The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-12
Weatherly, Bell, Beddow, Drennen and Others
 Make Speeches
THE WATERWORKS IS
 PLAYED BY SPEAKERS
Petition Started to Call Referendum Election = Municipal Ownership Advocated-About Five Hun i
 dred People Present

800 citizens listened, though sWelterlng, to the addresses of half score of men. They detailed the alleged iniaulties of the contract. mutilated the pulseless form of the waterworks company and sounded the resonant cry for municipal owner ship of waterworks.
 After the speakers concluded Isadore Shapiro made this motion to Chairman Jackson, which was carried
 "A majority of the commissioners of the city of Birmingham having entered into a contract with the Birmingham Waterworks company for the supply of water to the city and the inhabitants thereof. which contract unnecessarily binds the city for long period of years, said contract being unreasonable and unjust. favoring the company and dis favoring the consumer. and said contract being a serious impeachment towards mu- nicipal ownership of a water plant, be 1t sResolved. That we. the citizens of Bir- mingham, in mass meeting assembled. f "1 Do hereby vigorously protest against and condemn said unjust contract.
 Revoke Contract
 "2. That eve favor the revocation of said negotiable contract through the medium of the referendum, and do hereby re- solve ourselves into a militant organiza- tion to defeat said contract, and to se- cure fair and reasonable water rates to the citizens of Birmingham
 "3 That we emphatcaly favor the mu- nicipal ownership of a water plant owned, controlled and operated by the people, for their benefit, and we do hereby pledge our ardent support toward that end.
 A. That the chairman of this meeting appoint a committee of five to outline plan of campaign and 10 select the cit izens to execute said plan, which com mittee is to make it's report to this meet ing"
 The committee appointed by Chairman Jackson to outline plan of action was composed of Walter M. Drennen. Joseph Johnston, Dr. Wyatt Hefin, Charles Ji Sharpe and z. T. Rudolph. That commit tee retired to appoint campaign com mittee.
 Their report was that the following committee be named: R. N Bell, chair nant Isatere- shapiro vice chairman; E. D. Smith, Frank w. Smith. B. A. Thomp- son, w R. Stewart of Ensley, J. B. Wood of the Trades Council R. DuPont Thomp- son of Woodlawn, Robert E. Smith, Geofge Huddleston, J. D. Collins. w. G.. Oliver T. E. Huey. East Lake, Charles Hassler of Pratt City. N. R. Keiling of Graymont, Dr. w. c. Gewin of West End. T. s. Smith of Elyton, Dr. E. T. Fields of Ensley, J. II. Hilman, F. M. Jackson, w NJ Drennen W. F. Tyler. MT I Sharnp v. Rudolph, Fred Dewolf. T. R. Walker of Wylam Dr. Wyatt T. Henin, George B. Tarrant and W. Barnes Morgan.
 Campaign Committee
 The committee reported that the chair man be impowered to appoint central committee to conduct the campaign, which will be done later.
 During tn conclusion of the speaking petitions for the proposed referendum were signed freely. The exact number of the signers could not be secured last night it was announced There was said to be about 5 who signed the list. The committee appointed will get after the qualified electors at once in arder to hasten the proposed calling of the cleo tion by the commissioners.
 Commissioner James Weatherly, R. N. Bell C. P. Beddow, Isadore Shapiro. Mir. Drennen and J. D. Woods were the prin- cipal speakers.
 Mr. Jackson opened the meeting by saying partly:
 This meeting is called by the people for the purpose of discussing a matter of vital interest to the community, and it furnishes another evidence of the com plete success of the commission form Of government in Birmingham. For 1t Is again demonstrated that the people have voice in all matters relating to their government
 Your commissioners saw fit recently to make a. contract with one of our pub lie utility corporations, and by a ma jority vote of that body contract was ratified and an ordinance making it bind ing was passed. There are quite num- Der of citizens of your city who believe that the contract with the Birmingham WaterworIs company is not what it should be, and would prefer the con tract now in existence, rather than to have the new contract ratified This meeting therefore is called for the pur- pose of protesting against this measure, and when a sufficient number of names of the legal voters of this city have been presented to your honorable body of commissioners you will be allowed to vote whether you will accept or re- ject this ordinance"
 Weatherly Applauded
 As he entered the armory last night to address the opposers of the water con- tract, James Weathery city commits sioner, was given rousing ovation He is the only member of the commission to oppose the contract and as the meeting was in sympathy with his positWW the reception was unusually cordial Start ing at the door, the waves of cheers vii brated and reyibfated through the build- ing.
 .sWeatherly. Weatheriy.'. the audi ence cried as the smiling fommissioner threaded his way down the hall Mir Weatherly was all smiles
 Weatherly Speaks
 MT Weatherly said: T am pleasantly surprised to. see so many present tonight. It is a refreshing thing to see so mary busy men here away from recreation or their home
 T dos not look upon this contract in mere dollars and cents. I am willing to concede that it comedies some reductions. l opposed It because 1t practically fore closes the far greater question of whether or not the people shall own their own water plant. fCheers.) have made np my mind long ago that there is no com promise between the owner of water and the men. women and children who have tp use that water.
 How did this controversy arise? The water rates. especially the flat rates. were conceded to, be the highest of any city IKe>Rirmingham in the United States.
 "In my Brother Drennsn's ndministra-