The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-23
ABOUT THE VIADUCT
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:

| To the Editor Of The Age-Herald: The communication of Gen. E. w Fucker regarding the proposed First | avenue viaduct, which appeared in re- cent Issue of The Age-Herald, has ex- cited much interest.
 When a man of General Rucher's repu- tation as 8 fighter and man of action advises that haste be made slowly, such counsel is worthy of consideration. | While regretting that the railroads and the city authorities have not yet come to an agreement on the question of the viaduct, I believe that the whole mat ter will yet be settled amicably, and without having occasion to make a test in the courts of the act of the last legis- lature on the subject. If the railroads will delegate some representative with power to act to confer with the Mayor and a committee of the City Council, it would seem that equitable conclusion could be reached more quickly than could possibly be done by having a tentative proposition made on the part of the rail- roads, discussed while pending in the press, submitted to the council, then re- ferred back to the executive heads of the railroads, and so on indefinitely.
 Without assuming to criticise tho ac- ton of the City Council in declining to accept the last proposition of the rail- roads, 1t seems to me that in many respects that that proposition was a fair one, and should be taken as a basis for a future agreement.
 The railroads have done much to de- velop the mineral district of which Bir- in QHaY1 c 10 and fha dfSfricf the other hand, has contributed its share to the support of the railroads. The rail- roads, however, have had their share of troubles in the past few years, and they are yet in doubt as to their status. They have had to pay increased wages, and to pay higher prices for everything neces- sary in their operation. They have been compelled to retrench in construction and replacement accounts. the result being the serious depression in iron and steel products, which is being felt so keenly by the Birmingham district. It is al- most impossible for them to sell securities in view of present conditions, and they are compelled to be exceedingly careful in the management of their finances. They are naturally anxious to avoid the dangerous precedent that would be set were they to defray the entire expense of building viaduct. Many of the towns, cities and hamlets through which their lines run have their eyes on Bir- mingham, and would Insist upon having as favorable treatment as Birmingham received.
 understand that in the construction Of the Atlanta viaduct the railroads paid about 30 per cent of the cost and the city about 70 per cent, while the proposition declined by our City Council provided that only small proportion of the expense be borne by the city. The estimate of the city engineer for the viaduct complete was $S42, ,O00, including $31,00O for engineer ing expense. The railroads offered to pay over to the city as needed the sum of $500, ,O00, and as the city maintains its own engineering department, it was thought that large proportion of the $31, GOO, allowed for engineering expense, could be saved, with the result that the railroads would have paid within $12.O0O or s15,coo of the total cost of1the con struction of the viaduct.
 It is thought that the interstate com merce commission will pass upon the rate cases early next spring, at which time the railroads will be in better position to gauge their financial status, and If in the meanwhile negotiations between them and the city authorizes should be re- opened, believe that the viaduct would be secured at a much earlier date than would be possible through litigation.
 w. P. G. HARDING.
 Birmingham, November P, 1910.