The age-herald., 1901-08-11
Committee Rejects Proposition
 and Make Changes
ACCEPT THE METER SYSTEM
But Fix tho Minimum. at 5000 Gallons, With Charge of 20 Gents Per Thouoand for Excess-Now
 Up to Company.

 of the City Council metsyesterday and re- fused to accept the proposition submit ted by the Birmingham Water Works Company.
 The committees held joint meeting, considered the proposals, made number of changes and put 1t up to the water company to accept them or prepare counter proposition. It Is believed ly members of the committees that the wa ter company will agree ito the changes.
 Mir Lynn of the water company ex- plained, during the course of the meet ing. that the company submitted the present revision of the rate schedule for the sole purpose of gaining the power to install meters where it desires. He ad- mitted that their gross receipts would be pected to reimburse themselves through the cessation of the great waste of water.
 Changes Made by Committee.
 The changes made by the committees are briefly summarized as follows:
 That the city have the right to change the location of fire plugs any time 1t Is desirable. The clause bearing on this says the city shall have the right to make such changes during a period of six months
 That the city pay a rental of $40 per arl- mum for each fire plug instead of $46, as provided in the new proposition. The minimum amount of water under the meter system to be furnished for $l was changed from four to five thousand gallons.
 The price for all water used in excess of s5O0O gallons was changed from 50 cents to 20 cents per thousand gallons. No rent shall be charged for meters for do- nestle purposes.
 Mayor Drennen presided at the meeting. and there were present Aldermen Gum. Gray, Jones, Kerr. Heidt, Stockmar, Greener and Graham.
 A. M. Lynn and Superintendent Ryder were present as representatives of the water company. They answered many |. questions.
 Question of Fire Plugs.
 The proposition was taken lip and dis cussed in sections The first section con sidered was that relating to fire plugs. Chairman Jones of the fire and water committee said that $45 per year was too much to pay for the rental of plugs. He wanted the figures placed at $40 MT. Jones contended that the water company would lose nothing. because the city would order more plugs thereby not re- Ao1 frny, fho nat figure.
 Touching the subject of meters, Alder man Jones said he believed the water company should have the same rights in regard to placing meters that are given the gas and electric light companies. Alderman Heidt said that the gas and electric companies did not charge rent for meters as the water company pro- posed to do.
 Going back to the fire plug section, Mir. Lynn of the water company said that he could not agree to any changes without first consulting his board of directors. It was then explained to him that the | committees would have the changes put in typewritten form so the water compa- ny could consider them. MT. Jones' mo- ton placing the rental at $40 was car ried.
 L Section 4, proposing a rebate of rental claimed to be due on sixteen fire plugs was approved.
 Alderman Jones made motion that the minimum amount of water before excess could be charged be placed at 5000 gallons Alderman Gray moved that the amount to be charged for excess be fixed at 15 cents per thousand gallons. MT. Jones said the minimum in Atlanta was coco gallons with the excess rate 10 cents per thousand.
 Moving Too Fast. Mir. Lynn of the water company said the members of the committee were reaching conclusions too fast. Compari- sons were being made with other cities when the gentlemen were not familiar with conditions there. It had been sta- Ions, Montgomery 6eeQ etc. Many of the plants mentioned were losing money. The Birmingham plants could not afford to do so. He hoped that the committee would not impose conditions that would stop further negotiations. More time be allowed for Investigation.
 MT. Lynn said the Atlanta company barely paid operating expenses after a direct tax was placed on the citizens. At the end of each year HOO fire plugs were