The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-20
CITY COUNCIL HAS
 FIRST MEETING Street Railway Company Asks
 for Franchise CURFEW LAW IS ADOPTED First Session Is Very Busy One and Many Matters of Public Import
 ance Are Considered.
 Bremen Elected.
CURFEW LAW IS ADOPTED

Bessemer. September 1s-(Special.) 1.-The first regular meeting of the new board of mayor and aldermen of Bessemer was held at the city hall tonight and the ses- sion was a very busy one.
 A curfew law requiring boys under the age of 16 to be off the streets after the hour of p. m, was adopted and pe- tition from the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company, asking for franchise to build line to Jonesboro, was received and referred to the proper committee. A mass meeting of citizens to discuss the matter was called for October %
 The meeting was called to order at 8 o'clock by Mayor J. J. Sullivan. The members of the board of aldermen pres ent were, Lewis, Eidge, O'Gara, Bassett, Van Trump, Wegelin and Ross. Alderman J. M. Cook. who is i'll, was absent
 Attorney Pinkney Scott, representing the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company, presented petition asking for a franchise for the building of an electric street railway line to Jonesboro by way of Potter mines. He stated that the right-of-way had been secured to the city limits. After some discussion the matter was referred to the street and light committee with instruc- tions to report at the next regular meet- ing of the council Alderman Lewis made a motion, which was adopted, that the mayor call mass meeting of citizens to discuss the franchise proposition. The mayor announced the call at once and set the date on October 25
 A resolution was adopted making 1t obligatory upon all employees of the city to pay their Just debts.
 The election of a purchasing agent for the city was authorized and I. A. Lewis was elected to the place.
 Must Pay Debts.
 A resolution authorizing the board of mayor and aldermen to employ an expert accountant to audit the books of the city officials for the past six years was referred to the finance committee.
 Several accounts presented by Mayor Sullivan for services to the city in- cured during the adjournment of the council were approved and ordered paid. One of these was for having sewers open
 
 the other was for the disposal of cer- tain dogs that were suspected of having rabies.
 An ordinance prohibiting families from residing in business houses of one-story in the fire limits was laid on the table.
 The following committee was appoint ed to pass upon all licenses for saloons and restaurants Mayor Sullivan and AL dermen Lewis and Van Trump.
 resolution was adopted authorizing the mayor and clerk to borrow s5000 from the Bessemer National bank and s5000 from the Bessemer Trust and Banking com pany for current expenses as needed. Curfew Law Adopted. A resolution was adopted making 1t un- lawful for boys under the age of Is to ap- pear upon the streets of Bessemer after g o'clock at night The city attorney was instructed to draw up an ordinance cov- ering the matter.
 resolution providing for the issue Of bonds for the building of storm sewers was referred to the street and light com mittee and city engineer with power To act.
 It was provided that all the street cross ings should be paved five feet wide.
 A resolution was adopted providing for the extension of large sewers to all the industrial plants in the city.
 The street and light committee was in- structed to report at the next meeting on necessary street Improvements. This committee was also instructed to report on the matter of 30-inch pipe for cer- tain streets in the city.
 On motion of Alderman O'Gara the fire limits were extended from First street to Fifth street on the north side and from Eighteenth street to Twenty-nfst street on the south side.
 The street and light committee was instructed to make recommendation as to what street crossings need paving and cost of same.
 The chief of the fire department recom- mended the employment of eleven men as hremen, salaries to be fixd at Sl0 per month and 25 cents extra per hour for actual service at fires. The recommenda- tion was adopted. The drivers salary was fixed at $50 per month. The chief was instructed to report upon the amount or hose needed In the department. On motion 1t was ordered that the mayors horse be fed by the city for the use of the mayor and the city engineer. The following members of the fire de- partment were elected upon recommends tion of the chief: Frank Woods. driver; Joe Spisarlk. John Crawford. Joe Leonard. T. T. Kendrick, Arthur Roberts, W. s. Mcclellan, John Skates and J. D. Loftus later.
 George F. Coin and H. F. Ozmer were elected supernumeraries on the police force. Charges against H. F. Ozmer were referred to police committee with power