The age-herald., 1901-10-06

against public policy and not to be per- mitted
 The haste and anxiety shown in these proceedings come "a close second" to the philadelphia Instance" where Mayor Ashbridge chucked MT. wanamaker's two and one-half million dollar letter in the waste basket unopened, and sat up all night trying to sign franchises that were being hurried through his City Council
 Tn Massachusetts and District of Co., lumbia which can boast the best gov ernments in the world no franchise Is granted whatsoever that cannot be re- voked at the will of the granting power. and still capital Is ever ready to flow In at their beck and call.
 At Columbus, Ohio, in 1899 the National Municipal League reported on franchises as follows: "When a city grants fran chise to a private corporation, associa- ton or individual, the term of such grant should be limited to a definite period, not exceeding twenty-one years"
 Tn addition to any other form of com pensation the grantee should pay the city
  the exercise of the franchise"
 The recent history of American munich palities has shown that the inability of our city governments to maintain con- trol over private corporations performing quasi-public functions constitutes the greatest danger to American local insti- tutions It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that these corporations have suc- ceeded in entrenching themselves as the real power behind the constituted author ities in all matters effecting their in- terests." fs
 These are the views of wise men, but not one of their recommendations can be found to exist in the city of Birming- hams contract with it's street railway company. though everything they don't recommend Is tucked snugly away in it's shifty pages ready to do duty when the public gets unladylike and clamors for its rights.
 In arriving at the value of the grant we can only take the valuation the company puts on it's present holdingsh as a basis.
 The system is capitalized at $l1, ,O00, 900, and supposing the gas and electric light plants to be worth one million dollars each, 5000, 900 is left as the value of the street railway company's property, and since the company owns 100 miles of track s90.0O0 is. the average value of each mile owned ''sss 'fs-.--
 (This might be called curious showing when 1t is matter of common knowledge that all the big railroads can be built anywhere in the United States, except through mountain, at a cost of hat fua fy- five nd dollars a mile.)
 Now seven miles of track at $90,000 mile amounts to $630. 900 from which de- duct S130,000 that may be charged to it as equipment and $500,00O is left as the value of the bare right of way over the streets-a handsome advance over ST. 800.00., And $500,0 900 is about the amount of new securities we may expect to see is- sued and pocketed as soon as track is laid and operations commenced in the new territory.
 As result of this grant competition will disappear forever from the city of Birmingham, as far as surface transpor- tation is concerned.
 For though the present corporation has not the exclusive rights to our streets, no rival company handicapped by a, con- stitutional limitation of thirty year term, can come in and compete success fully with the giant that now holds pos- sesison. and can never be turned out.
 And when this possesison Is complete, with all fear of competition removed and the broad gauged gentlemen who are now operating the company for the pub lie good gone forever; when unknown men come in and take charge, what will be their attitude a hundred years hence? Owning all the earth, and no more fran chises to be sought A hundred years hencel And from out the teeming millions ~. .4x~A ofe ox.4t< -t ~-~lrr steal away and wonder what happened to the money market in Birmingham in the year 1901 that caused his city fore fathers to give away his birthright for paltry mess of pottage, and how he can ever get 1t back. r
 One of the ways we can estimate what this grant is worth to the city is to find out what other municipalities charge their street railways for the same priveleges:
 Montreal Canada-15 per cent of gross receipts. netting about s1O40OO per an- mum. ~ J.s3
 Toronto Canada-12o per cent gross re- celpts- free transfers. carrying working men and school children at special rates. no rare paid unless you can have a seat
 Albany, N. Y.-Indfrect taxes amount ing to about ssO.Oo0 annually.
 Cincinnati. O.--Transfers and nerc.rt- mum. +4 s- v fs- e''- about $66000. rftsl'7' ,'''p'-'s -'e'''ii's lndianapolis, Ind. .-sold it's franchise for H160.00o and Scent fares
 Providence, R. I.--2o-year francb,.. s,,, per cent of. gross receipts sE
 St. Louis, Mo.-Transfers and percept- age amounting to $1S6.oOo in the year
 Baltimore, Md.-T Transfers, keep tb. streets clean and sprinkle them. and per-