The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-05
BE:SSE:MER NEWS

Bessemer, May 4.-(Special. )-The Bes- semer city council met in regular session tonight in the council chamber and was called to order at o'clock by President George Ross, with nine members pres ent. After the reading of the minutes a recommendation was read from Mayor l. A. Lewis that ]. I. Reeder be made building inspector of the city of Besse- mer in connection with his place as chief of the fire department Mayor Lewis stated that he had ordered the wall of the public library, which had cracked, repaired at a cost of $33. The mayor s recommends tion was compiled with
 Another communication from the mayor was read in which he gave the approx innate number of cubic feet of gas he thought would be used if the Bessemer Gas company would install gas in the city jail for cooking purposes and fur nish it free, according to the require nents of the franchise. Attorney T. T. Huey, who represents the gas company petitioned the council not to force this hardship on the company, which is a small organization as the company has furnished gas for the lighting of the city hall building free which amounted the plant was built in Bessemer. This matter was referred to the judiciary committee to investigate and report back at the next meeting.
 The regular order of business was dis pensed with and petitions and complaints were heard. W. H. Sewell petitioned the council for permission to build a frame building to cost about $175 on Third ave- nue between Seventeenth and Eight eenth streets. The petition was denied. J. T. Crofford petitioned the council to reduce his contracting license $5. or half the amount per year. The matter was referred to the miscellaneous committee to look into and report back.
 The street and light committee to which was referred the matter of having the headlights of the electric cars cut out while in the city proper, reported that the company was using new head lights, which they thought would prove thoroughly satisfactory.
 The citizens in the neighbOrhood of Ninth avenue and Twenty second street pctitioned the council to have light placed on that corner. The matter was referred to the street and light commit tee.
 Chief of Police T. B. Walker asked for leave of absence and expenses to attend the police chiefs convention, which will be held in Cincinnati in June. Alderman Winters made a motion that the petition be denied. as the city was not able to pay the expenses. The mo- ton was lost Aldermen Deason, Suratt, Milton, Edwards and Simmons voting mo-" and Aldermen Crotwell. Winters, Simmons and Austin voting aye" A motion was made that the petition of was adopted MT. Wallace further pc titioned the council for a to-day leave of absence for the police during the sum- mer. The petition was granted.
 City Engineer Milner was present and stated that he had made survey of Carolina avenue from Twenty-fourth to Twenty ninth streets and that to open up a D-foot street along this survey and adjoining the property of the Ala bama Great Southern railroad, the city would have to buy a strip of land 70 feet in length from the Sloss-Sheffeld Steel and Iron company. Carolina ave- nue will have to be opened up so as to give the people who reside in that part of the city a way to reach Bessemer as the viaduct being erected by the Ala bama Great Southern railroad company will cut off the only road they have to reach Bessemer. The matter of buying this strip of land from the Sloss-Shef- field Steel and Iron company was re- ferred to the street and light committee. city attorney and city engineer, with power to act.
 The matter of buying a mule and wagon from B. F. Thompson for $l50 was referred to the street and light com mittee
 George Ross complained of the condi- tion of a building next to his residence on Sixth avenue and Sixteenth, and All derman Winters complained of the con- dition of shack on Fourth avenue and Eighteenth street. Both ulitters were