The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-07
DeWberry SbOvGred With Con-
gratu|ations When Decision
Is Announced
$4,000 GUARANTY AND
$500 BONUS REQUIRED
Spectators Grow So Enthusiastic at
Times That Mayor lie Compelled to
Rap for Order and Insist
On Quiet.

On Quiet.
The city of Birmingham last night
granted a franchise to the Tidewafer De-
veloprnent company to lay track on
Fifth avenue for the purpose of operating
electric cars.
When the vote was taken there was
big demonstration of approval from
the hundred spectators present. President
Dewberry was congratulated on every side
and numerous friends pressed forward
to shake his hand. During the proceed
ings, there were frequent cheers and at
one time, after Alderman Quinn, explain
ing his vote declared that he had al
tered his position and now favored grant
ing the petition, tho cheering was SO
exuberant that Mayor Ward was COM
PEELED to rap for order.
The articles of agreement published in
The Age-Herald yesterday morning, gov
erning the Underwater Development COM
pany in the laying of IT'S tracks and the
the exception OF the eleventh and last.
In place of this article. Alderman Cooper
offered substitute which prevailed.
The substitute made 1t incumbent upon
the Tidewater company to deposit either
In cash or by means of certified check
the stipulated guarantee fund OF HoU0
with the city treasurer, making null ana
void the option which originally allowed
the company to make bond Tor the
$4,000 In addition, the substitute mace
it necessary for the company to pay In
cash $500 for the franchise, which IS IN
accordance with the usual price OF $l5O
per block Furthermore, the substitute
gave the Mayor the power to protect the
interest of the city In any way that
he saw fit, and at times when an ex-
ercise of such protection was deemed
necessary.
Dewberry ls Pleased.
After the meeting adjourned PRESIDENT
Deyberry, who had been spectator
throughout the session, was asked III the
articles of agreement were satisfactory
70 his interests He Immediately answered
that they were, and that he himself
fed.
It is thought that the formalities, Sign
ing the agreement, the placing OF the
guarantee fund and the cash payment
for the franchise, will be disposed OF
either this or next week, and that the
preliminaries toward the actual laying OF
the rails will be taken up Immediately
afterwards.
Gum Is cheered.
The Underwater matter was brought up
when the judiciary and railway commit
tees reported concerning the joint meet
ing that was held Tuesday. This report
was made by Alderman Fulghum and
consisted Of the Ward resolution which
was to the effect that the committees
favored granting the franchise to the
Tidewater company.
Before the vote was taken Alderman
Jones, who served on these committees.
stated that he had misunderstood the text
of the Ward resolution. He did not in
tend to vote in favor of granting the
Underwater company the franchise but
Thought that he was voting to refer the
matter to a special committee. He stated
that
because Fifth avenue was one of the
few remaining thoroughfares which could
be used for pleasure driving and other
purposes
After this statement the vote was taken
and the report carried, although Alder
men .Greener Klotz and Jones were OPP
posed. When the name OF Alderman Gum
was called, that gentleman stated that
once he was violently opposed to the
idea of laying a track on Fifth avenue,
but that now he was in favor. This
elected loud applause from the specta-
tors. The Mayor raped for order. and
remarked that the meeting was not
political gathering"
No One Wanted to Talk
After the adoption of the report of the
Joint committees, Alderman Jones halted
the aldermen in their preparations to
vote on the articles Of agreement by stat
ing that the people should be given
chance to explain their positions. He
| stated that DR.. Steele and others were
present, all of whom were opposed to the
Iaving of the track on Fifth avenue.
| Alderman Moore declared that the Tide
water proposition had been before the
board for three months, and that there
was no time to listen to speeches. He
thought that the time for action had
| arrived.
Mayor Ward then asked as a special
favor that the people should be given
the unanimous consent of the board to
state their positions relative to the prop
osition. The unanimous consent was then
given, after which there was a dense ST.
lence. The arguments were for nothing,
for the people showed no inclination to
talk. There was a merry ripple of laugh
ter throughout the hall, after which the
articles of agreement were read by Alder
man Fulghum.
Entire Agreement Is Read.
Before the vote was taken Alderman
Cooper stated that as he had substitute
to offer to the eleventh section of the doc
ument, he would desire the board at that
time to adopt the first ten sections only.
This was concurred In Alderman Stock
mar then asked that the eleventh section
be read, and there were other similar re-
quests. The mayor then requested that
the entire agreement be read by Clerk
Murray.
After this reading the vote was taken |
on the first ten sections. Alderman |