The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-05
FORD TAXES SWAT
 AT COMMISSIONERS Have No Business Meddling
 With His Street Cars REROUTING IS PASSED Big Delegations Representing Both Sides of Controversy at Commits
 sion Meeting-Ford Says Peo-
 pie Squabble Too Much
REROUTING IS PASSED

An unconditional challenge was hurled at City Commissioner Lane and the Birmingham city commission yes. terday by A. IT. Ford, president and general manager of the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company.
 It came about at the hestitancy of the commission to pass, one way or the other. upon the rerouting petition af- fectng the North and South Ensiey street cars. The matter has been be- before the commission about two months or longer and after being argued yesterday for several hours was about to be passed until next Tuesday when Commissioner Lane made mo- | ton that the cars pass up to Twenty first street rather than stop at Twen- tieth street.
 President Ford, who had been listen ling attentively and patiently to the ar guments on both sides, then asked President Cuipepper Exum if he could submit a few remarks. MT. Exum nod ded an affirmative whereupon Presi- dent Ford said;
 Have No Right
 "Right here I want to deny the right of this commission to run my street cars l will therefore, ask you, Judge Lane, to withdraw that motion This commission must recognize that my company operates the street cars of this city under a franchise right duly lexecuted and the control of those cars rests with my company and myself So far as operating the cars into this street or the other, I am not con cerned except to render the greatest service to the greatest possible num- | Der of people. I am willing to cooper ate with you. but you must recognize our rights You must recollect that l am serving the street car patrons of Birmingham. They are not merchants or commissioners and the street cars are under my organization and not this commission.
 "It seems to me that this reroutins business Is a tempest In teapot. It | Is making a mountain out of mole | hill and l for one wish that it would be stopped For the life of me. l can not see why the people of Bfrming- ham cannot get together on at leas. a small matter. There seems to be more dissension here than any other place on the map although we have the greatest city In the country. We should be more broad minded than to sauabbIe over such trifles. As for this question, our company Is anxious to co-operate in every way with the cit izens and merchants We all get our living-including the commissioners from the people. We should, therefore, consider them. In operating my street cars 1 figure out the best can how to serve the greatest number of them adequately. 1 said when this petition was presented to me that was author ized to change routes, but that l would | ask that the commissioners pass upon the matter. Therefore it is here. l was | told positively that no objections would | be raised and here 1t Is that some of my best friends are arrayed against each other over this matter. l hope Judge Lane. that you will take into consideration the willingness of this company to do everything fair but as for routing our cars away mp on that street is out of the question
 Interest Aroused
 The speech of President Ford and his subsequent efforts to pour oil upon the waters, created the keenest interest in l the commission meeting His attitude was not to be misunderstood and the commis- | sioners for moment were unable to | figure out exactly where they stood. Com | missioner Weatherly shattered the si- | lence by making substitute motion to | the one of Judge Lane, asking that the question be again passed until further | information could be secured. President | said ia amount of traffic was not distributed to | the points at issue and he was for serv | ing tho greatest number of people. The company officials said they could furnish | that information The roll was called , upon the substitute motion and 1t car- 1 ried. with Commissioner Lane voting no. | The rerouting of the cars was. there- | fore. passed until next Tuesday.
 l A special hour had been set yesterday | morning for the hearing of the change l of street car routing and some of the most prominent mercantile men of Bir- mingham assembled before the commis- sioners, representing practically all in- terests in the territory affected. Those present included:
 Many Present
 W. w. Crawford Joe Slaughter. A. R. Moody. Louis Pizltz R. D. Burnett, II. J. Porter, J. E. Shelby, Perry Fowlkes, A.. R. Dearborn. T Leonard Hobert |. Groom Beatty A. II. Ford, George II. Harris, Louis Gelders, Joe Thompson, John r. Yeatman, William Walker, Nor ris Burk, Major Miner. Keys Milner. Hill Ferguson, Charles H. Nabb. Neely Rose, w. R. Stewart. A. A. Gambill Dr. J. F. Dedman. Martin l.. Semon, Dr. Worthington and others.
 The position of those petitioning for the change was presented by Mir. Thomas MT. Crawford. Major Milner. Keys Mil ner. IT, J. Porter and others The oppo sltion was led by Joe Loveman of Love man. Joseph X Loeb: M. Y. Joseph. Rob ert w. Ewing and others. The view point of citizens of Ensley was pre- sented by w. R. Stewart of Ensley.
 The speakers gave their ideas of the proposed change some of them arguing the question with skill. NJ. V. V.'Joseph anc