The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-19
Says Prophecy of Wards Retirement May Come Far
 Sooner Than He Expects
MAKES PUBLIC TOO
 LETTERS ON BONDS
Also Asks What MT. Steiner Was Do. ing Years Ago When Efforts Were Being Made to Destroy
 the City's Credit

A reply to the letter of B. Steiner re- garding the Birmingham sinking fund controversy was yesterday made by George Ward, president of the city com mission.
 Mir. Ward reproduces the correspond ence alluded to by MT. Steiner in his let ter in last Sundays Age-He and asks some questions about letters sent out several years ago to destroy the credit of Birmingham
 He states that Mr. Steners prophecy about his retirement from public office may 2omo true far sooner than he ex- pects but 1t will be by MT. Wards own volition. His statement is as follows:
 According to MT. Steiner, my letter tried to cover up my incompetency by exposing his iniquity, now his letter tries to cover up his iniquity by exposing my incompetency.
 Grant that we have both succeeded.
 Tn the remainder of his article he claims that I overestimated our bond issues of $1S0,000. and that in the great Steiner bond deal it was not quite a million dollars that his firm made at the expense of Birmngham's credit
 Grant that also; but how much did it make?
 Tt may be true that Mr. B. Steiner did not personally talk to MT. Blackburn, or MT. Evans, or MT. Waldrop, but he did discuss the matter with Leo K Stei- her. short time ago, one of Birming- hams most prominent citizens informed me that Leo K. Steiner. president of Steiner Bros, incorporated, had consulted him about the attack on the sinking fund, and Leo Steiner was informed that the agitation could do the city no good
 About that time MT. Felix Blackburn employed MT. F. V. Evans at s25 per day to work on the figures that the city had furnished Blackburn and Evans. Who was putting up this $25 per day for Mir. Blackburn, and how much was Black burns fee:
 "In MT. steiners letter, he fails to answer or refer to the charge that dur c tto ID Q destroy the city's AS ioi 1he ID. .fes q willingness to 'es,s VI snows S,,tion which may be asked him.
 Now, here is a question:
 Mir Steiner in his statement lays stress Ou the statement that his firm as large taxpayers and bankers of this city, have always shown disposition to do their share for the public good Very we'll now will MT. Steiner say whether or not he came to the front for the city's 'pub- lie good to denounee the effort to de- press the city's credit when forged let ters were sent out on the letter heads of the city treasurer in 1898? That was when somebody purloined or reproduced the letter head of the city, treasurer of Bii mingham ard sent out letters to the bond holders, purporting to be signed by the city treasurer. in which 1t was stated in substance: That the city's outstand- ing bonds were of little or no value and that the city could no longer pay the per cent interest compromise on same, evcn after having induced the bond hold CTS to withhold every alternate coupon for q period of five years.
 Did Mir. Steiner come out boldly and declare that the signature of George Eustis, city treasurer, on said letter head was forged, and that the statement made thereon did the city a great injustice; that the cfty's bonds were good as gold, and that he would show his faith by his works by offering to buy Birmingham bonds at a fair price,