The age-herald., 1898-03-17
SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL
Fate of the Telephone Ordinance
 in Doubt. WAS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH Some of the Aldermen Are of the Opinion That the Company Gets All and the
 City Nothing.

The city fathers met in the regular semi- monthly session last night. Mayor Evans and Aldermen Lynaugh, Wheeler, Ashford, Rainbow, Kerr, Mcknight, Drennen, Will Hams, Moore Meighan, Graham, Hamilton Pearce Gray, Parker and Hentschel were present.
 The minutes for several meetings past were read.
 Mayor Evans announced that he had re- ceived communication from pr. Ma grunder, who has been in charge of the marine hospital corps which has been en- gagged in stamping out the smallpox, say ing that smallpox no longer existed in Bir- mingham. However, three or four phy- scans are still at work in the city.
 Mayor Evans stated that the city had borne one-half the expenses in fighting the epidemic and desired to know If the coun- cil wanted this to be continued.
 The matter was referred to the commit tee on police and sanitation, with the mayor added, and the committee given power to act.
 Alderman Gray moved that a committee of three be appointed to draft resolutions of thanks to pr. Magruder and his assist ants for the efficient services they had rendered. The motion was carried and the mayor appointed Aldermen Gray, Kerr and Pearce on the committee.
 Mayor Evans again called the attention of the board to the crowded condition of the city prison and asked that some action be taken on the matter. There are at pres- ent fifty-eight prisoners confined there, and the jail is inadequate to accommodate so large a number.
 Chairman Gray, of the finance committee reported on number of bills and they were ordered paid
 time in which to prepare a report.
 Chairman Moore, of the miscellaneous committee, reported favorably on the fol- lowing petitions
 From the Birmingham Arms Co.,. that they be excused from paying a wholesale powder license.
 From the florists that their license be re- duced from $25 to $10.
 From the Birmingham Cold Storage conn pany that their license be reduced from $50 to $25.
 The petition from the lessees of the opera house asking that they be excused from paying an extra license for shows that charged more than $1 per seat was reported unfavorably.
 The report of the commSttee was adopted.
 An ordinance to provide for sewer i'm pnovements was passed under a suspension of the rules
 Aldermen Pearce stated that some of the able-bodied prisonres in the city 5afl re fused to work the streets. They no longer fear Coalburg and would not work unless 
 duced a resolution instructing the wardens to confine all alJle-bodied prisoners who re- fused to work in a cell and feed them on bread and water until they promised to do better.
 Alderman Ashford desired the resolution amended so as to stfpulate the amount of braed and water to be furnished them. Some negroes could hive very comfortably on bread and water.
 Tine resolution was allowed to lie over.
 x,f f1hA lfegGA police and sanitation reportet5 adversely on a petition from the plumbers asking that plumbing inspectors be appointed.
 Chairman Williams, of the parks com- mittee, asked that the city attorney be Instructed to look up the city's lost parks.
 Alderman Hemtschel presented a petition from Fred Bay who asked that tine money t},s refunded him which he had paid for poM tax Bay had paid his poll tax in Penntsyl- yaaia, but Collector GambiM informed hfrn that he must either pay it in Birmingham or be locked up. Rather than have any trouble with the overbearing official Bay paid up. The money was ordered re- funded.
 An ordinance to grade and lnacGdamize Sycamore street was introduced and laid over.
 An ordinance to prohibit dealing in trad ipr stamps was passed under a suspension of the rules.
 Then the telephone ordinance was intis- duced. bt proVideS tnau sb1ter US paSssSo no wires shall be strung overhead but that all shtall be put under ground The poles shall be placed only in specified locations. Tho telephone company Is to be allowed to operate for at least twenty years
 The ordinance was the work of tine ju- dietary committee and special committee appointed for the purpose of framing 1t.
 Alderman Graham moved that the ordf- nance be placed on It's third reading.
 Alderman Pearce opposed the bill on the grounds that no provision was made as to the prices to be charged for the telephones. He asked if the telephone company conced- ed the right of the city to regulate the price of telephones.
 MT. Russell, of the telephone company.