The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-29
PROBLEMS OF SELMA CENTRAL CITY FACES SOME SERI-
 OUS QUESTIONS. Municipal Ownership of Water Works Discussed--Demand of the Tarif Association for Better Fire
 Protection.
Advertiser Bureau,

Selma, Jan: 2S.
 From the mire of suppression and secrecy that the city officials throw around their operations and delibera- tions toward solving the vital problems that confront the city have come some cold facts that will astonish nearly every private citizen of Selma, and should thoroughly enlist his sympathy with the movement of the general Council.
 The City Council and the Commercial and Industrial Association have main- fained utter aversion to the public and to the press and the former when 1t has had to discuss matters pertaining to the purchase of the water and light plants, the proposed paid fire depart ment, and the question of constitu- tional relief from existing conditions has closed the doors of its chamber to press and public. In utterances both formal and informal session the coun- cilmen and members of the commercial body have not been quoted in observ ance of the rigid secrecy the two bodies prefer. From other sources however comes the story of the city, disability facts that are staring the City Council tn the face:
 That the companies furnishing the water and lights to the city on con tract are growing rich off the great revenue that would under municipal ownership enable the city to pave bad streets, help pay its yet large bonded indebtedness and make untold needed improvements.
 That those companies are known to be on paying basis of more than s per cent. One citizen, not q member of the Council, placed it at 25 per cent.
 That nearly half of the citys reve- nue from taxation goes to pay for water and lights, for instance the city paying nearly $50 year for every fire plug within it's limits.
 That the state of affairs growing out of the above conditions has almost overwhelmed the city's treasury.
 The principal question now in the minds of the citizens is the reduction of insurance rates. The two organi- zations which control municipal af fairs are seeking to bring about better conditions in fire insurance because the time is more opportunie than the move- ment for the issuance of bonds for gen. eral Improvements. and they hope to have this accomplished by the time they can actually begin to temporarily free the city from the bonded indebt- edness imposed on it during the time of reconstruction.
 The plan in a few words as is well known by nearly every tax payer, although 1t has not been officially J stated, is to purchase the water and electric light plant. the demands of which are said to be extortionate; to create a paid fire department and in as many other ways possible accede to the demands of the Southeastern Tariff As sociation which controls insurance rates. In Thursdays Advertiser was told a part of the deliberations of the Commercial and Industrial Association in this matter.
 The purchase of the water plant is the vital issue involved. The com pany's contract does not expire for ff- teen years yet and 1t is up to the city to relieve the business men sooner than that. The water company is paying institution. besides the legal phases in Volved and it may require a great deal of litigation. Then the depressed con- dition of the city's treasury is a large consideration.
 To reduce the burdensome insurance