The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-05
PROMINENT MEN !. AT COUNCIL MEETING Bessemer Grants Franchise to
 New A. B. 6 A, GAS PLANS UNDER WAY City Health Officer Wlnters objects to Having His Report and Recon.
 mendatlons Simply Filed
 as Information.
GAS PLANS UNDER WAY

Bessemer, June 1.-The Bessemer city council met thls evening, and the session was an extremely busy one Aldermen present were Thomas, Lewis, Crook, Goodwin and Ross.
 One of the most important events of the evening was the granting of the franchise to the Alabama Terminal Railroad com- pany to enter the city of Bessemer.
 There was only one amendment to tho ordinance as originally read. petition signed by thirty of the property owners and residents of Clarendon avenue, peti- toned the council not to grant the road the right to close Clarendon avenue. Aft CT much discussion on the subject Nr Berry, the land agent acting for the rail- road, arose and stated that it was not the intention of the road to do anything that would in any way cause dissatisfae- ton to the people, and that since they were so anxious that the avenue be not closed, he was perfectly willing to do anything that would make it entirely sat isfactory to both the people of Bessemer and the road. The amendment as added stated that the road would not close Clarendon avenue. The road is making great progress. and the work will now be pushed forward to completion with re- newed energy.
 Prominent Visitors Present.
 Four of the principal stockholders in the company that secured franchise some six weeks ago to erect a gas plant at tended the meeting of council and were introduced to the members by George II. Stephenson, They were D. J. Gay, presi- dent of the Harrison County bank of Bl- loxi, Miss; L. N. Dantzer, of the L. N. Dantzler Lumber comapny, Biloxi, Miss; John T. Schley, capitalist, Mobile Ala; Charles D. Willoughby, cashier First Ma tional bank of Mobile, and w. IT. Harri- son, Jr., manager of the Gulf Coast gas plant.
 MT. Harrison, who is to have direct charge of the construction of the plant, stated that their object in visiting the city just at tllis time was in order that they might become acquainted with the citizens of Bessenler, and not feel when the actual work commenced that either party was. dealing with strangers.
 He stated that a. good portion of the material to be used in the erection had already been bought, and he leaves for the north tomorrow to complete the nec- essary purchases. When asked by the mayor just how long he thought 1t would take to have the plant ready for opera tion, he stated that he felt assured the work could be done within six or seven months.
 MT. Harrison is familiar with the erec- ton of gas plants from the ground up. and when this one is completed 1t will make the twenty eighth that he has built.
 He stated that when the company was 1,,t.r ,.,t-, l. AL-t.. get some of the prominent citizens of Bessemer to purchase stock, mot for tho money involved, but because 1t would promote harmony.
 Regular Business Resumes.
 After Mir Harrison's talk the regular order of business was resumed and sev- eral measures of importance were taken up. The monthly report of the city phy- sician pr. J. s. Winters, was read and showed fourteen births and ten deaths for the month of May. Upon a motion being made by one of the board that the report be received as information, Dr Winters stated that 1t struck him that this was the usual fate of his monthly reports. He worked on them and got them up, togeth- CT with suggestions that he believed were for the good of the city. and that was the last heard of them. He requested that some action be taken with regard to his suggestions. for as it was he did not feel that the city was getting its moneys worth by merely reading his report and passing it up as information.
 To Enlarge School.
 The school committee, composed of Crook and Goodwin, appointed to act with a committe eappointed from the Board of Education, with regard 10 the addition of four more rooms on the Clar- endon Avenue school submitted their re- port They estimated that the proposed addition would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000, and suggested that as the rooms were very necessary before the next school year opened that imme- dlate action be taken on 1t. The city engineer was instructed to advertise for bids at once,
 The city attorney stated that he had nearly completed the drafting of the bill for the proposed bond issue, and would be ready to submit 1t in a short time.
 Ar arc lamp was ordered placed on Berkley avenue and Sixteneth street
 The Mayor reported that In the case of the Board of Mayor and Alderman vs. Joe Loper, the supreme court had de- cided tn favor of the former, bui sug- gested that as things were running along very smoothly just at present he thought 1t would be better to allow the matter 10 rest. II WAS ubcluSu that nu dCtiul De taken in the case at present.
 The question of who ordered the city teams to move the dirt thrown out by the Bigler company in laying the sidewalks came up, and a committee, composed of Alderman Ross and Engineer McInary. were appointed to take the matter up wit hthe Bigler company and get It straightened out.
 A report of the finance committee for the month fo May was received, and all bills ordered paid.
 A petition signed by D. T. Fuller and J. M. Lowery was read, in which they asked that they be allowed until Septem- Der to make the required sewer connec- lions. If they were forced to make them at this time 1t would work a great hard ship on them. The petition was granted. An ordinance. introduced by Alderman Goodwyn. to prevent stolen goods from being brought into the city and disposed of was referred to the committee on finance.
 An ordinance introduced by Alderman Lewis to regulate the speed of steam and electric cars in the city limits was referred to the street railway committee.
 Will Not Be Taxed.
 Alderman Lewis. on behalf of MT liar