The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-14
ENSLEY CITIZENS PROTEST AGAINST
 HIGH WATER RATES
Mass Meeting Held al Ensley, Where Many Lodge Complaints.
 Ensley News

Several hundred citizens attended the mass meeting held at the Ensley city hall last night by the Ensley club, for the purpose of discussing the excess water rate which the Birmingham Wa terworks company have charged many citizens of this district.
 c. c. Burke, president of the club, was in the chair and many prominent citizens of Ensley and vicinity addressed the meeting. Much resentment toward the waterworks company was shown by the several speakers and at all times the feeling was high.
 At the meeting number of complaints by water consumers were made Thomas Johnston, residing at 25os Nineteenth street, Ensiey, received an excess water bill for $52.2G MT. Johnston stated that he lived in a broom house and that he was married and had two children. He also stated that he had plumber to inspect his pipes for a leak but they were unable to find one. A. F. Holmes, residing at FPS Thirty-eighth street, Wy lam, stated that when he received his bill and noticed the excess water charge that he at once went to read his meter He stated that his meter would not run last Sunday morning He turned on all the fawcets in the house but the meter failed to register. S. J. Dafford, residing at 291S Avenue c. of this city, stated that his meter had not been read and yet he was charged with an excess water bill, stating his meter is buried two feet under ground and that no one has read it within the last two years Various ether complaints were made.
 Hear Committee Report
 The report of the committee which was appointed by the club was heard. They reported they had taken up the mat ter with the city attorney and that he advised them not to pay the excess water bill but to offer the regular minimum rate and to take witness along to prove the offer to pay the regular rates. A mo- tion was made that the chair appoint a committee of five from each district who will have the authority to appoint one man each to go before the city commits eioners next Friday night at o'clock and enter a protest against the action of the waterworiSs company.
 The motion carried unanimously and the following were appointed From Ems ley, Dr. E. w. Averyt. D. J. Hummer, Edgar Keenon, J. J. Chisholm, George Diggins. Sam Harrell, James Meacham, S. L. Morrow, George Adams, A. H Meahl and Tom OHara; wylam, John Nolan, Dave Kelso. Dr. ". R. Severe, A. R. Brown, A. F. Holmes and A. P. straig; Pratt City, J. R. Walker, Dr. H G. McGee. l.. E. Gale, Will Elmore, Ed Lynch; Rising Station, J. J. Reynolds. C. l.. Brown, A. O. Gaudlock, J. F. Smith and E. Turner Fairview, J. H. Bradford, R. S. Cross Frank Saclright, l.. c. No tron, O. Obermark and P. L. Zeigler Fairfield. J. II. McVeigh, F. M. McElroy, R. L. Hicks, c. J. Donsld and H. Francis; Tuxedo. E. E. Major, R. s. Hickman, A. D, Caver. G. H. Harllis. Frank Stafford, ". M. Deramus and H. B. Rawlings.
 Read City Code
 After hearing several other complaints about the meter readers not leaving any statement. section 300 of the city code of Birmingham was read before the meet ing. The code is follows:
 Statement of Meter Readings to be Left With Consumer-1t shall be the duty of each and every person inspecting any meter or meters for any person. firm or corporation selling gas, electricity or wa ter by mete" measurement in the city of Birmingham, to have a written or print ed statement with the consumer of such gas electricity or water at the residence or place of business of such consumer at the time the meter of such consumer is inspected; such statement to show the reading of said meter for the previous month. the present reading. the total feet of gas the number of kilomats of electricity and the number of gallons of water consumed since the last reading, with his or her Christian name or names, or initials and the date of making such reading"
 Several other matters were taken up and the meeting was brought to a close
 
 Two of the youngest members of the buy-a-bale movement Master John Angwin. Jr aged 20 months, and Master Oscar Ferrall. aged years. sons of MT. and Mrs. John Angwin of Avenue F, Ensley. These two young patriots pur- chased a bale of cotton each at 10 cents 4 pound, and with their own money. On the first birthday of the boys their par ents placed modest of money to their credit at the bank. which has been added to from time to time. The young iinanciers irtend to hold the cotton for the advance price that seems sure to come and their father states that if they never make a less desirable transaction than this one they will be millionaires some day. Herman M. Beck, past grand chancellor snd supreme representative to the su- preme lodge. Knights of Pythias, visited the Steel City lodge last night and made q most interesting address on the trans- actions of the recent meeting of the su- preme lodge at Winnipeg. He also took part in conferring the rank of esquire cn three candidates. RAPID ADVANCE OF GERMANS CAUSES
 BELGIAN CAPITAL |
 TO BE MOVED AGAIN