The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-25
LYNN DECLINES TO
ANSWER WEATHERLY
Commissioner Issues Warm
Statement
HELP is NOT NEEDED
Commission Able to Care for Wei.
fare of People, He Says, Without
the Aid of Water Com
pany Experts
HELP is NOT NEEDED

President A. NJ. Lynn of the Birming-
ham Waterwcrks company declined last
night to answer the card of Commissioner
James Weatherly, issued yesterday morn
ing, partly in answer to the published
statement of Mr.. Lynn OF Saturday morn
ing. The water company official said that
he originally held that the case instituted
by Mr.. Weatherly against the company
should not be tried in the newspapers,
and as Mr.. Weatherly in his answer
graciously eoncurs in that view, nothing
will be said in answer to the commits
sioner
Weatherly's Statement
The statement OF Mr.. Weatherly was is
sued principally because he was referred
to in the communication of Mr.. Lynn.
Judge Lane nor Mr. Exum made any
comment yesterday except that Judge
Lane said II am perfectly satisfied We
have fine water here. Mr.. Lynn in his
statement made out a fine case"
The statement of Mr. Weatherly as Is
sued follows:
The Birmingham Waterworks COM
pany, through its able and adroit presi-
dent, Mr.. Bert Lynn, submits an elab-
crate brief and argument before the bar
of public opinion.
1T is apparently intended to show
That its water is pure and wholesome
and the city water supply at North Bir-
mingham and Highland park is not pure
and wholesome.
That it's motive in showing up the
citX Wata1- iu hieyh
inspired by sense of city righteousness
and by sensitive regard for the well
fare of the dear people without an idea
of gain.
That the suit filed by myself as rela-
tor for the state of Alabama against this
benevolent institution to nullify its fran
ehise is groundless and an afterthought
following Judge Grubb's decision sustain
ing the contracts with the city
Mr.. Lynn protests he has no wish
to argue his company's pending law suits
In the newspapers, yet that is Just what
he does, with lawyer-like acumen and
skill.
Il shall not initiate his example ex-
cept to state that unless L am very badly
advised by the attorneys acting for the
state in the quo warranto suit, this great
charitable institution will find before it
gets through with this suit that it is a
sure enough law suit and that the state
will produce evidence to sustain every
material allegation in the petition.
Il am informed that the company has
gotten very busy piping its supply canal
from Five Mile creek to its North Bir-
mingham reservoir. This has been an
open canal subject to surface contamina-
ton for nearly a quarter of a century and
growing more subject to such contamina-
ton with the growing density of popula
tion.
81 am also Informed that within quite
recent period. probably not exceeding 122
months, the water company has been
trea ting its North Birmingham supply
with hyopdermic injections of hypochlo-
ride of lime. | am informed that the last
named cure for diseased water has
been in general practice amongst the
water company for only few years, but
why has not The open canal been covered
ere this for the nearly quarter of a CEN
tury of its use by the water company?
What sort of water have the people been
getting from the water company from its
Five Mile creek supply whilst the canal
was uncovered and undoctored with hypo-
chloride of lime in the Five Mile creek
supply and why has not the hyopchloride
been used in the Cahaba supply?
Doubtless the waterworks company s
motives in making analyses and tests of
city water and publishing them to the
world were fully as pure as its Five Mile
creek water supply, but why has it not
made and published tests of its water in
that open canal. We shall have something
to say along that line in the quo-warran-
to suit.
sI cannot understand why Mr.. Lynn has
selected the great public of Birmingham
before whom to anticipate the defense of
it's law suit and incidentally to impugn
my motives.
at would be extremely interesting to
speculate on what would happen to the
birmingham Waterworks company be-
fore this great jury which Mr.. Lynn
has apparently selected to try his case.
The recent verdict rendered by this
great popular tribune against Mr..
hymns client has apparently made but
a feeting impression on his mind. Would
1t not be best for Mr.. Lynn to beware?
Whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad L would suggest that
both parties to the suit keep quiet for
the present and busy themselves in get
ting ready to try the law suit in its
proper forum the circuit court of JEFF
ferson county.
"As to the city's water at North
Birmingham and Highland Park, the
city commissioners are amply able to
take care of the welfare of the people
of Birmingham without the aid or ad-
vice of the experts in the employ of
the Birmingham Waterworks company.
however pure and unselfish that advice
may be. The city commissioners do not
propose to furnish the people unwhole-
some water and the city has competent
experts Of its own to advise 1t in this
matter. The city commissioners do not
propose. however, to abandon either of
its available sources Of municipal sup
ply at the behest of the waterworks
company and will exert themselves to
the utmost to conserve these sources
of supply and will make use of them
whenever and wherever reasonably
practicable consistently with the pub
lie health and general welfare"