The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-21
ALDERMEN APPEAR
TO Be UNANIMOUS
AGAINST PROPOSAL
Think Viaduct Plan in Present
Form Is Not Just to
the City
WANT TO BE PERFECTLY
FAIR WITH RAILROADS
Special Antagonlsm shown Toward Sec
tion Providing for Closing All
Streets From gath to AID.
Mr.. Maben's Views

Aldermen of Birmingham interviewed
yesterday by representatives of The Age
Herald were almost without exception
against the acceptance of the Twenty
eighth street viaduct proposition in lis
present form. Recognizing the great i'm
portance of the question and the interest
the citizens of Birmingham have al
ways taken in matters affecting grade
crossings, interviews were sought with
the view of arriving at the proper solu-
ton of the question now before the
council.
A number of the aldermen we're positive
in their statements that the railroads
should be treated fairly and they ex-
pressed the belief that satisfactory
agreement would yet be reached.
Il don't care to be quoted formally on
the matter" said Mayor O'Brien, but
later in course of conversation stated
that it was "preposterous to expect the
city to close a large number of streets,
build the approaches and stand the abut-
ting property damage
Il always try to act courteously with
the Board of Aldermen. and would not
care to make statements before they hal
acted in the matter, or l had made my
recommendations to Them said the
Mayor
President of the Council Harry Jones
did not care to be quoted on the propo-
sition beyond the fact that he wanted
to see the city get a square deal in the
matter. He was of the opinion that some
amicable agreement could be arrived at
which would be just to boththe city and
railroads alike
Alderman J. r. Copeland of the Fourth
ward, chairman of the street commit
tee, thinks the railroads proposition un-
fair to the city:
This is a great big city, not little
village" he said land its growth has
hardly started The idea of allowing the
streets between Twenty-fourth and For
ty-second streets to be forever closed
against street traffic is absurd. 1t is very
probable that in the future we shall need
viaduct over every one of these dedi-
Gated streets. We must remember that
now only every other street in the limits
named is dedicated for public use.
For the city to pay for the building
of the approaches Is also another man.
ifestly unfair proposition, while the same
applies to the proposition of the city
standing for all abutting property dam
age. / think the city should stand its
share of the cost of the building OF the
viad,,ct or subway. but its share should
he a very small percent of the total cost
II am opposed to the closing of Thirty
second street. and think that we should
have either a viaduct or subway over It,.
1t strikes me that. a subway could be
placed along it for the railroads to run
Through. laying off the driveways even
with the. top of the subways' similar TO
the Seaboard Air Line railway subway
along Avenue A. II Is only question
of time when a great many new viaouc,s :
or subways Will De neeoeo ana we s'iouiu
be careful to see tnat the CITY gets i's
full rights in TINS instance.
Alderman Z. =. Heiot OF tne oesen a,.
waro' chairman Oh .he mani
tee. mace the Ioiowihg renaIns
mucn prefer 10 wai. UNI we ses q
repor. on 'ne nep .,s,,,s -. ~ p,at-
tor want to see the citv receive its
Just dues and to receive equally as fair
treatment as other cities have on these
propositions. Memphis, from accounts,
made q satisfactory arrangement with
the railroads, and we want to look into
that arrangement first"
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