The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-28


 tor White. Eighty-five per cent of the me-
 Colonel Austin, soon to be sheriff of
 
 abide by its decision. ? That same right to declare the right of eminent do-
 main and take over the waterworks plant. but with 1t should secure it's entire watershed. its pipes and mains
 and everything that would be necessary and pay for them what a duly quail fled board of appraisers should say | they were worth.
 Danger to Company "The chief danger to the waterworks s company resulting from this present controversy. as l see it, is the hos tility of the legislature. The water 1 company has very few friends and a
 real live legislature is going to give such powers to municipalities that the l peoples hostility to the company will l be given chance to express itself. Now my water bill has been raised l from less than S3 to S7.50, about 300 per cent. and while such a matter is | in one way trifle, in another 1t is Unpleasant to open your mall and find 1 a water bill with such an increase. l have got to take the water. If l go 1 out into my back yard and dig well, l the police department will be given or ders to arrest me for maintaining a
 nuisance and I've got to take the water at the company's own price because my | family can't do without it.
 "I look for some very vigorous legisla- ton on this matter this winter. With such men as John Weakley and others
 which this county is sending to the leg islature I anticipate some laws that Will place in the hands of Birmingham such power as will soon result in municipal ownership of waterworks. The city should have the same right of eminent domain exactly as a railroad company has and I believe she will get 1t this wfn- ter. Heretofore there have always been friends of the company representing Jef- ferson county in the senate and blli giving city power to exercise it's legti- mate rights in such matter could never be passed through the senate.
 '.TThe water company will have to get off it's high horse and bond issue for a municipal water plant must come. AS to when, l haven't given it sufficient thought to express an opinion. l am doubtful of the wisdom of expending
 money to build a competing plant. At
 least so if proper power to handle this question Is conferred upon the city by the legislature.
 "The city is overwhelmingly in favor of municipal ownership; if put to vote I venture that the bond issue would carry by a majority varying from or s to l to 10 to 1. The company has very few | friends.
 Successful in Other Cities "The success of municipal waterworks is well known. Statistics of many cities l can easily be secured. Chicago made | profit of $2,0O0,000 from it's plant in cne l year I understand, the waterworks being one of the city's most profitable sources of revenue. New York is now expending
 some $40 0o0O, 600 on a great municipal waterworks plant, driving great tunnels through the mountains and under rivers to bring pure water to the metropolis
 from the Adirondack water sheds. Los Angeles is expending or is about to finish expending something like $2o,O00,O00 on a great municipal water plant system. Salt Lake city brings its water by municipal plant some 90 miles from the mountain tops and many other similar instances can be cited
 ''Of course, all this matter must be handled in patriotic way. Neither the city nor the waterworks company should treat each other like Mexican bandits
 would The city should not attempt to
 confscate or take by force the water works plant. 1t Is a problem for level
 
 statesmen
 "I do not wish to enter into a discussion of Judge Lanes plan for compromise. l am not familiar enough with it to eX- press a worthy opinion. l don't wish to say anything applying to these matters Low pending, as I have been out of the city for sometime and am not. as familiar with them as I should be. But the real solution, in my estimation, Is through remedial state legislation in behalf of the people. With powers such as l have out lined, the city would soon be able to solve the problem. And l am Joking to the
 coming legislature to give them" Favors Municipal Waterworks "I favor a municipal waterworks,' said J. R. Sadler of East Lake. T do not know about the plans mapped out at pres ent, as l am not familiar with them. l would not favor compromise with the water company if the suits against it would have to be dropped. I believe a municipal waterworks bond issue would carry overwhelmingly"
 Interesting Parallel Case An interesting case bearing somewhat on the local waterworks situation has l just been decided by the supreme court of the United States" said Monte ull-
 man. attorney. yesterday. 'It was the case of the city of Vicksburg, Miss. against the water company there. The city passed through a controversy simi- lar to the present one in Birmingham and voted bond issue to build a munich pal waterworks plant to be ready for operation at the time the franchise of the private corporation water plant ex- pired. This water company had an ab- solute franchise for certain number of years and there was no way to attack it. so the city could only prepare to build its own plant when the companys fran chise expired.
 "The company officials, however se- cured an injunction against municipal bond issue which was upheld by the lower courts and the circuit court of appeals on the ground that the bond is- sue destroyed the value of the private company's property. When 1t was car ried to the supreme court of the United States, however. the decision was re-