The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-14
PRO RATA EXPENSE
 FOR V|ADUCTS IS
 CAUSE OF DELAY Sloss Company Objects To Charge Made Upon It By
 The Railroads EXUM NAMES FRIDAY
 AS NEW TIME LIMIT Vice President Spencer Of Southern Asks For Little More Time Because Of Tangle In the
 Negotiations

The final agreement on the viaduct proposition has again been postponed, this time it is stated on account of the fact that the sloss-Sheffield Steel and lron company refuses to accept the pro- rata share of the expenses of the two viaducts which has been assigned to 1t by the railroads.
 The meeting was to have been held to- day between the city and the corpor- ations interested but Vice President H. B. Spencer of the Southern railroad wired through L. Sevier. asking that the date of the meeting be postponed, allow ing him time for further negotiations.
 Mayor Exum, acting as chairman of the subcommittee, which drew up the agreement, extended the time until Fri day, at an hour yet to be set and in- sisted that by that time the railroads be ready to come to final agreement.
 It seems that the railroads contend that the Sloss company has all to gain by the closing of the streets and ave- rues which the city has agreed to have closed forever by legislative act The railroads. in their endeavor to protect the Sloss company, accepted the city's compromise, that two viaducts be con structed, provided the Soss company is protected by the closing of these streets.
 However, the Soss company has taken the position that it is not interested in the Twenty-eighth street viaduct and should not be expected to share in that +a T itc nil rata in the First avenue viaduct. While no attempt has been made by the rail roads to force the Alabama Great South ern railroad into sharing a part of the First avenue viaduct where it has no tracks and no interest whatever, the Sloss company declares that 1t will re- fuse to go into the Twenty eighth street proposition if the Alabama Great South- ern does not bear a share in the cost of the First avenue vaduct.
 The railroads also contend that the sloss company is to be greatly benefited by the Twenty y-eighth street viaduct, not only because the agreement to build it means the protection of the Sloss prop erty forever but because it will relieve the Sloss company of keeping Thirtietn street open, and a consequent enormous amount of paving work done.
 Another cause for delay was the fact that the representatives of the railroads who were here last week did not have the authority to promise to build the sec ond vaduct in six years, and they want time in which to get this part Of the con- tract indorsed by the various manage ments. However, local railroad men ex- press the opinion that no difficulty will be expressed in carrying out their part of the agreement.
 Practically everything, it seems, now depends on the Sloss company, and the city is anxiously awaiting decision.
 When approached yesterday afternoon Mayor Exum said: MT. Seiver has asked further time on the viaduct mat ter. have extended the time limit to Friday, and will call the meeting to suit the convenience of all parties concerned The city is ready at any time. We be- leye that our concessions, while liberal, are just and fair, and we hope they will be adopted"
 Mayor Exum refused, however, to dis cuss the difficulties which have arisen be- tween the city and the Soss company, simply declaring that the city is ready to meet them at any time.