The age-herald., 1898-02-17
CITY COUNCIL HELD
 A SHORT SESSION And Adjourned to Meet Again Tonight at
 800 O'Clock. GAS COMMITTEE TO REPORT Said To Be a Victory for The Age
 Herald'S Policy. FOR REASONABLE GAS RATES Alderman Pearce Introduced Measure in Favor of the Schools-Resoution to Not Re- new the Contract With the
 SIoss Company.


 The regular semi-monthly meeting of the
 board of mayor and aldermen was held
 last night Mayor Evans and Alderman
 Lynagh, Wheeler, Ashford, Rainbow,
 Kerr, Mcknight, Moore. Williams, Hamil-
 ton, Pearce Harrington and Hentschel
 were present. The solons did not remain
 in session long and adjourned to meet
 again tonight at o'clock when the report
 of the gas committee will be submitted.
 This report is now ready, and it is said will create somewhat of a sensation It is understood that it embodies a full and complete victory for The Age Herald and it's policy for reasonable schedule of gas rates. This report would have besn male last night had it not been that President Roden of the gas committee expressed a desire to hear it read in council meeting. On account of the wedding of his daugh- ter he could not be present last night. number of bills against the city were reported by Alderman Kerr of the finance committee and were ordered paid The committee on lights reported fa- vorably on placing in Avenue J and Twen- tieth street and this was ordered done. Chairman Mcknight of the street rail- roads committee reported that several eff forts had been made to get quorum and that a meeting would be held today. Alderman Lynagh remarked that the committee had been already given ample time in which to make report and that he would like to see the matter come to a head
 A report may be made today Mcclure Park.
 Chairman Williams of the parks com mittee said that a great deal had been said relative to a park on the Southside. The story in The Age-Herald in regard to the. matter had been universally en-
 dorsed, and it was now proposed to pre- pare a park and name it Mcclure park" in honor of Col. A. K. Mcclure, of Phila- delphia, and to dedicate it when Mcclure next visits the city.
 Alderman Hentschel in behalf of the committee appointed to investigate the con- dition of the building on the northeast corner of Fourth avenue and Twentieth street reported that the building in its present condition was unsafe, but that an expenditure of s30O or $4OO would put 1t in good condition. He moved that the owner or agent be allowed thirty days in which to make the necessary repairs, and | at the expiration of that time the repairs were not made that the building be torn | down. The motion was carried. A resolution by Alderman Altman was | read that after the expiration of the city's present contract with the Sioss company | it be not renewed, but that all the male prisoners be put to work on the streets l and sidewalks of the city and that an | investigation be made of determining the | best disposition of the female prisoners. Mir Altman was not present, but sent a | request that the resolution lay over His request was compiled with. Benefit of Schools. The following resoiu ton was then fn- | troduced by Alderman Paarce: Whereas the city of Birmingham has | had an average monthly cash balance Of | s4O,O 900 on hand during the past year, and l at the present time over s3O 00O said money haip n | terest for the city; and, whereas it is the 1 custom of other municipalities to collect reasonable interest on monthly balances; and whereas, responsible savings banks Of Birmingham are advertising offers to pay l from 3 to per cent. interest on deposits; l and whereas, the public schools of Bir-
 ming, Jam will probably have to close dur
 ing the month of April next on account of | the necessary fund to sustain them not be- 1 ing available; therefore, be it l Resolved by the board of mayor and al- | dermen of Birmingham, first That it is l the opinion of this board that the large | public fund now on hand. and the monthly ! average amounts hand in future should earn a reasonable rate of interest consis- l tent with safe and conservative banking. Second. That the finance committee be authorized and directed to invite the vari- ous responsible banking institutions of this | city to make propositions for the citys | deposits. based paying interest on the l average amount of said deposit each month l for the year 1S9S.
 | Third. That the city retain the right to withdraw said deposit at any time, and as l the obligations of the city mature, it being | understood>that said deposits are made | with the bank internationally, the same l as now, with the exception that the bank | holding same shall pay interest at the rate | to be hereafter agreed upon.
 Fourth. That the amount of interest 1 collected each month shall be appropriated ! end set aside for the sole purpose of assist l ing in operating and keeping open the public schools of this city.
 Fifth. That this entire matter be referred | to the finance committee, with the mayor | added with instruction to ascertain what l rate of interest be obtained on the l city funds Responsibility and capital of bank considered), and to report fully in writing with their recommendations back | to this board at it's next regular meeting. | The resolution was referred. | The petition to remove the stable on the corner of Humboldt avenue and Twenty | first street was referred to the aldermen l from the Seventh ward with power to act. l The petition from the plumbers asking l that plumbing inspector be appointed. 1 and containing several other requests, was | referred to the miscellaneous committee. | A petition from the Birmingham Trac- l tion company to be allowed to put up l poles for their electric wires was referred 1 to the street committee.
 l The councp then adjourned.