The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-17

the company wants to satisfy and be
 on friendly terms with the public and
 not because of any fear of the result
 of pending suits
 Officials Present Proposal in Person
 President A. M. Lynn, Vice President D. NJ. Watts Counsel Walker Percy and Superintendent H. H. Horner appeared at the city hall about 2:45 o'clock yesterday with the proposition. The commissioners immediately assembled in MT. Wards of flee and President Lynn read the state ment. MT. Weatherly moved that it be taken under consideration by the com mission, to be reported on later. The mo- ton was adopted and the waterworks of- ficials left.
 The commissioners expect to give their closest attention to a deep study of the proposition during the next few days. The statement and offer are in full as fol- lows, the rates being a material reduction under those of ordinance 97-C, which was the famous water rate ordinance rejected by the people at the polls not long ago:
 January 16 1915. "To the Board of Commissioners of the
 City of Birmingham:
 "Gentlemen: The Birmingham Water works company is furnishing water to the city and citizens of Birmingham under various contracts entered into with the old Birmingham municipality and with the various former suburban municipali- ties now part of Birmingham. These contracts fix the terms and prices upon which the water company shall furnish water, and all of these contracts run for a number of years. Notwithstanding the fact that the rates which the water com pany was charging were fixed by these contracts, there has been more or less dis satisfaction on the part of the people over the prices which they were paying for their water, and there have been in the past efforts on the part of the water com pany and the officials of the city to rear range through friendly negotiations the rates of the water company so a to en- deavor to make them satisfactory to the people of the community For various reasons unnecessary to discuss, nothing has been accomplished by these negotia- tions.
 While the water company would doubt less be justified, both from a standpoint of law and good morals, in asking the people of Birmingham to live up to the contracts made by their representatives, we are profoundly desrous of earning and deserving the friendship and good will of the people of this community and we are willing to make any concessions which we reasonably can in justice to our stockholders in order to make our busi- ness relations satisfactory to the people whom we serve Influenced by these motives we desire to submit for your consideration the following proposition, modifying the prices to be charged for water furnished to individual consumers and to the city itself:
 Proposition for Reduced Rates
 Existing flat rates in old Birmingham by the year are as follows:
 Dwellings of three rooms or less. ... $500 Each additional room under 10....... 100 Each additional room over 10....... 50 Water closets for private family..... 6.0O Additional closets for same family or
 servants .......................... 2.50 Bath tubs for private family. 400
 We will make these rates by the year as follows:
 Dwellings of three rooms or less 600 Each additional room under 10..... 100 Each additional room over 10....... 50 Water closets for private families in
 dwellings of three rooms or less. 400 Where there are more than three
 rooms ......................... 500
 ''The old Birmingham contract provides that water shall be furnished on a meter basis for every purpose except for dwell lings. It phovides that for a daily con- of 1000 gallons or less the rate shall be % cents; for 1000 to 15OO gallons. 271a cents; 1500 to 2OO0 gallons, 25 cents: 2O0o to 5000 gallons. 221s cents; 5000 to 4OOO gallons, 20 cents.
 ''The various suburban contracts pro- vide flat rates, but further provide that either the consumer or the water company shall have the right to have a meter set and water furnished on meter basis. The price for water on meter basis is the same as in the old Birmingham con tract in the quantities above mentioned. These suburban contracts also provide that however little water may be used, the consumer shall pay minimum quar- terly charge of s. We will make the meter rate throughout Greater Birming- ham 20 cents per 1000 gallons for daily