The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-12
Wards Action Clarifies Sit uation-Weatherly Makes
 Statement
NO CONCESSION WILL
 BE MADE BY THE CITY
Consumer Seems to Have Much Better Show Now Than in Past Few Days. Ultimate Goal of the City Is
 Municipal Ownership
By RALPH R. SILVER

The waterworks muddle has cleared.
 Like muddy water which stands over
 night the confusing elements-the sed- iment-of the waterworlSs controversy yes- terday settled to the bottom and left a cleared-up situation.
 Not that the negotiations are over and a settlement has been made, because it is far from such. But there was lin- ing up and rearanging of factors yes- | terday that answered questions heretofore
 puzzle. They might be stated briefly as follows
 | No contract or agreement like that
 sought by Judge Lane, city commissioner, will be entered into.
 l Enforcement of the high water rates | announced by the water company a few days ago seems a much more distant proba bility.
 The suits now pending against the wa- ter company will be carried to the high est courts in the land.
 No concession of a single claim against
 the waterworks company now made by
 the city will be given the latter. Neither rates, nor franchise nor regu-
 lation is the ultimate aim of the city ad-
 ministration. It is municipal ownership.
 Will Be to the Death Believing that the waterworks com pany is pursuing a policy of mo quar- ter," the city will do likewise and will fight the company with every honest and legitimate means.
 All this follows largely from the fact that in a formal statement issued yester- day afternoon, President George Ward in the Fundamental issues of the contro- a xrifh hat announced several days ago by City Con- mssioner James Weatherly. who Is in personal charge of the waterworks fight. In the question of the high rates which the water company Is now putting into effect, MT. Ward agrees with MT. Weath- erly that they are arbitrary and excessive and unjust He dsagrees with MT. Weatherly in what is to be done to ale viate them. MT. Ward advocates what he calls truce" by which he plans to have the water company continue to charge the rates it has been using for the past two years until such a time as the present litigation Is finally decided in the highest courts of the land. He states that in return for this he advocates mak- ing no concession or inducement to the waterworks company. believing that they can be persuaded to do 1t voluntarily. MT. Weatherly emphatical insists on
 his plan of payment of the high water bills under protest and then the insti- tuition of damage suits against the water , company. Mir. Weatherly stated yester- day that he wanted it thoroughly under- stood he did not advocate or advise any consumer not to pay his water bill at
 all. He said that his plan had but three sters in 1t which are necessary. They are" he said, simply a refusal to pay the high rate announced by the water company; second payment of the rate
 under protest when the water is cut off; and third, a mass meeting to organize hire attorneys and file damage suits against the company"
 But Little Inconvenience In this connection an interesting fact brought out yesterday is that nobody is running any risk by allowing the com pany to cut off the water. It is stated that if the water bill is paid, just as soon as the water is cut off, with 50
 cents additional for cutting the water on again, that the company Is compelled by law to reinstall the service within an hour or two.
 Hundreds of inquiries kept coming into
 the city hall yesterday from water con sl mers regarding their bills All were told to wait. no matter what commis- sioner they talked to. Anyone who has received bill and pays it now, 1t is stat ed will only add to the ultimate con fusion. If MT. Ward makes a success of
 his truce plan. the present bills received will be reduced if Judge Lane makes a success of his amicable agreement plan the present bills will be reduced: If both these fail. those who wish to follow Com missioner Weatherly's plan will still be able to do so. Many reports came to the commission yesterday from water consumers of a L.an Of the waterworxs company by which 1t is informing everybody that the city Is responsible for the high rates. Sev- eral citizens reported to the commission yesterday that the water company has a man touring the residence districts telling the consumer that the commission is re- sponsiblc for the high ate. All those who go to the water company offices and com plain of the high bill. 1t is said. are told the same thing
 All three commissioners however. are unanimous on one thing. That is that robody should pay their bill now. They state the water company will institute
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