The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-21
Wide Range of Subjects Discussed-COnsiderable
 Feeling Shown
MUCH CRITICISM OF
 THE WATERWORKS co.
Citizens From West End and East Lake Appear With Complaints Re- garding Excess Water Bills.
 Arlie Barber Criticizes

One of the most lively meetings held by the city commission in many months was the one yesterday afternoon, last ing for nearly three hours.
 Everything from ''the telephone dear' to the present waterworks question was discussed The corporations of the city in particular appeared to be having a bad inning.
 Peanuts. popcorn and target rifles came in for a warm engagement at the ciase of the meeting when T. H. Motion and President George Ward of the commits sion exchanged views in unmistakable terms. The particular bone of contention in this engagement" was a popcorn and peanut stand and shooting gallery which have rented space on MT. Notions s lot at the corner of Fifth avenue and Twentieth street, and which the city ordered moved.
 Delegation From West End
 The session opened yesterday with speeches from a delegation from West End and another from East Lake on the excess water bills. Heated speeches were made by members of the delega- tions. c. c. Ellis. Jr.. said the water works company was filching the public out of all the money they could get in revenge for the election of James Wealth erly as commissioner and for the adop- tion by the voters of the bond issue for municipal waterworks. Mr. Ellis also told of having the waterworks company come to his house to remedy the pres- sure. as he was unable to get the water to flow from the faucet on the second floor of his residence. The man who in, vestigated 1t, he said, said the meter had stopped running, and that was responsi- ble for the reduced pressure. At the end of the quarter, however, he said he got an excess water bill.
 Prof. A. l.. Reese, principal of the Elyton school. stated the people of West End had ample proof the company did not read the meters. some of which were under the ground two feet. He ad- vanced the theory that the waterworks company Consistently estimated' the meter readings and had done so for many quarters during the litigation, and the election just passed. After the cleo tion, however when the company saw it had lost. he said they actually read the meters in his belief. and this was responsible for the universal excesses of the past quarter. For instance, he said that the estimates for the past several quarters had been "consistens under esti- mates" in order to curry the good will of the public,- each estimate being less than the meter actually read if it had been read. so that each quarter the me- ter gained and gained on the estimate. Then when the meters were actually read this last quarter, the enormous difference between the last estimate and the actual reading three months later caused the universal excesses. he said.
 The water works company is putting over on the people of Birmingham ono of the most colosal. bluffs ever con- ceived," declared MT. Reese
 R. H. Waller spoke as the representa- tive of the East Lake citizens, stating that the commissioners knew as well as he what was the complaint of the East Lake people in regard to water rates and asked for relief as soon as it was possibly to give if.
 Arlie Barber Speaks
 Arlie Barber of West End made one of his usual aggressive speeches "Ominous things were said at the meeting in West End the other night when we discussed these water rates.' he declared Things which I don't know but what should not have been said. I don't tell this as a threat but as fact. Meh expressed sen- timents there not in strict accordance or in sympathy with law and order. The people are wrought up, aroused as II