The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-27
CITY NOT YET ON
 4 NEW FIRE BASIS No Date Named for Restoring
 Old Rate FLEMING WRITES MAYOR Aldermen From Fourth Ward to Select a Site for Norwood Fire Station. Department to Cost $1so,ooo
 Per Annum.

The Southeastern Tariff association has not yet named a date on which Birming- ham will be restored to first-class basis and it will probably be some time before this is done It will require weeks to re- rate the city and It is doubtful If the new rate will be effective until the re- rating has been completed.
 A circular issued to members of the association referring to the Birmingham agreement and confirming the telegram sent Mayor Ward makes no mention Of a date for the reduction to go into effect
 Mayor Ward yesterday received let ter from Secretary Charles c. Fleming of the tariff association advising the publication of the circulars. The letter says in part;
 Tt affords me pleasure to enclose you herewith copies of a circular letter is- sued today touching the recent transae- tions between the city of Birmingham and this association, together with a copy of a letter to MT. R. M. Goodall, as chairman of the citizens committee. You will note from the letter to Mir Goodall that I will address you officially in a few days, giving all details"
 The circular letter issued by the as- sociaton is as follows:
 Circular Issued.
 Southeastern Tariff Association,
 Atlanta, Ga,
 February 24, 1906. ''To members. Birmingham Ala;
 ''Tn a circular, issued on December F, 1905, giving the ''preliminary report of the special committee, appointed to handle Birmingham matters, the situation at that time was fully set forth.
 At the executive committee meeting held on the 21 and 22 inst the-said special committee made another report through it chairman, MT. s. Y. Tupper the sub stance of which Is as follows
 First, That practically all of the changes and Improvements, which the city authorities had agreed to make, have already been accomplished and that the others are in process and will be shortly completed Of the latter, the most inn portant Is the reorganization and main- tenance of the fire department on an efficient basis, which work has been viz orously pushed forward by a representa- tive committee of citizens, and the infor- nation is now received that through their instrumentality Capt, A. " Bennett has just been elected chief of the fire depart- ment and will be invested with absolute authority. The committee Is furthermore assured that Captain Bennett Is in every way qualified to carry out such reorgan- ization of the department as is needed at this time.
 'Second That the special committee in view of the foregoing compliance on the part of the city of Birmingham with it's agreement, entered into with a former committee, recommend that the promised revision of rate in the "business district on the basis of a first class city be undertaken as rapidly as possible. The ''business district" covered by this agree ment Is described in a letter addressed to the then Mayor of Birmingham, Hon. w. M. Drennen, dated December 2, 1904, as follows:
 " Bounded by Ninth avenue on the north, Twenty-sixth street on the east, Avenue G on the south. and Fourteenth street on the west
 "It Is proper to explain that the im- provements in the fire protection, re- ferred to in this report, apply mainly to the section above described.
 '@rhe report of the special committee was adopted by the executive commit tee. CHARLES c. FLEMING ''Secretary." By direction of Executive Committee"
 No Instructions Yet
 George D. Reynolds, stamping clerk of the association in Birmingham, has not received any instructions as to change in basis in Birmingham, and none of the agents have been notified to that effect
 Some of the agents have feared that the policies which lapse during March will be cancelled and not renewed until the new rate goes into effect. It Is said that some mercantile firms will prefer to carry the risk themselves until the new rate is announced, rather than pay the existing rate. On the other hand other agents state that they do not be- lieve that the merchants will walt to renew their policies.
 1t was stated recently that the new rate would go in effect February p, the date of the election of Capt. A. " Ben nett as chief of the fire department, which was the remaining clause of the old agreement which had not been com piled with. Agents here do not believe that the new rates will go into effect on that date and that rebates will be given on all policies written from that date
 One of the agents said yesterday that while practically all the sections of the agreement had been complied with, there still were some minor details not yet completed, such as the installation of some of the new sized plugs. He stated. however, he thought that the associa- ton had it's committee at work already arranging the new basis and that as soon as that work was complete, the date on which the reduction in rate would go into effect would be announced
 Changes Suggested.
 Fire Chief Bennett had a short con ference with Mayor Ward in the latters office yesterday afternoon. The head of the fire department suggested some minor changes in the arrangement of certain fire plugs in Birmingham, which sug- gestions will probably be concurred in by the Mayor
 Aldermen John R. Copeland and Wal ter Moore from the Fourth ward will