The age-herald., 1901-10-31
Passes Resolutions Requesting Council to Restrict Rail-
 way Franchise
TO GO BEFORE ALDERMEN
Condemn Granting of Perpetual Priv. Ieges and Argue That compen- satlon Offered Is Not
 Enough.

The Board of Trade discussed the street car franchise problem at some length yesterday afternoon. and then passed the following resolutions offered by Oliver Chalifoux:
 Whereas The city of Birmingham has heretofore given away in perpetuity, without adequate consideration, most of the franchises now held by the Birming ham Railway, Light and Power Com- pany; and
 Whereas, the said company Is now asking for a perpetual franchise over an additional TS blocks of our streets and of- fers as a consideration therefor $7800 and
 Whereas, The Board of Trade believes 1t Is wrong in principle and policy to grant any franchise in perpetuity, and further believes that the consideration of $7S00 offered is inadequate even for a thir- ty year franchise; therefore. be it
 Resolved, That the Board of Alder men be requested when any franchise Is granted, to expressly reserve to them selves the right to allow other corpora tions the use of any tracks laid down in the streets, and also retain the right to fix the compensation to be paid there- for, which compensation shall in all cases be paid to the city.
 Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to present the above resolu- tions to the next meeting of the Board of Aldermen
 "Be it resolved, That the Board of Trade requests the Mayor and Aldermen, in the event they make new contract with the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power Company. that they embody In said contract that said company shall not charge more than one 5-cent fare on all their lines; and that they give transfers on all their lines; and that they give 2 per cent on gross receipts and be com pelled to operate their lines on all streets over which they hold franchises within a reasonable length of time.
 Discussed It for an Hour.
 President Colman Blach called the board to order at 4 D. m. There was quite a large attendance. Several matters were discussed but the street car question con- sumed most of the time. It was debated pro and con, mostly con for fully ono hour.
 A. M. Robertson proved stout cham pion for the Railway, Light and Power Company. He thought the Board of Trade made mistake in taking up the matter of franchise. He said the Com mercial Cub as such declined to take action.
 MT. Chalifoux and MT. Sinnige both combatted MT. Robertson's idea MT. Chalifoux sought to prove that the street car question affected the merchants directly, for if the street car corporation paid a just tax the merchants license would be wiped out or at least abolished.
 AH- T f.1-- had ceased to be commercial It was no longer 8 mercantile organization, he said. But the Board of Trade was organized for the purpose of dealing with every thing that affected In any way the inter- ests of the merchant class.
 Made Conservative Speeches, M. McN. Grant E. Lesser and G. Roth- olz made conservative speeches but all seemed to think that the company should agree to give something in return for a perpetual franchise or any long franchise. MT. Lesser said that he did not think a 5-cent fare would be possible to Besse- mer. He did think, however, with Mir. Chalifoux and others that cents was enough for Ensley.
 President Blach announced that he would appoint committee to co-operate with committees from other organiza- tions to raise money to finish paying for the silver service for the battleship Alabama
 The president spoke against the bank rupt sales that were common in Bir- mingham. He referred to them as fake sales. It seemed to be agreed that the members of the Board of Trade would do what they could to stop them.
 At 6 o'clock the board adjourned.