The age-herald., 1900-10-18
GREAT BUSINESS
 AND GREAT KICKS
Prolonged and Busy Session of
 City Council.
NEW HALL REPORT ADOPTED
Numerous Street Improvements Pro vided For-Thore Shall be No More
 Advertising on Poles Mayors Recommendation as to Gas


 The meeting Of the City Council last night developed two very marked characteristics the transaction of a great amount of busi- ness and the occurrence of a vast deal of kicking. It is nothing unusual for the coun- ell to dispose of several business matters in one evening; in fact the members of the present board are noted for the matter-of- idct manner in which they handle the eitys business affairs; and it is not an unusual thing to hear very much kicking at one of the meetings. but the combination last rght eXcelied all previous efforts.
 First one Of the members kicked because he had not been advised of a committee meeting: another kicked because the con- tractors had not begun certain street i'm provements in his ward and said his con- stitnent& were talking of holding an n- dtghation meeting; another member kicked beeause the board was always in too big a hurry to adiourn but the biggest kick of the evening came over the report of the special city hall committee. The committee recommended that the general plans for the building, as submitted by a certain architect be adopted. and that the particular areh!- tect named be employed to superintend the construction of the building. A motion to adopt the report brought Alderman Camp to his feet with a vigorous kick. He said he had not seen the plans and that he did not propose to vote for the acceptance of any plans that he had not seen. The live Hest discussion of the evening occurred oyer this report. But the report was finally adopted, and the board wound up the meet ing with a love feast and Aldermen Camp, Moore, Gray ard Thach marched from the hail, arm in arm, gently humming, "Therell Be Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
 Nobody got mad, or if any member did, he kept it well conceded, but the members nevertheless made stormy scene
 Only bare quorum was present when Mayor Drennen rapped for order at S:15 o'cloek-the Mayor and Aldermen Rainbow, Camp, Mcknight, Kerr, Moore, Williams, Graham, Heidt and Thach answering to their names Alderman Lynagh and Gray came in later.
 The Mayor submitted the following recommendation:
 As to Gas
 Birmingham, Ala, October IT, 1900. "ro the Board of Mayor and Aldermen:
 "Genilemen:-On October l, 1S90 a con- tract made and entered into for period of ten years between the City of Birmingham and the Birmingham Gas Con- pany for lighting the streets, public build ings and to furnish gas for private con sumers in this city at the following prices: Public buildings, at $1 per thousand; street lamps, al S1.z5 per month for each lamp post used by the city, and for private use in the city at $1.4S per thousand feet dur Ing said contract.
 On February 1S 1891, the Birmingham Gas Company petitioned the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to extend their con tract from ten to a thirty-year contract agreeing in consideration for such privil- ege and extension to furnish the city for thirty years fifteen gas lights free of charge.
 "On April IS, 1891, a resolution was passed to change and extend the contract made on October 1, 1S90 from a ten to a thirty-year contract, and authorized, empowered and directed the Mayor to prepare and execute for and in behalf of this city a contract with said gas company embodying such amendment and change so as to make the said contract a thirty-year instead of a ten-year contract, with the further pro- vision that once at the expiration of each and every ten years during the period of said contract the cost of gas to the city for public buildings, lamps and for private con- sumers is to be compared with the price of gas paid for by other cities in the United States of like size and population and the price regulated and adjusted between the parties so as not to make the gas for the city for public buildings, lamps and for private consumers cost exceeding the prices that other cities in the United States of like size and population are paying and that said gas company is to furnish this city gas free of cost, fifteen street lights for thirty years set forth in their prop osition to the Board of Mayor and Alder men of Birmingham, dated the 24th of February, 1891.
 "A contract was executed and entered into in accordance with the above resolu- ton, and I am of the opinion that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen now have the right to regulate the price of gas as set forth in this contract.
 "I therefore recommend that the light committee be authorized by your honora- ble body to take this matter up and recom- mend and report back to the board their findings and such changes in prices as they deem consistent and advisable. Prospect fully, w. M. DRENNEN,
 Mayor"
 Minor Matters
 The recommendation was referred to the committe fights.
 General Rufus N. Rhodes presented a pe- titon from the Alabama Fair Association requesting that no licenses be required of persons securing privileges at the fair The board had granted the same privilege last year and again at the Street Fair, and the precedent thus set was followed. The request of Mrs Reid superintendent of the woman's department of the fair for all the bunting and flags the city has to be used in decorating the interior of the wom-