The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-15
SPECIAL MEET|NCON
KELLEY FRANCHISE
"Real Final Action" to Be
Taken Today
HACKERS REVEALED
Ultimatum of Commissioners Com.
piled With at Conference Held
Monday-Names Withheld.
Chances Increase

And the hoodoo still pursues the Kelley
franchise.
After very short, but rather spirited
brush with the city commissioners in reg
ular session yesterday morning the re-
quest of the Kelley interests for a fran
chise to operate street car system in
the city of Birmingham was again tabled
and scheduled for consideration and final
action at special meeting at II o'clock
this morning.
Final action" on the Kelley franchise
matter has been going on for the past
several weeks. However, all three of
the city commissioners did not hesitate
yesterday afternoon in stating that the
real final action on the petition for the
franchise would be taken this morning.
In this connection it has become very
evident that the chances of success for
the Kelley interests in securing the
franchise have increased very much
within the last 4S hours.
When the so-caIled ultimatum of the
commission was laid down a few days
ago to the effect that the Kelley people
would have to make known their finan-
cal hackers, and do 1t by yesterday. or
all negotiations would be broken off. il
was believed that there was a small
chance of the franchise ever being
granted. President I1xum, of the COM
ilhssion, does not hesitate to state that
ne Is unalterably opposed to it, and Com
missioner Lane is equally as frank in
stating that he Is in favor Of it. Com
missioner Weatherly therefore appears 10
be the key to the situation, and IL was
ne VINO yesterday made the motion that
action upon the franchise be postponed
until ii o'clock today in order TO give
him further opportunity to look over the
matter. Judge Lane seconded this mo-
tion and 1t was passed unanimousIv
II developed at the meeting yesterdav y
that the representations made to the
city commissioners in the conference
MONDAY afternoon with the Kelley inter.
est5 was the revelation by the Kelley
people of their financial hackers in ae-
ccrdance with the uItimatum of the com
mission. The passing of the franchise
without a vote yesterday was partly due
to this. as all three Of the commissioners
stated that they had not had time to
think over the matter. Each of the com
missioners expressed his views to the el-
feet that he was entirely satisfied as to
the financial standing of the hackers an
nounced by the Kelley people.
But the mere fact that a man has
thing from this board" said President
Exum in answer to a statement from AT
torney ". J.. Miller, representing the Kel-
leys. to the effect that as the ultmat,im
of the commission had been complied with
the Kelley interests expected final action
yesterday. Commissioners Lane and Ex-
um stated that they were ready to vote,
but that they were willing to grant Mr..
Weatherly the courtesy of holding the
final action over until today, if he so de-
sired. Mr.. Weatherly then made his for
NAL motion and 1t was passed Mr.
Weatherly spent the larger part of yes
terday afternoon studying the different
phases OF the franchise. He would not
say last night anything as to how he
would vote today.
Another conference was held yesterday
afternoon between the three commission
ers, the Keleys. their financial hackers
and their attorney, Mr.. Miller. Nothing
in regard to what was done was given
out Mr.. Weatherly said last night that
as far as the city was concerned. he would
willingly make LEown the financial back
ers of the Kelleys, but that the announce
inent had been made to the commission
in confidence AMI as such could not be vio-
lated. The names of the financial back
ers Will be learned today in case the
franchise is granted.