The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-30
JOINT COMMITTEE
 REDUCES LICENSE Material Changes Made in Tax
 Schedule MAYOR SCOTT PRESIDES  Electric Railway License Placed st $2375 and the City Agrees to Take Half the Amount In New
 Street Lights.
MAYOR SCOTT PRESIDES


 dietary and miscellaneous committees fl the City Council of Ensley met tonlgat and reduced the license tax of several of the corporations doing business in this city, whose licenses had been materially increased in the 1906 schedule
 The reductions which will be recon mended to the City Council by the joint committees are as follows'
 The Birmingham Railway Light and Power company from sSOOO to s2S75 half of which amount is to be taken by the city in additional street lights.
 The Birmingham Water Works company reduced from $500 to $500, thel city agree ing to take at least two additional fire plugs.
 The schedule fixes a rate of 75 cents license tax on each telephone In the city. The tax as to the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph company was changed to a flat rate of s2O0. The Peoples Home Telephone company had no representa- tive present and was not considered
 The license of $2OO against the Standard oil company was reduced to s125, which was accepted by Manager E. L. Pauly with tho understanding that eas, that had been made against the company by the city tax collector be dismissed
 Grubb Addresses Committed.
 The committee met in joint sesson at the city hall at 8 o'clock and in tie ab- senee of E. J. Rogers. chairman ,f the miscellaneous committee, Mayor Scott was made chairman of the joint sssson.
 A number of gentlemen representing the various corporations interested were present but the room was cleared of all except those interested in the mater of the Birmingham Railway, Light ant Pow CT company, which was first considered.
 Attorney w. l. Grubb addressld the council !n the interest of the iailway company, arguing at length that the license of 5000 assessed against tle Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Powsr com pany was out of proportion to the hcenses assessed against other concerns doing business in the city and far in excess of the percentage usually charged by muni- cipalities on the same amount of gross business done. After arguing a. length for a reasonable reduction in the rate he introduced General Manager J. A. Emery who stated that the amount of gross pus- mess done in Ensley by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company was S125, ,O00 and that the license assessed py the council was a burdensomei expense and involved an excessive percentage or taxation on the gross business Tn the Ensley territory. He also stated that the Wvlam line which had been taxed at the rate of $500 was not more than self sus- taining and was operated mere Tor the convenience of the people of Wylam and Ensley than from the profits the com many hoped to enjoy for some time at least.
 Reduction Discussed.
 After MT. Emery and MT. Grubo had clearly presented the case of the raIiroao they retired and the members or the committed after considerable discussion, placed the license at $2375, and agreed to tad.a hoIf of thie amount in street lights. The representatives of the road wfre tnen recalled and notified of the decision or the committee. Mir, Grubb stated lllat ne was not prepared to give an ansWr uhlll ha could discuss the matter with the or Acers He said that he and MT Emery bod coma prepared to make eonlroihise at A much lower figure put eouiu io. % cent the figures of the committee Yltnou1 cePe tne .iss is .,ith the other officials. They promised to notify the MaIor to- morrow of the decision or the ccfhpeis and then retired. ., .na air
 n | OConnell, representing tne Dir ,,inobam Water Works company, was then called. He argued that the SooV license tax that had been levied agalhso .Sa his company. being an advance or ssVV oyer the tax of last year. was unIeasoii ' ahle in view of the fact as ne stateu lhae the gross business of the company ip Enslev was only about $SOO per year, and that 50 per cent of that amount was with the manufacturing plants that reaiiy were not inside the corporation. He ar r,,ad that A tax of 10 per cent on the 9ross receipts was burdensome and out or nronortion to the amount usually charged by municipalities.
 The committee proposed that they would recommend a reduction of the ncense to s4OO if the company would give the city two extra fire plugs free or cost MT O'Counell suggested that instead or ask- ing the two plugs the license be placed at x50o straight and that the city buy the e~tra plugs. This was accepted and agreed to by all concerned. MT. OConnell Incidentally stated that the Birmingham Water Works company had leased an of- fee in Ensley and would put perma- nent agent in the city after Aprll Y
 Telephone License Reduced.
 sunerintendent Hawkins of the South ern Bell Telephone and Telegraph com nanv appeared and argued for h reduc- tjon on the license that had been imposed against that concern. After coIFiderable discussion between MT HawHins and members of the committee, the committee adopted a resolution placing the license against the telephone company at nat rate of 800 instead of 75 cents Tor each phone in the city. MT. Hawkins was not nrenared to accept the new proposition but promised to telephone the answer of his company to the Mayor at lis earliest convenience tomorrow.
 E. l.. Pauley, local manager for the Standard oil company, was present and stated that while his company did nor operate a warehouse or stationli in Ensley and did not believe that they could be held liable for any license other than that of an ordinary merchant. they were will ing to continue the payment of a license tax of s10O as heretofore. but he intimated that his company would contest the pay ment of double that amount as named in the new schedule in the courts.
 The committee finally agreed to recom- mend that the council reduce the license from s20O to $125. and after the Mayor had agreed to withdraw a case that had been docketed against his company MT. Pauley agreed to send check for the amount named tomorrow.
 Letters from the Western Union Tele- graph company and the Postal Telegraph and Cable company were read in e4safo f<1