The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-10
to Retire From office
Soon, Leaning q Notable Record
He Through With Politics Fought Public
Interest to Best of His AbiyReview of His Work During the
Years

Commissioner weatherly will soon re-
tire as city commissioner. only God
Almighty Himself could induce me TO
offer for city commissioner againi" he ex-
claimed to the public service commission
a few days ago.
But there will be little joy or com
fort in this declaration and determine
ton to those who have opposed the
commissioner or the commissioner s
policies For in blazing the trail to the
very doorway of municipal ownership
and municipal home rule he has unmis-
takably defined the course of him and
those who follow.
In the five or six years he has served
as commissioner, James Weatherly has
been new deal" in municipal politics
and policies He played the game DIFF
ferent," and he played it as planned If
he could not successfully buck the line"
he gained 10 yards around the end.
James Merriweather Weatherly assum-
ed the office of commissioner of the city
OF Birmingham in the early part of
April, 1911. He was assigned as head of
the department of streets, highways, city
and public property and city and public
improvements.
In the early days of his commissioner
ship he was not regarded as a world
compeller.
EARLY ACTION CRITICIZED
Having been district attorney for the
Southern railway, he refused, on ethical
grounds to vote on the First avenue and
Twenty eighth street viaduct as originally
agreed on between the old aldermanic
board and the railroads. Having been
district attorney for the Southern Bell
Telephone company he refused, for the
same reason, to vote on the application
for increased telephone rates. These two
were the first major matters before the
new COMM ssion.
For his action in thse two matters he
was criticized as being under corporate
influence.
This criticism increased to thunder
sound when he Immediately thereafter
cast the deciding vote in favor of the
electric light contract. By mail. tele-
phone and word of mouth he was
malgned, abused. His recall was immi-
nent
But 1t is remembered that at the first
meeting of the board after the first ref
erendum, it was Commissioner James
Weatherly who introduced the resolution
repeating, annulling and resembling the
contract he had voted for and defended.
And his most energetic critic cannot ac-
cuse him from that time Of being domi-
mated or influenced by the corporations
The waterworks controversy, however
as really the beginning of Commissioner
Weatherly's ascendency on the board. II
Is doubtful If even the commissioner him.
self had any idea that a simple little
resolution introduced into the board meet
ing one lazy summer afternoon, direct
ing the city attorney to report the
authority of the city to regulate water
rates was destined to make him the
dominant, commanding figure in mu-
nicipal affairs and the glittering target
Of those who doubted and damned.
When the board Of commissioners as
sX41ed government of the city, the paw
ing situation was a serious problem For
10 years practically no paving was laid
except brick or bitulithic at from $1.75 to
$l.90 per square yard. This applied to
residential as well as business streets.
There was much complaint and charges
of a paving trust.
Property in residence sections could not
stand the heavy assessments which the
laying Of these pavements demanded.
Commissioner Weatherly took hold of the
paving situation. He introduced and had
passed q resolution that specificat ions
should be drawn and bids submitted on
the various kinds of good paving and
any responsible contractor could bid on
same. The price Of paving dropped from
10 to Is per cent.
He sent for the railroad presidents and
told them that grade crossings would
have to be eliminated in the central city
and they could start by building the
First avenue viaduct. And the weather
ly viaduct on First avenue from Twenty
eighth to Thirty-sixth street will stand
as monument for 100 years. He forced
the railroads to replace the old wooden
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