The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
STREET SHRINKING
 IN DUSTY SEASON
Emery and o'ConneII
 Discuss the Subject
WORK SHOULD BE DONE
Means Difficult to DevIse-clty Finan- clalIy Handlcapped-Street Rail- way Sympathetie-Satls-
 factory Water Rate.

Should the streets of Birmingham be sprin1led systematically throughout the dusty season? If they should be. what is the best means of doing the work?
 Those questions were put yesterday to three men in this town. whose opinions on this subject by reason of their posi- tons, are of great public interest. These men are George B. Ward, the Mayor elect; James A. Emery, vice president and general manager of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company, and Daniel J. o'Connell, superintendent of the Birmingham Water Works company.
 MT. Wards Views.
 Here is what Mir. Ward said in answer to the questions;
 Tt goes without saying that the city would be highly improved if the streets could be sprinkled throughout the dusty season. Everyone would of course be in favor of the idea The difficulty is in getting the money to do the work So far as I can see, the city's financial condition does not encourage us to expect that the streets can be sprlnkled thoroughly by the expenditure of the city's money.
 ePublic opinion as to the ways and means to be used will vary. One man will tell you that the work should be done and be paid for by the city. Another will say that the street railway should do it and pay for it. Others will suggest that the water works company should furnish the water free. Still others will say that the work should be done by householders' subscriptions. And thers you are
 "At this time I can only say that l am in favor of the suggestion, and that | hope means can be devised by which the work will be systematically done."
 Traction Manager Talks. MT. Emery, speaking for the Railway Light and Power company, said;
 "Yes, the streets should be sprinkled in the dusty season here. just as they are in other cities. Elsewhere the work is done at the city's expense. am not suf- fciently well informed to state whethsr or not this city's finances would 1ustity Rirmingham's attempting to do the worS at this time.
 "It Is true that in many cities the street railway lines are used in carrying on the sprinkling work. but so far as can learn the work is not done directly by the traction companies. They are used mostly because they are a convenient ve- hicle for doing the sprnkling. The con tracts are usually made with the city by an independent company. Specially pat ented sprinkling cars, manufactured in Worcester, Mass, are used to do the work. The sprinkling company makes a | contract with the city and pays the trac- ton company for the privilege of run ming the cars over the electric railway lines.
 Street Railway Would Help. ''While the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company would De glad to 1 cooperate with the city in the effort to get the streets sprinklet, I should state that the company is not eager to take upon itself the responsibility incident to this work To begin with, our lines cover only 10 per cent of the street mileage of Birmingham In the next place, the run ming of these sprinking cars over the lines would incur no small liability on | our part On the single tracks they might | lead to a great deal of inconvenience, if not many accidents, and on the double tracks they would interfere with the speed of the electric cars. In both cases they would tend to derange our sched- ules, and continually annoy the company and the public.
 .In spite of all this, however, may say that the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company will be glad to do all in its power to cooperate with the city and the public in the effort to sprin- kle the streets throughout the dry sea- son."
 Satisfactory Water Rate.
 Mir. o'Connell, speaking 4or the water works company, said
 Judging from Mayor-elect Wards statement in this mornings Age-Herald, I hardly think that the city can be ex- pected to undertake a very elaborate plan of street sprinking.
 s.If the work is attempted the water works company will do anything reason able to make it a success" No" he con- tinued. in reply to question, this com pany will not supply water free. It Is not in that business. You may say, how ever, that if the city resolves to sprinkle the streets, the water works company will make satisfactory water rate"
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