The age-herald., 1899-06-09
CORPORATION MAY
 BE DISSOLVED Municipal Affairs of EnsIey in
 a MuddIe. GRANTING OF A FRANCHISE To Birmingham Railway and Electric Company for Period of Fifteen Years Appears to Be the
 Cause of It All
GRANTING OF A FRANCHISE

As the result of a recent unpopular fran chise granted by the town council of En- sley, the municipal affairs of that thriving suburb are in a state of threatened disso- lution, steps having already been taken to oust one of the aldermen, who, 1t is claim ed, fathered the unpopular measure, and used his influence to secure it's passage.
 The beginning of the trouble dates from the last meeting of the town counc-l, held three weeks ago, when an ordinance was passed granting to the Birmingham Rail- way and Electric Company the exclusive right to operate its cars on the streets of Ensley for a period of fifteen years.
 Mayor Scott and Alderman Fletcher op- posed the grant, but it was carried over their objection.
 As soon as 1t became known among the citizens howl went up, which appears to have had telling effect upon the city solons, or those of them who voted for the ordinance, inasmuch as it has been i'm possible to get quorum of the council to- gether since that time.
 Several mass meetings of the citizens have been held, at which resolutions were adopted condemning the action of the coun- cilmen and calling upon them to revoke the franchise
 Dissolution of the Corporation
 At one of these meetings it was intimated that unless this was done the question of dissolving the corporation, which is organ ized under the general laws of the state, would be submitted to the people and car rled in order to defeat the measure.
 Mayor Scott has made several efforts to bring The aldarmpp bnf hac .terly failed to get meeting of the council, notwithstanding the urgency of his call.
 The refusanof the franchise" aldermen to attend meeting of tn council in no wise improved the people who set to work to devise ways and means to bring them to "taw."
 The first steps in that direction was taken yesterday when John II. Calvert, repre- senting the citizens of the town, instituted quo warranto proceedings in the circuit court against W. S. Brown, one of the aldermen.
 Unlawfuliy Holding Office
 The proceedings were brought in the name of the state of Alabama by John H. Cal vert, and seeks to remove Brown from office on the alleged ground that at the time of his election as alderman he was inelligabe to the office by reason of the fact that he had not been resident of the town for six months previous to the cleo. tion, as provided by law.
 The proceedings were instituted under section S420 of the revised code, which pro- vides that action may be brought in the name of the state when any person usurps, intrudes into, or unlawfuly holds or exer- cises any public office civil or military on any franchise within this state, or any office in corporation created by authori- ty of the state.
 Such proceedings take precedence over all other matters after five days notice, and it is probable that the hearing will take place next week.
 It could not be learned what defense Alderman Brown will make, but it is under stood that he will take a vigorous stand.