The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-26
BESSEMER CITY
 COUNCIL MEETS Refuse to Act on Peoples Telephone Petition FIRE DESTROYS STORE Dry Goods Store of Rardsn & Son on Second Avenue Burned Down
 Yesterday Morning.
 Other News
FIRE DESTROYS STORE

Bessemer, April 25=(Special )-The Bessemer city council met in an ad- Journed session tonight in the council chamber with all aldermen present. In the absence of City Clerk J. B. Hous- ton, who is ill., and his assistant, P l.. Primer, who was unable to be pres ent. Mayor I. A. Lewis acted as clerk pr. T. r. Robinson stated he was pres- ent to represent a number of the cit- izens of Bessemer and ask that the matter of granting the request of .he Peoples Home Telephone company that their franchise be cancelled by May i be deferred to some later time so that the citizens of Bessemer might be heard and the matter investigated. J. D. OGara and P NJ Mathews also agreed with pr. Robinson Walker Percy of Birmingham, attorney for the Peoples Home Telephone company, was present and explained that the Peo- pies Telephone company had not been success financially and never would as it had no long distance lines. He stated that the Southern Bell Tele- phone company had not purchased or agreed to purchase the property of the Peoples Home Telephone company, but the company depended on the good will of the Bell Telephone company to purchase the property of the Peoples Telephone company in Birmingham when the consent of the state and city authorities had been secured so they could lawfully sell Alderman K. M. Johnson made a motion that action on thu matter be deferred to some future time. T. T. Huey stated that the mat ter had been up five times and asked that some action be taken tonight. AL cernaan E. L. Huey stated that he thought action ought to be taken to- night. Mayor I. A. Lewis also ex- pressed his opinion that the matter had been up five times and some action ought to be taken on the matter. AL derman Simmons made motion, sec onded by Alderman J. H. Porter, IS a substitute to the original motion of Mir Johnson, that the petition he granted. A vote was taken and the matter was lost by vote of six to four. 9he original motion of MT. Johnson, that action on the matter be deferred 70 some future time, was then passed
 Will Newsome, a negro, was arrested by Officer Jim Ross today, charged With the stealing of l 1 cases of dyna- mite from the magazine at the Sloss ore mines. The robbery occurred yes terday. Newsome was placed in the city jail.
 This morning shortly after o'clock fire was discovered in the large dry goods store of Rarden S Son on Sec- ond avenue between Nineteenth and Twentieth streets. The fire originated onYthe second floor, the flames leap- .ng to the roof, gaining strong head way before the fire was discovered. When the fire department arrived the flames were leaping from the building high into the skies and the fremen had toiwork hard to confne the blaze to the building.
 Rarden &. Son estimate their stock az valued atSl5,00o and the other dam age will aggregate about sS000. The building was owned by Mrs. A. A. Ran dle nd the damage on 1t is estimat cd at about s25O0. The firm of Rarden < Son carried insurance to the amount :. of S12,000, while $3500 insurance was carried on the building.
 The fire this morning was similar to one that occurred in July. 1910, when she building in the same place was burned and the stock of F. L. Mitchell furniture dealer. was destroyed, the damage of this fire amounting to about $10.0O0.
 The origin of the fire today is un- known. but r. is believed that it re- suited from an electric light wire The
 
 About S;30 o'clock tonight the fire department was called back to the building occupied by the dry goods store of Rarden & Son, where small blaze had broken out It was quick ly extinguished.
 The ladies of the First Baptist church gave very delightful social tea this afternoon at the attractive home of Mrs. J. F. Rogers on Dart mouth avenue.
 Mrs. B. A. Embry announces the en- gagement and approaching marriage of her daughter. Lurlne. to pr. A. L. Caston of Ensley. The wedding will lake place on June at the First Pres eyterian church.
 The annual lawn party of the Bes- semer High school will be given Fri day afternoon at the city park. There will be a number of shree-legged races, potato races and sack races Ice cream, cakes, candy, lemonade, etc. will be on sale The proceeds will go toward the high school annual.