The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-22
Grade Crossing Reso|utionSOunds Like Business -HaCk Rates
 Remain Unchanged
PROHIBITI0N DISCUSSED
 BUT LET STRICTLY ALONE
Charges of "caucus' Come Near caus- ing Clash Between Aldermen-Res- outlons Hurried Through
 Like Lightning.

The Board of Aldermen, when called to order last night was the same organ ization 1t has been for years. When it adjourned it held its auth ority from the new municipal code. being reorgan- fzed, with John L. Parker newly elected president of the City Council of Bir- mingham in the chair.
 Out of the clash of oratorical light ming and the noise of parliamentary thunder emerged the most important meeting of many moons, when, hot. tired and laughing the crowd poured out at 9:45 o'clock.
 When the meeting was called to or ded at o'clock by Mayor Protem Wal ter Moore all the standing space in tn e council chamber was crowded with l spectators. Among them were both saloon and anti-saloon men, prominent among them being Walter L. Sessions, leader of the prohibition fight, pr. ames A. Duncan, who delivered his strong sermon on prohibition last Sun day night. and Lieutenant Governor Gray. They came, they saw, they | heard.
 Amid charges of caucus" the alder men who held their consultation Tues day night carried measures through | with premeditated machine work. This 1 is what was done:
 Some of the Things Done.
 Ordinances were adopted reorganiz- ing the city under the municipal code bill. and adopting it's provisions One | of these provisions was immediately | carried out in the election of Alder man John L. Parker to the presidency of the council.
 The resolution of Alderman Greener ealing for prohibition in the city of Birmingham after January l, 1908, first reported favorably by the excise com mittee, was defeated over the strenu- ous protests of Aldermen Moore and Cooper; another effort to put in tn e | $2500 saloon license was voted down, | and the board adopted resolution of Alderman Heidt, which means hands off" of the saloon question until the first meeting in December.
 The board placed itself on record as willing to allow the children of the
 
 tend Birmingham schools for practi- cally nothing, as soon as the vote on | the question Is carried, thus showing a spirit of willingness to do the fair thing by the suburbs even two years before Greater Birmingham becomes a reality.
 A resolution calling on the various railroads to build viaducts over the most important streets was carried en- thusiastically. A resolution was passed calling upon the city attorney to make a report on the franchise rights of the | Southern Bell Teleph one company at the next meeting, after Alderman O'Neill stated that in his opinion no franchise exists and the service rates ought to be lowered.
 The proposed ordinance raising the hack rates schedule was disallowed l without opposition. An election was or dered for the issuance of $1O0,O00 more bands to buy a lot and construct a crematory, the proposed raise in the salary of policemen was deferred, tn e action of the city in the trash pile lfti- gation with Elyton was confirmed, and the committee reported adversely th e resolution calling for meeting of committees of all cities in Jefferson county for consultation on the 1908 whisky license.
 Preceded By Light Winds.
 The cyclone was preceded by very light winds in the report of the finance committee by Alderman Jones. Ordi- nances for public improvements BIT,
  confirmed, and the assessments made final.
 Alderman J. R. Copeland then read the report of the judiciary committee, and also secured the passage of an or l dinance drawn up by City Attorney F.. D. Smith preparing for the reorganiza tion of the city under the new munich pal code bill at a future date and talk ing advantage of the amendment all lowing Birmingham to retain it's sys- tenn of electing aldermen, two to each ward. It's general provisions were briefly as follows:
 Paving Way for New Code.
 "Be it resolved by the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Birmingham, That the city of Birmingham being a city of more than 35.O00 population, according to the last federal census, and this board desiring a different or | ganization of the legislative depart ment of the city government than that contemplated in the first part of sec tion 16. providing for the organization, l government an dregulation of towns and cities. this board does now elect | and have the following legislative of | hcers of the city of Birmingham:
 "A president of the council, to be elected at each biennial election by the | qualified voters of the city.
 Two aldermen from each ward of the city of Birmingham, to be elected by the qualified voters of the respective wards; one alderman for each ward to be elected bi-ennially, the terms of such aldermen to be four years.
 "one alderman from each ward shah take office upon the expiration of the 1 present organization of the city of Bir- mingham. The president of the coun- | cil shall serve until the first Monday in October, 1910. and until his suc- ! cessor is elected and qualified. Tt is further provided that in the