The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-11
WANTS ID BUILD
 LINE ID WARRIOR Proposal Made to County Board By Shortridge FRANCHISE IS SOUGHT If County Will Build Highway to River Shortridge and Associates
 Will Buy Franchise for
 Electric Railway
FRANCHISE IS SOUGHT

W. W. Shortridge and associates are anxious to construct an electric line to the Warrior river and have offered semi-annual payments of suitable amounts for a franchise along hlgh- way built by the county.
 MT. Shortridge's offer was made yes terday in formal communication to the board of revenue. It is as follows ITO the Honorable Members, Board of
 Revenue of Jefferson County
 "Gentlemen-ln behalf of myself and associates. l beg leave to submit Tor your consideration the following prop osition: If the county will construct modern. upto-date highway With suitable grades from the limits of the city of Birmingham to some selected point on Warrior river we will agree to pay the county reasonable ana fair compensation in semi-annual pay ments for franchise along and over said highway to be used for the con struction of a double track railroad, using electricity as a motive power.
 "We will, on our part, agree to pay said semi-annual installments for a period of 20 years, provided said fran chise is granted in perpetuitS. We fur- ther agree to begin the construction of said electric railroad as soon as the work on the highway is far enough advanced to allow us to proceed. Re spectfully,
 'eW. M. SHORTRIDGE, For Himself and Associates 1 In a statement issued simultaneous ly with his letter to the board of rev enue, MT. Shortridge said:
 1 "As this great work is a matter of
 public interest, it is proper that
 should make some statements in con
 nection with the application, and that
 wide publicity should be given them ir
 order that the propositions should be fully discussed and understood by the | general public.
 Representative Business Men Tn the first place. I wish to state that the gentlemen who are associated with me are representative business
 men of high character who reside in | this county, with ample means to car
 " out any agreement they may enter l 1nlO. VIII auQ IuTlneT lndl lnlS I1ii- l road Is no new scheme with them, but
 has been fully matured for more thai | year and a charter would have beer | cbtaIned last summer had not the Eu-
 rolsean war intervened.
 No steam railroads, street railways l or ether corporations are behind 1t. oi promoting It.
 1 At the proper time we shall apply fo charter, and later intend to offer fo l n1a airri itxy af nf pany to the citizens of Jefferson county
 because we realize in order to get thu | best result. in the way of freights. th'
 business men of Birmingham and Jeffer son county should own and control th
 railroad. The proceeds from the sale O | the stock will be devoted to assist il | building the road. We are assured il
 this way the railroad can be financed. ! Jefferson county is not authorized b,
 the constitution of the state to build tn | railroad or aid in It's construction. bu | it has authority to construct a highwa,
 and grant franchise for it's use by
 railroad, and receive compensation fo it provided it does not obstruct it's us
 as public highway.
 | Suppose it will cost Jefferson count,
 $50O,oOO to build and pave a highway , or 60 feet wide to the Warrior river, an, | in payment of the work bonds are votet 1 and sold. bearing per cent interest making a total interest charge of $25,0O per annum. Again suppose it should b. | agreed that a fair compensation for tn
 railroad to pay for franchise should b
 s10, 900 or $12,OOO per annum. you perceiv
 how the interest cost will be lessened t | the county.
 ''The electric railroad we intend to con struct will handle freight of all kinds | as well as passengers, thus giving eas access to the advantages the river af 1 lords.
 "The public needs the railway and als the electric railroad. This being admit | ted why not later, at the proper time enter into a fair agreement, which i practical and economical, and secur both. Build highway as direct as pos | sible, and with a grade suitable fo | freight trucks and other vehicles thei | we will build the electric railroad, whicl will furnish transportation for passenger and freight at reasonable rates. provides we obtain a franchise over the high way.
 Let us get together on some plan b. ' which the people of this county cal reap the full benefits of this great water 1 way to the gulf.
 We are not asking for any contrac | at the present time. because it would b premature, as you have not yet agree' to build the highway, nor will we asl
 it until you can legally make it, but W merely wish to call your attention to tn proposition for your future consideration and aid you in your conclusions"