The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-01
LANE INDIGNANT AT THREATS MADE IN FORD'SLAST LETTER If Company Begins Fight Lane Says He Will Grant
 No More FavOrs DRIVE COMPANY
 OUT OF THE CITY The City Should Begin on Policy of Constructing It's Own
 Light, Heat and Gas
 Plants

A. o. Lane, city commissioner, who led the victorious fight in the referendum election of January % against the adop- ton by popular vote of the 10 year light ing contract entered into by the city and the Birmingham Railway. Light and Pow CT company, and who after the defeat of that contract introduced before the com mission and secured the passage of an ordinance regulating and reducing the rates charged for electricity, when asked for a statement yesterday afternoon in reference to the intention Of the company to attack the validity of yhat election through the courts, expressed himself as determined to refrain from granting in the future any new concessions to the company; to make an effort to secure a reduction in the rates charged by the company for gas and steam, and to en- deavor 10 bring about the expulsion of the company from the city at the termi- nation of it's time" September 1, 1915. | The statement. which is one of the | sharpest ever made by Judge Lane, fol lows
 "Yes. I have read the communication of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company in which it claims that the referendum election is void. and indi- cates that the company will resort 10 the courts to have 1t so declared. This is an- other evidence of the ingrattude of said company; for, although 1t has made mill lions out of the city of Birmingham through grants of franchises and other wise. yet it is unwilling to make a con cession in reduction of rates. The people | will now be enabled to see how wise it was in refusing to grant this octopus a new lease of power. It has evidently de-
 termined to make all it can out of our
 people, but is unwilling to make any con
 sessions in favor of our people The peo-
 pie should now be united as one man in seeing that when the company's time is
 up September l, 1910. it shall be driven
 from our borders.
 | When I thought the company would be reasonable, l was in favor of giving 1t a fair figure for its physical properties: but now l believe it should be the policy of
 the city to construct It's own lighting,
 heating and gas plants. I shall proceed | in the near future to examine into the heating contract and into the gas con-
 tract. and if reductions can be procured, | l shall certainly take steps to that end.
 I intend to use my bs efforts to secure an extra session of legislature and try to see that this company and the water | works company bear their just proportion of the burdens of this city.
 T am of the opinion that the referen- dunn was entirely legal and that 1t an- nulled the contract, which, in my judg- ment, was so inimical to the city's inter ests. If the company desires to fight, let it come, and the city will measure swords with it. For my part, If this fight be be- gun. the Bipmingham Railway. Light and Power company in any of its various de- partment4 shall never have another grant of power in this city in so far as 1 can prevent It."