The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-07
ASK FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST
FRANCHISES IN CITY'S HISTORY
Claimed That 1875 City Blocks Are Embraced Two
Town Lines and East and West Lines Both Sides
of the City-Would Make New Company Strong Com
pettor of the Birmingham Railway, Light and
Power Company

| Eighteenth street. Thence south m
Eighteenth street past the Roden hotel
to the trunk line at Eighteenth and d
and thence back to Avenue F.
Runs Across Town
The line proceeds, as will be seen, across
town east and west on each side OF
the city. It will go across town north
/, and south at two points, Eighteenth street
and Twenty-eighth street. north and
south.
The officials of the Tidewater line in
formed the city commissioners that for
this franchise they are willing to bear
a substantial but reasonable share in the
construction of viaduct across the rail-
road tracks along Twenty-eighth street
from Second avenue to Avenue b. They
also agree to construct subway or VIA
duct at Eighteenth street from First or
Second avenue north to Avenue or
Avenue b, south The company also Will
agree to build a subway at the Louisville
and Nashville tracks on Avenue f and
Sixth street.
| The members of the conference yester-
day at the city hall would not go into
tine details of the proposition However
/ if the usual rate per block is charged as
will most likely be the case, the city will
secure a very large sum of money in
addition to the special tax placed upon
| the company for the franchise tariff.
| The Tidewater officials, while not will
ing to anticipate any action this morn
N 81 bu vi atat apf in
formation showing their reasons for
starting this undertaking. They assert
ed that the line to East Lake would be
completed in less than thirty days. The
company's forces under Macarthur broth
ers contractors, will then be ready to
start construction at once.
| The line, lis asserted. will open up an
entirely new territory. A noticeable fea-
ture of the franchise is the fact that the
! Tidewater Will not ask that the tracks
OF other companies be used, except poss-
IDLY for one block and that is on Nine
teenth street at the junction of Hunts
vile avenue and Nineteenth street to
! Eleventh avenue, north, less than one
half block.
srhe request of the Tidewafer com
| pany may conflict with the franchise
request of the Kelly interests That
line, as is well known. wishes to go
down Avenue F, while the Birmingham
! Railway, Light and Power company
also wishes at this particular time to
utilize that territory. on Eleventh ave-
nue. also the Kelly interest desire a
| right of way while Eighteenth street
figures in the Kelly line request.
in connection with the Tidewater
| request General Manager Brown said
yesterday that the trunk line now
operating between Ensley and Bir-
mingham would have the East Lake
end finished in less than 80 days and
| in operation. He added that the pat
rons of that line were eagerly awaiting
this extension. He said further that
his company officials believed that the
trunk line was entitled to the feeders
contemplated and tnat he hoped the
city would grant the new franchise.
Norwood Situation
| Another significant fact in regard to
the proposed franchise is the Birming-
ham Realty company. From the route
contemplated it Will be noted that a
franchise will be asked through the
boulevard of that company in Nor
wood. While nothing has been given
out it is known that the Birmingham
Realty company reserved street car
rights on that boulevard which were
never dedicated to the city. Hence that
right is at the disposal of the realty
company. If the franchise therefore is
given without objection of the realty
company 1T may be gathered that the
realty company Is friendly to the Tide
water. Again 1t is noted that the fran
chise will indicate cross-town service
! past the Roden hotel and down Fifth
avenue by the Roden.
| The franchise will be filed this morn
| ing by Forney Johnston. acting for
the banking house of Morris Brothers.
owners of the Tidewater line. The com
missioners indicated 1t was their pleas
ure that tho request be filed today. .