The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-03
MAYOR ASKS FOR
F|VE-CENT FARE
Thinks Company Will Show
Broad-m minded Spirit
PRATT WATER WORKS
Fifteen Thousand Dollar Fund Is Avail
able From Bond Issue-SugEests
Spending 1t on North Birming-
ham Plant

In special message to the Board OF
Aldermen at its regular meeting last
night Mayor O'Brien made reference and
recommendations relative to a number
of interesting matters.
One was in regard TO the question of
scent fare between Ensley and Pratt
City to Birmingham. In this particular
Mayor O'Brien urged the council to adopt
measures providing for the scent fare.
He also stated that President Ford of
the Birmingham Railway, Light and
Power company was a predetermined man
and that it was his belief that Mr.. Ford
would grant this fare of his own ae-
cord Mayor O'Brien also made recon-
mendations relative to the pound laws.
the Pratt City water works bond issue
of $4,000 and a number of other mat
ters
His message read as follows:
To the Honorable, the City Council of
Birmingham:
Gentlemen-In view of the fact that
Greater Birmingham is united and knit
together with one street railway system
and we all enjoy scent fare to and
from any point on its line with the ex-
ception of Ensley, Pratt City and con-
tiguous territory, l recommend to your
honorable body that you instruct the city
attorney to thoroughly investigate all
franchises and contracts with the Bir-
mingham Railway, Light and Power
company to the end that if it is pos
sible, all sections of Birmingham be in
the scent fare limit and that this be
accomplished at once If possible.
l have every reason to believe that
Mr.. Ford, president of the Birmingham
Railway Light and Power company,
will view this matter in fair and equit
able manner and my knowledge of him
leads me to the conclusion that his ideas
of the other fellows side of the question
is so just and liberal that he will put
into effect the 5-ceut rate, even though
a contract or franchise might be in ex-
istence otherwise, thereby relieving the
city of proceeding along whatever lines
may be determined upon to enforce
uniform rate. The citizens of the west
ern section of the city should not be
compelled to pay 100 per cent tariff over
those in the eastern section.
Pound Ordinance
Since the first day of January a great
deal of complaint comes to the executive
department growing out of the enforce
sonal examination of large portion of
territory now embraced in the corporate
limits of Birmingham convinces me that
great hardship is being laid on many
people who are forced, under our rigid
pound laws, to keep up their stock L
found hundreds of acres lying between
Pratt City and Ensley and the old lin
It's of Birmingham where cattle can be
permitted to Craze without damage to
oil inf nv m
who own property in the outlying dis
tricts that they are willing for cattle
to Craze on their land where no damage
can be caused thereby. 1 have, there
fore had prepared an ordinance TO De
introduced tonight, looking to a modih-
cation of the present ordinance pertain
ing to the running at large of cattle.
North Birmingham Water Works
The auditing department in checking
up the various municipalities recently
coming into the city found at Pratt CITY
an appropriation from the sale OF bonds
of $4,000 which was to be used Tor the
betterment and extension of the Pratt
City water works. Prior to the f1rst OF
January. the authorities of Pratt city sold
their system of water works to the Biz
minsham Water Works company, hence
there In now no water works plant at
Pratt City upon which this money can be
expended I took the matter of this $15,-
900 UP with the city attorney with
view of ascertaining If the City Council
or the Mayor under your instructions
could use this money for the extension of
the water works system at North Biz
mingham After a careful Investigation
his opinion is that it can be so used.
In addition thereto, your chief execu-
tive tok up the matter with Mr.. Bern
hard Steiner, of the firm of Steiner Bros,
who had purchased these bonds, and
with whom a contract had been made that
the proceeds of the sale of the bonds