The age-herald., 1899-01-25
Wlll be Sent to the Legislature by
 Monday. CITY CONVICT PROBLEM Settled by Amendment Providing They
 Cannot BE LEASED FOR HARD LABOR Limit of License Assessment Reached in the Schedule For 1S99-City Has Power to Issue Bonds For
 Funding Debt.
BE LEASED FOR HARD LABOR

The new charter, which will give Bir-
 mngham equal rights and privileges with
 any other modern city, was adopted at the
 special meeting of the city council yester-
 day.
 Mayor Evans, City Attorney Robt J.
 Lowe, Alderman Kerr and Alderman Alt
 man were appointed committee to go to
 Montgomery and look after the safe pass
 age of the measure through the legislature.
 The amendments to the charter were in-
 serted last night, fresh copy made and it
 will be placed before the legislature by Monday.
 The new charter is drafted much on the line of the old, only covering more specific ally each detail and furnishing remedies for
 certain evils that were omitted from the charter now in effect.
 It is said by attorneys who have examined 1t to have been carefully drawn. and one
 which will give entire satisfaction to all
 classes of citizens.
 | The Leading Amendment The questions raising the principal dis cussion were the clauses relating to the working of the city convicts As presented by the committee the charter contained
 loophole through which city convicts could
 beleased in the mines. This was known as
 the "six mile clause" which allowed the
 city to work its prisoners within six miles
 of the corporate limits. The opponents of fhic hat ha To of ha lot. would interfere with free labor and that the city had plenty of work for it's convicts
 within the corporate limits. The advocates urged that the city need not lease its convcts and could not do so
 unless by special ordinance. The Jail was too small for the humane confinement of
 the large number of prisoners and that some out of town stockade or location for them must be found The matter was settled by an amendment which provided
 that the convicts should not be leased to any one for hard labor The committee inserted In the charter the present license schedule as the limit of the powers of the board in this direction. There
 was move to have this stricken out, leav- ing the powers of the aldermanic body un- restricted. Mayor Evans fought this on the ground that the Birmingham amend ment' was passed on the promise that the license schedule would be reduced and won the fight.
 That portion of the charter relating to the regulation of the price and quality of water and lights was passed without dis cussion.
 An Effort to Postpone Jo +a1 of forts to have action on the measure post poned, but was steadily voted down. The question of quorum was raised several times, and the call went out in the corridors
 bringing aldermen to their seats. When Mayor Evans rapped for order there were present: Aldermen Lynaugh, T. L. Parker, Jr., Kerr, Williams, Altman Graham, Gray, J. L. Parker, Harrington Hentschel Alderman Wheeler and Alder man Mcknight came in shortly before ad- journment.
 The council did not convene until past 1 o'clock The telephone was used freely in getting a quorum and the members were so
 tardy that there was talk of sending out and forcing the absentees to come to the council chamber.
 Mayor Evans ruled that the only two mat
 ters to come before the board under the rules were the city charter and the muni- cipal ownership resolution of Alderman Altman.
 Alderman Williams moved to take up the city charter.
 Alderman J. l.. Parker said that the city charter was a matter of grave importance. Each alderman should have an opportunity | to read over each section and study it carefully. To this end he moved that each
 alderman be furnished a copy of the charter
 and that the meeting be adjourned until to-
 night in order to have an opportunity for copies to be made. He thought the alder
 men should have an opportunity to scrutin- ize the document and then pass it section by section.
 Alderman Williams said that he was pre- | pared to vote at once. There was no cer- tainty about getting quorum at called meetings. and he moved as substitute that | the reading of the charter be proceeded | with. The substitute was carried. l Alderman J. L. Parker said he did not in-
 tend to block legislation, but he wanted to
 vote on the matter ntelligently, and he could not do SD from simply hearing a man | read it.
 Che Reading Begun | Alderman Kerr, the chairman of the
 special charter committee, then began the | reading cf the voluminous document. He
 read in 6 clear, distinct voice. every alder
 man giving close attention.
 He explained that the first sections of the
 charter were practically copied from the
 old being made more complete.
 When the section governing the election
 and term of city officers was reached City
 Attorney Lowe suggested that the term of
 the mayor be extended from two to either
 three or four years. The incoming admin
 istration should be in power some time be- | fore the convening of the next legisla a.ure. He thought a longer terms would be con- | ducive to the best interests of the city.