The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
SUGGESTS USING
 CITY ELECTRICITY Reports Indicate Municipal
 Ownership SAVE $16SO YEARLY
Recommends That North Birmingham Plant Be Used to Light Norwood-May Be
 Used Other Places

The first real practical move towards municipal ownership of public utilities in Birmingham probably occurred yesterday in a recommendation by William H. Aber- nethy, city electrician, on the North Bir- mingham light plant Illuminating the Norwood section.
 In a carefully prepared report, consid- cred at the city hall to be a very com plete schedule of the city electric plants possibilities the expert says that the city may save s1ss0 per year in Norwood alone by carrying out his recommendations. His task was imposed by Commission president pro tenn, James WeatherN' upon the insistent demand of Norwood citizens for more light in that section. It was suggested by Mir. Abernethy that the plant at North Birmingham could sup ply those needed lights at tremendous saving to the city.
 MT. Abernethy says that 25o Tungsten lamps may be placed in Nu-wood, dispiac- ing the "A arcs now costing S0 per year each, with a line capable of supplying commercial power at the small cost or $500. These lamps will have 100 K. w. H., and the report says will give practically twice the illumination Of the present Tungstens supplied by the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company. He says that the territory to receive these lights would be from Twenty-fourth street to Thirty-sixth street and from Tweifth avenue, north, to North Birmingham, approximately. The net result of this change would be the means of saving the city s16S0 according to MT, Abernethy. In his recommendations MT. Abernethy strongly advises the commission to per- form this work and points out that there will be plenty of power In addition 10 the city's own lighting 1t is claimed by MT Abernethy that the city may string A commercial electric wire without great additional cost and thus serve the resi- dents of that territory with commerclai electric current at a low rate.
 A feature of this recommendation which is causing much comment lies in the fact that the current will be within strik- ing distance of the city hall If the plan of Mir Abernethy Is carried out. There is said to be an abandoned line built by T. H. Aldrch and associates. ex- tending from Ninth avenue, north, U about half mile from the end of the North Birmingham electric light line. r. Is suggested that by utilizing that line the city current will be at Ninth avenue and by slight cost can be brought int" the city hall and there save a Tremendous light bill monthly. If that is accom- plished some go further and say arc lights needed in East Birmingham, Wood lawn and Avondale may be supplied, Al well as many of them down in the heart of the city and even the white way lights.
 The city hall yesterday was all ex- citement from the recommendations or MT. Abernethy. MT. Weatherly, the man who started the investigation. was un- willing yesterday to go into details. He stated that the city needed to save al the money possible and that the repor. seemed to indicate that big step for municipal ownership might be taken 1T this report was carried out.
 Mir Abernethy said that he had not made his report without exercising due caution and looking into the matter thor oughly He indicated that the proposi- ton could be carried out and would save the city great deal of money. The re- rort was passed by the commissioners for further consideration.