The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-05
COMMISSION WILL START THINGS SOON Have Just Been Handling
 Details So Far NEW LIGHTING PLANT Scheme of Viaducts and Municipal Lighting Plant Included in
 Plans Now Being
 Considered

The Birmingham commissioners, accord ing to gossip at the city hall, will start very progressive era about January l. Practically all of the details of the new "job" have been handled and the commits sioners have now time to devote to some of the real "big" work that faces Bir- mingham.
 The commissioners, it is understood, will be together on a municipal lighting plant which will be sponsored by them perhaps at very early date. While MT. Exum has in the past been skeptical as to some features of the North Birming wise opposed to municipal ownership MT. Weatherly and Judge Lane are both in favor of municipal ownership and will support any logical proposition to ac- oomplish a beginning in that direction.
 It is said that Martin J. Lide, the well known consulting engineer, believes that the city can by spending less than s200,0O0 at North Birmingham furnish all the city lights from the unit now es- tablished there. Within years time it Is believed that the city can have an cleo tion for bonds, add to the plant at North Birmingham and be using electricity in the public buildings from its own plants. It is believed that arrangements can be made with the Peoples Home Tele- phone company for service wires on it's own poles to every public building in light bill of this city approximates s5o,00O per year. That will be an item which it is claimed will be more than one-half wiped away when the city gets it's own plant to working. The citizens may be served with electric current when the city has worked out it's own problem for lights. North Birmingham, 1t is said, had no trouble to launch bond issues for municipal improvements out there and 1t is claimed Birmingham. under the com- mission regime, would have even less trouble in bending a big plant.
 The erection of the light plant which is now believed to be an ultimate cer- tainty will not in any way affect the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company contract. It Is expressly stip- ulated there that the city may acquire UT Dullu ltS OWD tlSClliO li5HI pldht, or 1t may sell to the people from its own plant. The only string in the con- tract is that the city may not purchase lights from a competing company.
 As part of this new constructive work 1t is thought, will be scheme of viaducts in this city. It is planned 1t is believed, to have a competent | at pin n df crossings and outline a plan to abso lutely eliminate all manner of grade crossing dangers in the whole of tho city. It is planned that the viaducts ol subways shall be so arranged as to be units in a speedway or boulevard sys- tenn from parks to parks and shall conform with the general scheme of Identification of the whole city. In the matter of viaducts, it is said. there is to be no dedication of streets, but the city may agree, if that Is asked to vacate certain streets which will be materially affected by the construc- ton of viaducts and subways.
 The commissioners are studying the whole plan out, 1t is said, and while none of them in the city will talk for publication. 1t is believed that munich pal ownership, viaducts and a great park system are brewing and are as a matter of fact in the formative period
 It is believed that the commissioners will agree at least tentatively upon some general scheme to be followed next year. for the good of Birmingham. One item of irnprovement which is he ing considered Is said to be a fine boulevard between Birmingham and East Lake which will be oiled
 The year 1912 at its termination is expected in city hall circles to show more public Improvements in Birming- ham than were ever accomplished here in a like period of time.