The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-31
Three Are Interested in New
 Light Company.
Wiring of City Being Under Considera. ton of Council, Messrs. Forbes and Ruth Had their Names
 Erased from Vote Cast.

Alder J. Kirk Jackson, from the city, at-large, protested last night in a spe- cial meeting of the Montgomery City Council against certain unnamed Alder men voting on electrical wiring mat ters, on the ground that they were in- terested in the Citizens Light, Heat and Power Company.
 Alderman A G. Forbes and Alder man c. L. Ruth, who had voted on harmless resolution in reference to the stringing of the wires of the Citizens Company, in view of the protest, asked that their names be erased from the vote as taken by the clerk. Alderman Forbes further requested, In view of his connection with the Citizens Com pany, that he be relieved from service upon the joint committee on Electrical His request was granted by the Coun- ell.
 Subject Is n Live Wire.
 The atmosphere of the Council cham Der last night was surcharged with electricity, figuratively speaking. It was an atmosphere which at any time might have been illuminated by sparks and shocks. The Council is at present grappling with the question of electric light and power matters and the ques- tion is one of the livest that has de- manded the attention of the city fa- thers. No Alderman has had tho | temerlty, however, to lHo subject as a live wire.
 The Citizens Light, Heat and Power Company Is seeking to gain foot-hold in the city. being competitor of the Montgomery Light and Power Com pany. Three members of the City Council, Messrs. Ruth, Forbes and Lob- man. are on the directorate of the new company. Alderman Lobman was not present at last nights meeting, being out of the city.
 In private conversation the officials of the new company, the Citizens, claim that the old company, the Montgomery Light and Power Company, is trying to block the progress of their company. It was said last night by stockholder of the new company that the old com pany was trying ito back the new com pany off the board"
 On the other hand, friends of the old company say that the new company is endeavoring to get favorable legisla- tion through the Council because of the influence of members of the Council who are interested in their enterprise. They are claiming that the new com pany is getting favors or would be get ting favors because of the presence of their friends in the Council that they would not otherwise obtain. Meanwhile. with the Council as the arena the hot fight is going on merrily. Last nights protest and debates was just a preliminary to other contests of the near future.
 Several Matters Involved.
 
 Control and Franchises and Privileges has several matters before 1t. It has, first an ordinance requiring the wires of the new company, both high poten- tial and low potential, to be placed on the poles above the wires of the old company The new company claims that this does them an injustice. They have, too. a resolution which seeks to have all electric wires in the city placed underground. The new company is opposed to this resolution.
 At last nights meeting of the Coun- cil an ordinance was introduced by AL derman Forbes requiring that all high potential wires should be placed above low potential wires and certain safe guards should be established in the business district. This ordinance is said to be favored by the new com pany.
 All these matters are before the joint Alderman Forbes asked to be relieved and which will report some sort of a recommendation to the Council.
 When that recommendation comes before the Council, no matter what it Is. a new chapter of the war will be
 The special meeting of the Council was called last night to hear the re- pert of the joint committee on Elec- trical Control and Franchises and Privileges, There were present at the dermen Ryan, Maddox, Roemer, Jack son. Forbes, Strauss Ruth and Coins.
 Committee Not Ready.
 The report of the joint committee was presented by Alderman Coins, It stated that the matters which were before the committee were so complex and difficult that the committee would not be able to submit it's report until the next regular meeting of the Coun- cil. The committee found, however, that the Citizens Light, Heat and Pow CT Company had strung its wires along Dexter Avenue in a zone that had not been authorized by the city. If the company was made to remove those wires it would delay for fifteen days the beginning of business by the new company. In view of this condition the committee recommended the pass age of a resolution allowing the new company to keep their wires as they had been strung for twenty days, in which time the Council would have taken some definite action and it would be known whether the wires could re- main permanently where they were. The resolution provided that the per init should not be permanent until the officers Of the company had agreed with the Mayor in writing that the wires would be taken down at the end of that time if it was found neces- sary, by the Council to do so.
 "On that resolution" said Alderman