The age-herald., 1898-03-03
REGULAR MEETING
 OF CITY COUNCIL Vas Held At 6::0 O'clock Yesterday
 Afternoon. SPECIAL WATER COMMITTEE Vas Granted More Power and Given Further Time to Report. ALDERMAN WILLIAMS DISCOVERY Had Been Informed That the City Owned Three Park Sites on the South Side-Monthly
 Bills Ordered Paid-Appropria-
 tion to Board of Education
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS DISCOVERY

At a meeting of the city council held yes- terday afternoon, several important mat ters were acted upon.
 Through the report of Chairman Will Hams, of the park committee, it was dis covered that the city owned three park sites on the Southside. which had been given to the city years ago, the ownership being unknown to the present administra- ton.
 The special water investigation commit tee was granted further time to report and it's powers enlarged to investigate the en- tire question of water supply and the ad- visibility of securing more equitable rates to consumers by new contract or a modi- fication of the contract now existing with the Birmingham Water Works company.
 The question of the care of the city convicts after March 31, when the lease with the Sloss Iron and Steel company ex- pires was referred to the police and sani- tation committee, with Chairman Altman, of the Judiciary committee, added to report back to the next meeting of the Doard-
 On account of MT. Bryan's lecture at the opera house last night, the meeting was held in the afternoon.
 The meeting was called to order at 5 o'clock, with Mayor Evans in the chair, with City Clerk Camp at the Gesk The following members of the board answered
 to roll call. or came in during the opening of the session: Aldermen Lynaugh. Wheel CT, Ashford, Rainbow, Kerr, Mcknight,
 Parker Moore, Williams. Drennen, Alt
 man, Graham. Hamilton, Gray, Harring- ton and Hentsehell.
 There was also present City Attorney
 Robert Love-. President Robert Jemison,
 of the Birmingham Railway and Electric company: Secretary A. B. Johnson, of the
 North Birmingham Street Railway com-
 pany; Attorneys Alex T. London and John London, Attorney James L. Tanner, Thos.
 H. Motion and City Engineer kendrick.
 On motion of Alderman Gray the reading
 of the minutes of the previous meeting was
 dispensed with.
 Mayor Evans stated that the meeting had
 been called in the afternoon on account
 of the Bryan lecture. He also stated that
 he had received verbal notice from the
 officers of the Sloss Iron and Steel com
 pany that they would not care to renew
 the lease for the city prisoners after March
 31, the date of the expiration of the pres ent lease.
 Reports of Committees The reports of the chief of the fire depart
 rhent, the city engineer and the market clerk were read and referred. The finance committee, through Chair man Gray, reported favorable on the monthly bills, which report was received and concurred in, and the bills ordered paid.
 Chairman Mcknight of the street rail- way committee. reported that the com mittee had taken up the request of the Birmingham Traction company to change its line to electric power Monday, but had made no disposition of it. He sug- gested that MT. London was present he could explain to the board what was wanted.
 MT. London stated that his company was ready to begin work in the city and that the contractors were here ready to start at any moment He desired the board to pass a resolution authorizing the company to proceed with the work. He explained that the present condition of Nineteenth street, between Sixth and Eighth avenues, would necessitate a change, as the tracks of the Birmingham Railway and Electric | company were on this section of the street, and that their line was being operated with center poles. The Traction company, he said, could not string its trolley wire | if these poles were allowed to remain and that his company would place side poles along the street and would give the Bir- mingham Railway and Electric company l permission to use them to support it's wire. | which met with the appreciation of the officers of that company. He also sug- gested change at the corner of Eighth | avenue and Nineteenth street. | Alderman Gray moved that the matter
  | tee, with Mayor Evans and City Engineer
 Kendrick added with full power to act | City Attorney Lowe stated that he did | not believe that the board should grant the committee power to bind the city by an agreement without reporting back to a full meeting of the board. He asked the indulgence of the members for speak | ing upon the subject, stating that as city | attorney he conceived it to be his duty l to advise in such matters.
 <a1x, lpi a6 l cd the right to proceed with the work, and would be perfectly willing to proceed under the direction of the committed sub- =ject to the approval of the full board. The resolution was amended to conform to tnis understanding and was carried. Another Electric Line A. B. Johnson secretary of the North Birmingham Street Railway company, pre- sented a petition setting forth that his company desired tine permission of the board to change it's line into electric pow CT. and to equip 1t with overhead trolley wires He stated that the company was prepared to begin work at once and would
 use only first-class material in making the change. The matter was referred to the street railway committee to report back
 Alderman Kerr in the absence of Chair
 man Meighan, of the special committee 10 inyeetigaIte the Birmingham Waterwodazs Company stated that the committee were not ready to report, and asked for further time. He also offered the following reso- lution in.-connection with his report:
 "That the powers of the special commit
 bee be enlarged so as to include am inves-
 tigation and report on the entire question
 of water supply, and especially on the an
 visibility of securing more equitable rates
 to consumers by a new contract or modifi-
 cation of the present contract"
 The resolution was adopted. and on mo-
 ton the committee was granted further time.