The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-23
MAYOR APPOINTS
THE COMMITTEE
VIII Investigate Gas. Electricity
and Steam Contracts
DRENNEN THE CHAIRMAN
Moore Resolution Providing for APP
poIntment of Committee of Five
Caused Discussion at City Hall
Some Municipal Gossip.
DRENNEN THE CHAIRMAN

Birmingham will hold a meeting some
| time in the near future.
This committee, which is composed of
five members of the City Council, was
appointed by the Mayor In accordance
with the resolution which was introduced
by Alderman Moore of the Fourth ward
at the last meeting of the City Council
and adopted.
The resolution:
BE 1t resolved by the Mayor and AL
| dermen Of Birmingham, that the Mayor
| be and Is hereby empowered and instruct
ed to appoint a committee of five, of
| which he shall be one, to investigate, re-
| port and recommend to this board with
reference to the substance of the con-
tracts concerning the furnishing of gas
and electricity to private consumers in
| the city. the compliance of the Birming-
| ham Railway. Light and Power company
with said contract or contracts and all
other matters to the interests of the citi-
zens of Birmingham in regard to gas and
electric lighting and heating"
Personnel of Committee.
The personnel of the committee follows:
| w. M. Drennen, chairman.
Alderman Walter Moore of the Fourth
ward.
Alderman George B, Ward Of the Sec
ond ward
Alderman B. H Cooper of the Fifth
ward.
Alderman Robert H. Thach of the
Seventh ward.
| Around the city hall there appears to be
somewhat of a mystery connected with
| the resolution.
hot fo tfo nd iu %ba
interrogation in municipal circles As
is well known the Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company is the only
concern in Birmingham engaged in sup
plying electricity. gas and steam heat.
Have the City Council and the COM
pany become crossed?"
Some interesting developments may fol-
low when the special committees meets,
When street car passes are discussed with
city officials they refer you to the re-
cent resolution introduced and adopted
in the City Council prohibiting the city
officials from using free passes. 1t Is
commended that a majority of the mem
bers of the City Council are living up to
| the resolution, but there are some 1t is
said, who continue to hand the street
car conductor their little slip of paper
them with the compliments of the Biz
mingham Railway, Light and Power COM
pany. The resolution may die and be
forgotten and on the other hand some
member of the City Council may ask at
the next meeting, us the Gray resolu-
ton being lived up tor"
Municipal Rumors.
The city hall is of course a hot-bed of
politics. Stand around in the halls and
corridors there for an hour or so and
you will get more straight tips than in
any other ploce IN the city probably. A
recent tip is that Mayor Drennen, who
is soon to retire from his office, and AL
derman Ward, his successor, have
patched up all past differences. To SUBJ
stantiate this the recent appointment of
Alderman Ward as a member of the
committee of five on gas, electricity and
steam heat. investigation by the Mayor
Is cited. And then the Mayor, Saturday,
in naming the standing committees of the
Board of Education, of which he is the
president, left the craftsmanship of the
executive, or the first committee vacant.
it to be filed by Mr. Ward when he as
sumes office in May.
| On the other hand it is said that Mayor
Drennen prevented the election of a vice
president of the Board of Education, be-
ing delayed recently, when Ell P. Smith
was chosen to this position unanimously.
The Mayor Is an ex-officio member of the
School Board, and heretofore he has been
elected vice president of the board.
There may be stir of some kind when
Mr.. Ward assumes the reins of the NUM-
cipal government on the first Wednesday
night in May. Such Is quite likely. Mr..
Ward hasn't majority of the members
| OF the council on his side and he will
have to deal out patronage judiciously
He does not have much pie to distribute
al first-only the appointment of pri-
vate secretary and the standing commit
tees for the year.
Appointment Of Committee.
In the latter appointments the Mayor
Is always careful. A member Of the City
Council always feels highly honored to
be placed at the head of any standing
committee.
| 1t is said Mayor Ward will make con-
siderable changes. 1t is intimated that
the finance, the street and the judiciary
committees are to have new chairmen.
The latter is necessarily so. inasmuch as
Alderman Thach of the Seventh ward,
the chairman of the judiciary committee,
retired from the City Council in favor of
| John l.. Parker.
| The new City Council will be composed
| of the following:
| Mayor-George B. Ward.
| First ward-John g. Greener and
| Thomas Wheeler. No change.
Second ward-John w. ONeill and ST.
mon Klotz. One change.
| Third ward-Ben +. Barbour and d.
| r. Copeland. No change.
| Fourth ward-Walter Moore and j. r.
| Copeland. No change.
| Fifth ward-B. II. Cooper and W. r.
| Gum. No change.
Sixth ward-John c. Forney and Fred
A. Fulghum. No change.
Seventh ward-C. G. HEIDI and John l..
| Parker. One change.
| Jones. No change.
| Ninth ward-H. A. Stockmar and
| Thomas Simms. No change.
| Mayor Drennen has made no announce
nent regarding his intentions after he
retires from the mayors office. He is
| president of the Board of Education and
| will continue to have influence over a
number of aldermen, thus 1t is said. al