The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-31
Agreement Reached Tester day and Work Will Prob ably Be Under Way
 by June
SOME CONCESSIONS
 MADE ON BOTH SIDES
 DURING CONFERENCE
Total Cost Will Be S210, 0,000-City ,e Pay 9 Per Cent, But Corpora tions Waive All Abut-
 ting Damages

The viaduct war is over. As early as next June 1t is stated in an agreement reached yesterday, viaduct at First avenue and Twenty-seventh street will be under way.
 A formal proposition made to the city commissioners Saturday by MT. Miller of Atlanta, assistant to President Harrison of the Southern, was accepted by the commissioners yesterday and formal agreement between the contracting par ties will be drawn up within the near fu- ture
 Concessions were made on both sides. The city commissioners are well pleased. The city's share of the cost will be any where from s400O0 to s70.0O0. It is guar anteed that it will not be more than $7o,- GOO, and the commissioners believe 1t will run about s5O,OO0 or s6O.ooO. the ac- tual figure at the end depending on sev- eral variable conditions.
 The commissioners agree not to open Second avenue across the railroad tracks for a period of 10 years. As negotia- tions looking to the opening of that street are now under way, 1t Is said it would have been opened. At the end of 10 years, it is believed by the city built there.
 The portion of cost to the city is designated by 25 per cent of the total cost and abutting damages of the viaduct. The railroads agree to finance the entire work and allow the city ample time to pay it's share. The cost is estimated at $210,0O0 and the corporations involved waive abutting damages.
 The proposition and the negotiations with the Southern and the Louisville and Nashville railroads, which have taken the | initiative. member of the commission | stated yesterday that recent develop | ments showed that it had not been the 1 railroads which were responsible for the last break in viaduct negotiations. The | railroads have been desirous of settling matters amicably and it is due to their efforts, it is said, that the vaiduct or dinance will not go into effect tomorrow and what would probably have been a long legal battle started.
 The negotiations were reopened Sat | urday morning by MT. Miller, who said President Harrison had asked him to come to Birmingham and "try his hand | to see if he could not reach an agree ment with the commissioners. He asked that his presence here be kept secret 1 Mir. Miller talked privately with the commissioners and found out about what they would and would not do. He ther got in touch with Louisville and Nash | .t.. tB4 Ar.ft 1 drawn up. It seems that Sunday Vice President Mapother of the Louisville and Nashville and also President J. c. Maben l of the Sloss company, were in the city | for their signatures were attached tc l the written proposition when it was brought back to the commissioners. Owing to the importance of the nego-
 tiations and the press for time, the com
 missioners held a conference Sunday aft
 ernoon at the city hall and agreed tc
 agree to the proposition. Yesterday
 morning they sent a formal letter to l. | Sevier. local representative of the South
 ern. stating they would accept. | The reason the cost to the city is un-
 known now Is that 25 per cent of the tota
 cost would be $52,0o0. It Is stated the en- | gincers are very liberal in making these estimates, however, and when the worl | is completed it probably will not be that
 much To this will be added one-fourtf
 of abutting property damages, which may | vary from nothing to a considerable sum The proposition agreed to is as fol lows
 'To the Honorable George E. Ward, Presi
 dent James Weatherly, A. O. Lane Commissioners.
 Dear Sir: The undersigned corpora
 tions concerned in the proposed construc tion of the viaduct at First avenue here by respectfully submit the following prop osition: '1. The city to vacate by appropriate line of the Southern railway right of wa,
 to the east line of the Southern railwa, right of way; also from the west line O the Louisville and Nashville right o way to the eastern terminus of the via duct.
 "2. The city by appropriate ordinances to agree not to open Second avenue, iron the Louisville and Nashville right O way to the west line of Thirty-secont
 street for a period of 10 years.
 ] ''3. The cost of the encouragement O
 the Sloss- Sheffield slag track from No. furnace across First avenue so as t.
 eliminate grade crossing at First avenue
 to be included in the cost of the via I duct.
 "4. The city to bear % per cent of tn
 total cost, exclusive of the expens
 chargeable to the street railway, est
 mated at s4l, ,750, but inclusive of dam
 ages.
 "5 If desired the corporations a9re
 to finance the city's proportion for