The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-13
CONTINUANCE |NIHE1 EDGEWO0D MATTER No Action Until Commis- sioner Weatherly Returns COMPANY STATEMENT Messers. Smith and Brazelton Prepare Statement Which They Claim
 Shows Transfer Privilege
 Should Not Be Granted

| The consideration of the petition of the l Edgewood Electric Railway company asking permission to sell their franchise and properties to the Birmingham Rail- way, Light and Power compang-sSas agai4 passed by the city commissioners yester- day, owing to the absence of Mir. weath- erly, who is attending the National Drain- age Congress at New Orleans The mat ter will be taken up at the next regular meeting of the city commission. which will be held Tuesday morning at 10 | o'clock.
 Previous to the commissioners meeting yesterday large delegation of citizens from Edgewood had conference with Judge Lane on the subject. but nothing was done owing to MT. Weatherly's ab- sence. The delegation did not appear before the commission
 stephen Smith, G. T. Brazelton and Att torney A. G. smith. representing the Edge-v wood Street railway, were present, bun for the above stated reasons tue matte was passed until Tuesday.
 Messrs. Smith and Brazelton{ who ard heavy stockholders in the comlkny. gave| out the following interview, Presenting their side of the proposition: \
 Do Not Understand
 From the nature of fhe pet ion nlsdI at the city hall and the argum hts soe3 against allowing section of thMsEX# wood car line franchise being eli sD
 1t is plainly seen the people thus ing do not understand the situatie At present the Edgewood compai a 90 year franchise 10 operate it's / from the south end of the Tweh street line of the Birmingham Ran Light and Power company. three bic in the city and four miles in Shades ley. Five cents fare is charged for Il ride The Birmingham Railway, Lig and Power company collects anotbrf cents on it's line. The Edgewood pany cannot issue transfers over the of the Birmingham Railway. Light Power company. II
 'The owners of the Edgewood ltnesr losing about s1000O a year and A the money to continue doing so nor which to maintain it's tracks. It is pendent entirely on the Birmingham way, Light and Power company for :. rent and has a contract to rent one car. It hasn't the money to buy cars nor to build and operate a power plant.
 Liable to Foreclosure
 The company has not been able to pay any salaries nor 1 cent of interest on it7 bonded indebtedness thus putting 1t sal ject to a foreclosure sale, which wou mean tearing up the rails. ties and polr'
 "The proposed sale to Mn. Bradley wor' have this effect The car line would ceS tinue to operate as now with regard fare It would be in strong hands and tn track would be kept in good condition an. plenty of cars furnished for extra trave when required, and since 1t takes gooe car service to build up community ano since a car line eompanys profits como from thickly populated routes. 1t stands to reason the best service possible vi be furnished Mir. Brady nor any on else will buy the Edgewood ear line wit section in the franchise. as that means investing money in buying the line and operating 1t at loss without one cent of revenue. and the larger the crowds rid ing the greater would be the loss. There- fore opposing the elimination of clause means the Edgewood car line will have to remain the property of the present owners. who will continue to collect ths : present fare. or what is more probable, discontinue operations altogether.
 Onwers Interested
 "The owners of the car line company, are also heavily interested in several land companies in Shades valley and on' Shades mountain, and are more interested in getting cent car fare to the hear of Birmingham than any other citizens oi Shades valley or Birmingham or even more in favor of if than the Ledger pre- tends to be. Knowing. however that this Is absolutely impossible at this time, we are endeavoring to get the next best \ thing-the Edgewood car line in hands strong enough financially to continue to operate and maintain its tracks and dou- ble track 1t and put on all the cars needed.
 Much Ignorance
 "The ignorance of most people concerns ing the value of franchises is appalling. Cheap politicians have used this argu- ment on them so long they think a franc chise Is a sure road to vast riches. We find it different. We paid dearly for tho three blocks in Birmingham, as the rec ords will show. The paving alone, which ia wort hless to us cost about s2Su0 This money would have been assessed against the abutting property owners if our car line had not been there
 "In selling this line we will lose largo sum of money, but We are willing to do this to get the benefits that will accrue to our lands in Shades valley and to the people who will build there, by having the Edgewood line operated by the Bir- minsham Railway. Light and Power conl- pany"