannot read a meter. make memo randum of each and leave 1t at the office. A negro accompanies me and when the meters are deep down in the ground I let him stick his head down in the opening to read them. He Is an experienced meter reader. I accept his report as correct. I don't think the meter at the First National bank was out of order when I read 1t last June or July. When l don't read 1t the negro does. I have more trouble with bursted pipes now than last year. The pressure now varies from 80 to 110 pounds When the high pressure machine was in operation the pressure varied from 50 to 80 pounds.
 Major Milner was then placed on the stand He said:
 I have been superintendent of the water company since 1875. I have personal super vision and direction. It Is my duty to ad- just complaints against accounts and other things. We have seventy or seventy x,,flo Of inc xrrer it, ci1a rnY,, thirty inches to inch. The pressure on the pipes in the city is determined by three things: the elevation of the head, the length of the pipe and the consump tion. I have read the answer of the water company to the charges in the minority report of the water committee The facts as stated are substantially correct. It was prepared under my personal super vision. It is a well known fact the pres sure is increased by small consumption, and civil engineer Every opening made iessens the pressure.
 Meters Put In When Demanded
 The fire plug on Seventh avenue and Twenty street is on a 3-inch main. We have recording and indicating gauges in the office of the company Water weighs GA pounds to the cubic foot. There are 7.4S gallons in a cubic foot. I was su- perintendent at the time the present con tract was made. Prior to the present con- tract there was a different schedule of rates. We did not charge as much as we were allowed to. Meters are not placed at every business house, but where they are demanded they are put in. If the meter readings were adhered to strictly, water would cost consumers considerably more than if only the minimum rate was charged. We always try to satisfy the consumer. Banking houses are charged for by actual meter measurement. Con- .1~t.x da thaf ha r1nf for was registering more water than was con- stunned, and upon investigation leaks occa- stoned by broken pipes or bad connections were found. In those instances we re- duced the bills. We try not to bear too heav- ily upon the consumer. The consumption per capita is greater in Birmingham than in any other city in the United States ex- cept Pittsburg. Our rates compare favor ably with those of other southern cities. The rates are greater than those charged in some cities. The quantity consumed by industrial concerns in Birmingham is greater than all the water used in Mont gomery After the decision was rendered in the Dr. Smith case the company has never attempted to charge in excess of the contract rates. After the Caldwell fire the pressure regulator was removed from Sep tember, 1894, to March. 1S97 The removal of the regulator caused an increased con- sumption of water.
 Cross oss-examination-The water plug on Seventh avenue and Twenty-second street is connected with 3-inch main. If both taps were running the pressure would be about fifteen pounds. I do not consider that good fire protection. We own the g. inch main. It has been there about twen- ty years. The company does not contem- plate taking it up We have two pumping stations. The first was built in 1873 At first the main was inches and now is 20 inches. The pumps work under 125 pounds pressure. The main will stand 300 pounds We have had complaints against charg- ing the minimum. I think T. H. Motion kicked He represents number of houses