The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-15
UNANIMOUS FOR
 GIVING FRANCHISE BeSsemer Mass Meeting All
 One Way BOARD OF EDUCATION MEET Children Who Have Been Duckinq Examinations By Staying At Home
 Will Have To Come
 Across.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEET

-Bessemer at the city hall this afternoor
 for the purpose of giving expression to 1 their views regarding the action of the
 council last week in turning down the 1 franchise asked by t. Atlanta, Birming- ham and Atlantic railroad along Second
 avenue, was largely attended and was I a very enthusiastic one. The meeting was
 called to order at o'clock and Charles l.. 1 O'Dell was elected chairman, with w F. 1 Gun, secretary.
 pr. E. P. Lacy was the first speaker l Dr. Lacy stated that he could only re- | peat what he had stated at the last
 meeting of council. lie said that over- l lures had been made to the officials of the proposed road several years ago, 1 and at that time nothing was left undone 1 that would tend to put Bessemer in a fay-
 orable lighG with the road when the actual work of construction was started He said that while he did not know that the road had decided to come along this route, just simply because it had been invited, the fact remained that it had come and had bought it's way clear through and had paid out the actual money for the land purchased. He said
 
 would be great thing for the city and the surrounding district and he most cer- tainly thought that the city should grant them the franchise asked for.
 Lee Moody was the next speaker. Mr. Moody stated that the impression had gotten out in some way that the Atlanta Birmingham and Atlantic railroad and the Birmingham Railway, Light and Pow CT company were in some way connected on the deal. But he stated that this was most positively not a fact as he had had dealings with both of the corporations and he knew it to be a fact that the only. reason the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad were asking for the franchise as they did. was because they were forced to it. He stated that the amounts that they had paid out in this city for property were on more than one occasion what he considered exorbitant, and he stated this to the officials of the company before the property was pur- chased. He stated that they had replied that they would prefer to have the good will of the citizens of Bessemer rather than have i'll will and for that reason he was instructed to go ahead and purchase the property at the prices asked by the owners and this was done
 He said he had no property that the line would in any way enhance, and that he had no connection with the company at all He was at the meeting because he believed that inasmuch as the company had done it's share of being good, he thought the city should be willing to do Il, !, fpa chise asked for, without further delay.
 Dr. William Waldrop was the next speaker. Dr. Waldrop stated that he was not fighting the company on per sonal grounds but he did think that If they could come along Second avenue, they might stretch a point and go along little further and also go along Third avenue.
 The other speakers were Mayor Rush, Gardner Goodwin, Dr. Hurd J. D. Rog- CTS, J. D. Martin, E. l.. Huey, W. H. H. Judson and R. F. Smith.
 It was finally decided that vote should be taken to see Just how those at the meeting felt about asking the council to grant the franchise as asked for by the company Chairman O'Dell stated in this connection that he had been informed that it was the intention of the road not to aSK TOT any lHlIiB tlSt uiitii thSS SNNiN at least find out whether they would be turned down or not. The vote was taken and it stood 102 for the road to have the franchise as asked for, and one against 1t. l That one was Dr. Waldrop, and he stated l that as he did not care to be placed in the 1 position of a kicker, he would vote to l make it unanimous. The following reso- l lution was then drawn up, and will De l presented to the council at it's next regu- | lar meeting
 Resolved, That it is the sense Of thls | meeting of citizens of Bessemer that | the right or franchise asked of the city by l the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic rail | road for the uses of the Birmingham Rail- 1 way, Light and Power company, be l promptly granted without further conf alteration
 The following committee was then ap- | pointed to take the matter up and dis | cuss it with the members of the council | and to present the petition from citizens, | Eugene l.. Huey, J. D. Rogers and w. H. l Dennis.
 1 The outcome will be awaited With 1n- l terest but it is believed that the .council | will grant the petition of the citizens.