The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-23
JACKSON WRITES ON
AVE.F FRANCHISE
Thinks Mistake Will Be
Made by Not Giving 1t to
B. r., L. & P. Co.
D the Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
Much has appeared in the columns OF
the daily press of late relative to the
grant by the city commissioners of fran
ehise for street car line down Avenue
f westwardly to serve Elmwood ceme-
terry and that portion of our city which
has long needed street car service.
II seems that some time ago Mr.. George
B. Kelley and associated filed application
for franchise covering a number of
streets and avenues of the city, including
10 blocks on Avenue f, viz. from Seven
teenth street TO Seventh street on that
avenue. Subsequent to the petition of Mr..
Kelley. number OF property owners in
that portion of the city and other parties
interested in Elmwood cemetery, includ-
ing owners of burial plots therein, filed a
petition asking the commission for a
franchise along Avenue r from Twen-
tieth street to Elmwood cemetery, with
the ayoved purpose of transferring such
franchise, If granted to them, to the Bir-
ningham Railway. Light and Power COM
pany This petition was presented after
Mr.. Ford, president of the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company had
assured the applicants for the franchise
that, IL the same was secured by his COM
pany 1t would, without delay proceed
with the building of the line and have
cars in operation thereon within a short
time. The Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company further agreed
through Mr.. Ford. as ] understand, to
build a viaduct or underpass under the
Louisville and Nashville railroad tracks
where they cross Avenue r. sufficient to
accommodate foot travellers and vehicles
along that avenue, without cost TO the
city, thereby at once getting rid OF one
of the many dangerous grade crossings in
the city.
1nasmuch as the parties who have APP
piled for this franchise, and who purposes
to transfer same to the Birmingham Rail-
way, Light and Power company, stand
ready to pay the city reasonable compen-
sation for the franchise, II seems to the
writer that our commission would make
a vast mistake If they refuse to grant the
franchise to them. In the first place
one OF our many dangerous grade cross
ings would be Immediately eliminated
without expense TO the city, which would
not be the case If the grant is made to
the Kelley interests, since their proposed
line does not cross the Louisville and
Nashville tracks. but stops In front of the
Standard Oil company's office at Seventh
street and then again. street car service
to Seventh street would not serve the in
cIeasngly large numbers OF our people
who desire 10 visit the cemetery, incud-
ing plot owners their families and others
who desire TO go TO the cemetery on
funeral occasions, and VINO having no au-
toniebiles or other vehicles, are dependent
upon street car service.
And then. too. a street car line to this
cemetery. branching off from the North
and South Highland lines at Twentieth
street, would afford street car service to
the cemetery connected with the entire
sy stem of the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company's line, and would
ena BILE parties who desire to visit the GEM
etery TO make iise Of the valuable trans
fer privilege in reaching the same. which
would not be the case. even if-the KEEL
ley interests proposed to construct their
libes 10 the very gates OF the cemetery.
This would be an untold convenience to
everybody who wanted to go to the ceme-
terry, and in deciding the question as to
who should have this franchise it seems
to me that our commissioners should not
lose sight of that great convenience to
our people.
In large cities, what is known as a flu
neral car Is coming more and more into
use on occasions of funerals, thereby
getting rid of the costly and old fashioned
professions of carriages and hearses pass
ing through lHt Streets ana II tnefe were
street car line TO the gates of the GEM
etery, such funeral cars could be operated
here and the cemetery could be reached
In that way from every part of the dis
trict
At present this cemetery has street
car service to its gates. the nearest street
car line thereto being from the Elmwood
station on the Powderly line. and persons
who desire TO visit the cemetery are
forced to walk along the Montevallo road
for something like half a mile, through
the mud in wet weather and through tie
dust, ankle deep, in dry weather. and a
street car line along Avenue F to Seventh
street only would not in any manner re-
lieye that situation
fargument favors the granting of this
franchise to the Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company rather than to
the Kelley interests. and in making this
assertion am not losing sight of the adj
vaptages of competitive street car lines
II is certainly to he hoped that our COM
uissioners will not be so short sighted
as to fail to take advantage Of the viaduct
above referred to and OF Immediately Civ
ing to the people of our city street car SER
vice to Elmwood cemetery with the val
liable transfer privilege and at the same
tine guarding the interests OF the city
now ard for the future, Yours respect
fully. F. NJ. JACKSON.
Birmingham. November p. 19l2.