The age-herald., 1902-02-08
Citizens, Labor Leaders and Attorneys Appear Before the
 Board to Protest
ID ALLOW SINGLE TRACK
 ON TWENTY-FIRST STREET
Labor Leader lntimates That Alder men Carry Credentials of Street Railway Company and Is
 Called Down.

The Birmingham Railway Light and Power Company obtained another fran chise from the Mayor and Board of AL dermen last night in spite of much op- position in the way of speeches.
 Various citizens appeared and protested against the granting of the franchise, which included the right to lay single track on Twenty-first street between First and Second avenues and double tracks on Third avenue between Twen- ty-first street and Nineteenth streets MT. ]. R. Adams and associates whc propose to build a new street car line into Birmingham from the west and who wanted the right to lay tracks on certain streets were also present urging that the council take no immediate action, but the matter has been pending six weeks there have been several meetings to dis cuss the matter, and the Aldermen were tired of the subject and anxious to enc it. Every Alderman was present, the Mayor only being absent, and nearly al voted in favor of the franchise.
 The meeting lasted for over three hours and was a running debate between cit izens, aldermen, attorneys, applicants for franchises, interspersed with mo tions, counter motions, amendments, ano attempts to adjourn.
 Twelfth Avenue Franchise.
 The first thing to come up in the way of franchises was the ordinance to grant the present street railway company the right to lay tracks on Twelfth avenue north and certain other extensions The granting of this ordinance was opposed by Mir J. R. Adams representing the new company and several Aldermen. The ordinance reads as follows:
 Be it ordained by the Mayor and Al dermen of Birmingham that the Birming- ham Railway, Light and Power Company shall, upon payment of one hundred dol lars into the city treasury for each block granted Ca check for same being hereto attached), have the right to lay single oi double tracks and to operate it's street railway lines from it's tracks on Twen ty-fourth street to Twelfth avenue thence along Twelfth avenue to the east ern corporate limits of Birmingham. Al so from it's lines on Third avenue al Tenth street along Third avenue to Sev enteenth street to connect with the pres ent tracks. Also along Third avenue along Eleventh street to apoint about 5 feet south of Fifth avenue. Also from it' tracks on Fourth avenue along Tentf street to point about 70 feet south O Fifth avenue Also from it's track or Fourth avenue and Tenth street along Fourth avenue to Ninth street. thenc, on Ninth street to its track on ThirC avenue Also from it's track on Twentieth street along Avenue B to it's tarcks oi Twenty-second street Also from tn, present terminus of the Fountain Heights line north along Joy street two blocks.
 Should Be Considered. As soon as this was read Alderman Ward said this ordinance had been intro duced in executive session Wednesda! night and first appeared in yesterday Age-Herald. He thought action should be postponed d decent time to give tn, public chance to look into the matter The special order for tonight was tn, proposed Twenty-flrst street and Thir, avenue franchises. One part of the nev ordinance made him suspect that the ul innate design of the railroad compan, was to get possession of the TWenty-firs street bridge.
 Alderman Linnehan said that ordinance had not been referred to any committee The minutes of the last meeting were re ferred to and it was found that the ord nance had been referred to the judiciary committee. He fhOuPht if Outra t( attempt to railroad such all ordinance through.
 Alderman Moore favored the proposed ordinance, and said the board was fa- miliar with the provisions of the ordi' nance.
 Mayor Pro Tenn. Altman asked the city attorney if an ordinance granting fran chises could be passed al a special meet ing. MT. Smith said the charter was moi explicit on this point. and read the clause referring to franchises. He thought it might be legal.
 Alderman Linnehan said 1t was wrong whether legal or not, to give away tho peoples rights in one day He opposed railroading'
 Alderman Ward then asked that hi. protest be entered on the minutes.
 Willing to Accept II.
 MT. Robert Jemison was then asked | ms company would be willing to accep the franchise tonight if there was an, doubt about it. He replied that he haC taken legal advice and was willing to ac cept it. He said it was an old matter The board had once been willing to gran the franchise on a 30-year basis-excep MT. Ward who, he said seemed to object to everything his company wanted. H,