The age-herald., 1901-10-26
CITIZENS WANT CITY COUNCIL ID
 GRANT FRANCHISE
Ask That Street Railway Mat ter be Taken Up and
 Reconsidered
CIRCULATING A PETITION
Means of Transportation Essential tc Welfare of Residents of Sec tlons Named in Railway Com
 pany's Proposition.

After President Robert Jemison had
 withdrawn from the City Council the re-
 quest of the Birmingham Railway Light
 and Power Company for a perpetual
 franchise for building new lines along
 certain streets, he said in an interview in
 the Age-Herald that the 30-year franchise
 which the judiciary committee proposed
 would not be acceptable; that his com
 pany could not go ahead with it's pro-
 Jected development on anything like a 30-year privilege, or words to that effect, ] and that this whole business was up to
 the people.
 | Petitions were being circulated yester-
 day for signatures calling upon the
 Board of Aldermen to reconsider their po-
 sition. Those who are taking an interest
 in the matter say they are encouraged l to believe that the Aldermen will respond favorably.
 Issue a Letter.
 This letter has been issued:
 "At meeting of citizens held last night in the office of the Blrmingham | Realty Company to consider the fran
 chise asked for by the Birmingham Rail-
 way Light and Power Company for new lines of street railroad in Birmingham, 1t was unanimously resolved that the
 granting of the franchise asked and the
 building of the proposed roads was vital
 to the interests of a great many property
 holders who are remote from transporta-
 tion and without which their property is
 almost valueless. There are sections of
 the city proper through which the pro-
 posed roads are to be built that would
 build up and afford homes for a great
 mn aif nd
 pie to buy who should and would own
 their homes if they could buy at a req
 sonable price and be able to reach the city by car lines, who will not do so otherwise but will continue to rent in easy walking distance or go to the sub urbs now on the line of street cars there by filling up tho suburbs and causing a
 stagnation in the growth of the city. Tt is'a well settled fact that home owners more prosperous and better satis- fled than the men who do not own their homee It is also a well established fact
 that the street cars have done more to de- velop property both in the city and suburbs than any other factor. The building of more lines in the city will fill up the gaps with people who prefer to live in the city and enjoy the advan- tages to be derived, and at the same time add to the city's revenues by in creased taxable property, and will also contribute to the trade of the merchant and others, patronage which now goes to the suburban towns. It is also mani festly unjust to the property owner who is without car facilities to say that he shall not be placed on the same footing with those who are on the lines of trans portaion already unlimitedly granted. If we are disposed to spend our money in developing and building we think our worthy aldermen should grant a req sonable franchise that would encourage the railroad to build through now a com paratively sparsely settled section. The other sections of the city travelled by cars have a perpetual line. We should have a chance to realize something from the property, and help to swell the coffers of the city, and help those who are seek ing homes. The section proposed to be built through was only taken into the city few years ago, and to retard it's development, in our opinion is unwise. We respectfully ask the city fathers to reconsider, and try to get together with the railroad, and grant them such a franchise as will give this section line in which much money has been spent in development. with the understanding and belief that car lines will be constructed. This money will have been spent in vain unless the needed relief comes.
 "W. H. GRAVES, Chairman. "J. L. YANCEY. Secretary"
 A Committee Appointeo. At the meeting referred to T. H. John son, H. L. Badham, A l.. Fulenwider and J. l.. Yancey were appointed committee to confer with the Board of Aldermen and the Railway Light and Power Com pany with view of inducing them to agree on franchise.
 As the new constitution prohibits fran chises of the sort In question for a period exceeding thirty years. the leaders of this
 movement for reconsideration on the part of the council will endeavor to have the matter finally disposed of at the next meeting of the board, for if the constitution Is ratified on the 11th of November, nothing further can be done Return From Presbytery. Delegates from Birmingham to the meeting of the Presbytery of north Ala