The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-23
Thinks Birmingham Council Is
 Freer from Graft Than Other Large Cities
MOLTON CHANGED MIND
 ABOUT TIE BITULlTHIC
Now Thinks 1t as Good Pavement as Could Be Procured-Stockmar and Estes Have a Lit
 tie Tilt.


 night. There was no evidence brought out which would tend to prove anything against the city officials or the company. f In fact, the feature of the session was the testimony of T. H. Motion, a we'll known real estate man.
 While he admitted that he had once raised numerous objections against bitu- minous macadam, and had feared, as well as expressed the fear, that some of the aldermen were interested in the paving company, he declared on cross amina- tion that he now considers it very fine pavement, and he believes both the alder men and city officials have been perfectly honest, and that there is no basis for the rumors being circulated, so far as he is concerned or has any knowledge.
 Ward Is First Witness.
 Mayor Ward was the first witness placed on the stand. He testified that he had been mayor two and half years, and had attended majority of the meet ings of the street committee. He said he had never heard of any member or friend of the Bitulithic company approaching or in any way attempting to secure the in- fuence of any city official for contracts. He had only heard it rumored that some aldermen were stockholders in the com pany. For years, he said people have been going around talking about graft, but when you trace the rumors down you finds they amount to nothing and 'are usually begun by some disgruntled alder man as politician trying to get political prominence"
 He was asked if he had heard any graft charges against any member of the city council, and replied that he had heard of none except those against Alderman O'Neill, in connection with the Sixth avenue matter My personal opinion is that there is a great deal back of that proposition that you ought to go into"
 Gan you suggest anything?" asked Chairman Estes. q think that is a. pretty serious charge, and you ought to get busy immediately" q don't know" replied MT. Ward. "In Mr. ONell's testimony the other day he used the word conspiracy I think he ought to be made to furnish evidence to establish such charges. I am satisfied he meant conspiracy between parties for getting up certain affidavits."
 Alderman o'Neill's Convictions.
 The only case of rebating he knew of, he declared, was one with which Alder man O'Neill came in connection. His evil dence was to the effect that when the company was paving in front of St. PauPs Catholic church it gave the church $200 for the purpose of paying 1t on, the as- sessments. Along in 1906 when the city was settling with all the churches, St. Pauls claimed the same sort of settle ment as the other churches The fight was led by MT. O'Neill and he won out
 Mayor Wards memory of the Sixth avenue difficulty was that he first read letter of the South ern Paving and Construction company to the street committee asking for competitive bids. Every member agreed that competitive bids were best and resolution was thereupon passed to the effect that in, the future the wishes of the property owners would be followed. A little later the people on Sixth avenue peti- toned for sheet asphalt. Bids came in, and asphalt of the Nashville Paving and Roofing company was the lowest, thus eliminating the bituminous ma cadam. That night every alderman voted for the asphalt except Alderman ONeilI something which does not oc- cur once in a hundred times. Alder men seldom dissent from the report of the street committee.
 Some time afterward Aldermen O'Neill and Klotz came to me and asked that I not sign the ordinance, as some people out there were not able to pay for the pavement O'Neill said that as- phalt was an experiment, and the peo- pie would rather pay higher price and get bituminous macadam. At the next council meeting the contract was. repealed"
 This refutes the charges of the Bar bour Paving company
 The Mayor said he did not know any merits of the pavement, but was posi- tive that less bitulithic has been laid in the last few years than brick. His opinion was that all the relating the company has done was when it met a stubborn fellow down the road who wanted to hold up somebody before he would sign the petition, and the company would give him something. as a private deal. without any connection with the escity
 Confidence In kendrick.
 To a number of questions about the engineering department he replied:" You may think 1t funny that the May or does not know more of the detans of the engineers office, but I want to say that it is due to my perfect con fidence in Julian Kendrick. I would stake my faith In him under all cir cumstances. I think this investiga- tion will develop the fact that Birming- ham has a city engineer of great in- tegrity, ability and honesty.
 There has been, in my opinoin. less graft here in Birmingham than any where. The citizens should be proud of the record. Representatives of oth- CT corporations have come here and gone away telling our aldermen that