The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-15
ANNUAL REPORT OF
 CITY ATTORNEY IS
 G|VENCOMM|SS|ON
Boyd Refers to Legislation Lost and Acquired by Bir- mingham-Criminal and
 Civil Cases Pending

Romaine Boyd. city attorney in sub hitting yesterday morning his annual report referred incidentally to legisla- ton lost and acquired by the city du,- Ing the recent session of the general assembly
 Respecting the details of his work or the year. the attorney says:
 The first part of the vear was marked by the compromise and settle ment by the board of the litfration 1 With the Birmingham WaterworlSs com pany, resulting in reduction of s31-s per cent in metered water rates "commencing last December the city attorney has given considerable time to assisting the city legislative agent l in the preparation of much needed hills Tor action by the legislature and co- operation with the legislative agent in the effort to pass these bills through the legislature.
 success was had in the passage of the bill providing for constitutional amendment under which the people may increase the city's reyenue and also in the passage of the important so-calied omnibus bll. which was in
 
 pal code as to cities of over 1o0, ,o0o l population. Legislation was likewise secured under which a bond election was held and carried and bonds sue cessiuliy noated so as to enable the city 10 meet its necessary obligations untit permanent relief can be secured through an increase In the citys revenues.
 Secured Reduction in Rates The legislature stripped the city of | It's power to regulate rates of public utilities. but 10 per cent reduction was obtained in lighting rates several days before this adverse legislation be- | came effective
 1 The city attorney has discharged bls usual duties as legal adviser of the board of commissioners. heads of the various subdepartments, board of edl- cation and also acted to a certain ex. tent as bureau of information far the public in general with regard to municipal laws and regulations The city attorney has also exercised general supervision over the city's liti- 1 gation and actively participated In some of the more important cases The city's | ciVil litigation has been in the mme- dlate charge of Assistant City Attorney NJ. M. Ullman and the criminal litiga- ton of Assistant City Attorney W. A. Jenkins.
 "The report of Mr. Ullman shows that 119 cases were disposed of during | the year and S1 new cases fled leaving 36 civil cases pending at the end of the year as against 134 the previous year. The total final judgments against the city amounted to s5156. which while | considerably in excess of the previous | q bptp tfafo and below the average annual expense which can reasonably be expected in d city of the population and area of Bir- mingham. Mir Gllman has also made good progress in collecting many de- linquent public improvement accounts.
 Appeals Not Delayed 1 For many years conditions have made 1t impossible to obtain creditable results in the prosecution of appeals from the recorders courts, but a law has been recently passed making all ap- peals returnable to the criminal court only. and every effort is being made to get these appeals tried without the long discouraging delays of the past
 MT. Jenkins, who Is in charge of this difficult undertaking, has spared no pains in the preparation of these ap- peals for trial and securing some ef- fective system instead of the chaos which, by reason of the long delays | and punching of settings for trial it has heretofore been impossible to over come. As soon as the old cases are dis posed of. there Is good reason to be- | lieve that with cooperation in the prompt setting for trial of these ap- pealed cases, satisfactory results will be obtained. Mir. Jenkins has also. when called on, assisted in other business of l the department.
 'In conclusion l wish to express my appreciation of the uniform considera- l ton of each of the commissioners upon whom is imposed the duty of admtnis- l tering the government of the city with revenues pitifully inadequate for the necessary public demands"