The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-06-01

stand the pressure, as during the latter
part of the night, when very little water
Is being used, the pressure would prob
ably go to 140 pounds.
However, it is not the intention of the
promoters of this new water works sys-
tenn to crush out the old water works,
or drive them out of town, but they will
have to sell water at the same price es-
tablished by the city water commission.
Colonel Bush refers me to the city OF
Mobiles water works controversy to
show that his statement Is not idle
prophecy. I have only to call his at
tention to the water works fight in Me-
rdian, Miss, which took place two or
three years ago, to show what the out
come of this controversy will result in
This same spirit of unpatriotic citizen
ship in Gadsden for the last three or four
years, which Colonel Bush is aware Of
has resulted in nothing except the hold
ing back of Gadsden from the enjoyment
of a large water works system which
would have been installed three or four
wears ago had it not been for the keeping
the city of Gadsden. that Colonel Bush
now suggests should be gone into to
prevent Birmingham owning her own
water works system
l noticed a few weeks ago that the
Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron
company had issued 100000 worth of
bonds This amount If l am correctly
4 ind far-
ness of said company to something over
81, OOO, 900, and as Colonel Bush states re-
garding the water project, will be nearly
as great as the total debt of the state of
Alabama. This company is an institution
that Colonel Bush has nourished from its
infancy. Where is this concern going to
get the money to pay the interest on its
bonds? If three or four little old furnaces
and half dozen coal mines can better
their condition and make money by bor-
rowing $5,0o0000, why can't great city
like Birmingham, with her $10O,000,00O
worth of valuations, make money and
advance her interests by borrowing a few
million and making the necessary i'm
provements like any other private corpor-
dtlOn! NOulu anyDouy udTe W suS6esI
that the Alabama Consolidated Coal and
Iron company should be stopped from is
suing 100000 worth of bonds for i'm
provements, because 1t would enable them
to consume a larger portion of the pa
tronage, which is now being enjoyed
by some other furnace companies? The
more furnaces you put in operation the
cheaper you can make the price of iron.
The more water works plants you put In
one city the cheaper it will make water,
and the people get the benefit of 1t.
Now, as to Mr. Bushs reference to the
taxpayers. No taxpayer will ever know
the difference whether the issue of bonds
was for $50, 900 instead of s5,000,000, as
1t is not costing the taxpayers a cent
more.
Mr.. Bush seems to have a dread about
the indebtedness that Is to be assumed
by Birmingham. but doesn't say any
thing about the advantages or benefits
this great water works system would give
to Birmingham. If Birmingham ever
gets anything in the way of improve
merits she will have to go in debt and
sell bonds, and l am of the opinion that
inside Of 10 years even the street car
lines in Birmingham will be operated
from water power, either gotten from the
Warrior river or the Coosa river, and
probably some of it from the Tennessee
river Birmingham may, In few years,
furnish the power to the Birmingham
Railway. Light and Power company to
operate their cars. This little craze about
water power is not only here at Birming-
ham, but is all over the United States,