The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-19
City Has No Right to Cross
l.. & n. Tracks on
Second Avenue
NEVER DEDICATED
TO USE AS STREET
President of Sloss Company Says He
Hopes for Amicable Settlement.
Drastic Action May Cause
Shutting Down of Furnace

That the proposed removal OF the Stag
pile across Second avenue may result
in closing down the Sloss city furnace
was the belief expressed by Col. ]. c.
Maten, president of the Sloss-Sheffield
Steel and Iron company, who reached
here yesterday accompanied by w. H.
Gosdby, director. They came from New
York. where Colonel Maben is now resid-
ing.
Colonel Maben followed his statement
regarding the probable removal of the fur
willing. and even anxious, to treat with
the commissioners and perform every
reasonable demand of that body. He said
that he hoped to settle, the matter am
icably.
However, If the commissioners wish us
to remove that Stag at once, and they also
remove the Belt track, then there will
be nothing to do but shut down the fur
mace plant" he said. I'VE must have IA
cil;ties for operations.
McCtS SOiuiulSSiOucI6 Nioiddy
Personally, / hope the matter will be
adjusted amicably. We are to treat with
the commissioners Monday, and while l
have no intimation of their demands, L
trust they will be reasonable. We will
do all that is fair and square in refer
enoo to the removal of that Stag pile.
"As far as 1 can see, the city will not
open up a thoroughfare. In order for
the city to get more than one block
right of way must be secured across the
old North and South Alabama Uouis-
vile and Nashvlle) railroad tracks. That
cannot be done without law suit or
the city's paying heavily for that right,
because the right of way enjoyed by the
railroad company was never dedicated to
the city for a street or anything else. 1t
was secured before Birmingham was ever
mentioned or dreamed of.
Would Not Accomplish Much
IF this cannot be secured the city would
only remove that Stag for less than one
city block, as the tracks would cause
traffic to be diverted again into First
avenue. So you see that would not be
accomplishing a great deal. / do not
know what the city can do about get
ting that right of way, but l doubt very
seriously whether it can be acquired with
out hard fight between the city and the
Louisville and Nashville management
That is for those parties, however. As
for the Sloss company, we must have
facilities, and il the city acts unreason-
ably in this matter where the ends they
wish to attain are so entirely overesti-
fbpn IL will N O1tp fiouu in
Birmingham"
Colonel Maben seemed to be rather dis
couraged over the general situation that
ccnfronts him, but voiced the wish of the
management that in handling the PROPOSE
ton Monday with the commission an
agreeable decision can be reached. He
intimated that his company would do
everything that was consistent with good
business to attain a satisfactory adjust
ment of the question.
Business Fairly Good
Business is fairly good" continued the
colonel, speaking of general affairs. THE
situation is not bad to gaze upon, al
though during the past two weeks we
could see a slight slacl1ening in trade.
believe that everything will be all right
however,
Colonel Maben and Mr.. Goadby will be
here indefinitely they said yesterday The
SIoss company. 1t is gathered has many
questions of extensive betterments under
consideration which will involve some
large expenditures, but nothing is at this
time ready for announcement. Colonel
Maben said that he was checking up some
proposed betterments, and they would be
discussed with the local officials and the
proper announcement made before he re-
turns to New York If anything is at that
time ripe for publication.