The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-05
Reported Negotiations in New York Have Set Com
 missi0ners Thinking
CHANGES WILL BE
 MADE IN GRANT
Franchise, if Given, Will Be Made Unattractive to B. R., L. X ?. Co. City Officials After Street
 Railway Competition
Ky RALPH R. SILVER

The proposed Tidewater franchise for
 a street railway system throughout the
 city may not be such easy picking
 after all
 1 Whether tor not a consolidation of the Birmingham Railway. Light and
 Power company and the Tidewater has
 been considered. is being considered
 or will be considered by officials of
 the company. the meeting of officials
 of these two companies in New York
 last week has not been without re-
 suits locally.
 1 The Birmingham city commissioners
 have their weather eye" on street rail-
 way proceedings They decline to be
 quoted. But it is positively known l that they have frowned on the rumors
 of consolidation between the two
 street railway companies regardless of whether or not those rumors had any basis in fact.
 The consolidation talk following the New York meeting-althoug It may have been the most idle rumor-has
 awakened the city commissioners to a full realization of how easy it might De for competitive street car service To squeeze out of their fingers when they
 think they have it in their grasp. And In pondering over the matter a real
 ization of their weakness in the hands 1 of the corporations has not been re-
 freshing.
 Now. if the Tidewater wants and se- cures a franchise for the routes they have petitioned for,' covering nearly 200 city blocks, that franchise no doubt is going to be such that it will not appear particularly inviting to the Bir- minghnm Railway Light and Power | FOmn9nV baA da the commissioners either don't know 1 or won't say. They are considering. One suggestion upon which they are dwelling seriously is a clause in the Tidewater franchise providing that the city can buy out the company any time 1t sees fit at a price to be fixed by unbiased appraisers With that kind
 of bait on the hook. city officials seem certain the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company will not nibble. The commissioners believe the Bir-
 mingham Railway, Light and Bower company does not want any short time franchises
 franchise recently for that very req son. After 1t had been granted a dis puts ayose between the commissioners and the street car company regarding | the length of the franchise. The com
 misioners wanted a short time fran | tutSt, ine SlIetl CdT company wanted | a long term franchise and as a result
 the ordinance was repealed. Therefore, with clause in the Tldewater fran chise giving the city opportunity for
 municipal ownership at any moment, it l Is generally believed the Tidewater would not be bothered by flrtations with financial agents of the Birming-
 ham Railway Light and Power com pany.
 At one time the Tdewater practi- ca1ly as good had its new franchise,
 but there can be no doubt but what be- fore 1t gets it now there will be some further "dickering."
 The apparent ease with which the Tidewater could sell out to the Bir-
 minEham Railway, Light and Power company in spite of an ordinary clause in its franchise prohibiting such an act has set the commissioners thinking and if they are able to do 1t they intend
 to put some provision In the Tidewater
 grant that will block effectuately any such move.
 The commissioners are after compe-
 titioil, and unless they can have mighty
 good assurances they are going to get it. any company from now on is go-
 ing to have difficulty In getting a street car franchise.