The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-14
BIRMINGHAM WILL
 GET IMMEDIATE
 GAS REDUCTION Ward, HOrnady and Truss Will Vote for Lower
 Rates on Tuesday
WEATHERLY AND
 BARBER WANT TIME
Barber Says They Cannot Afford to Hurry Too Much on the City's
 Business

Through the cooperation of Com missioners George B. Ward J. R. Truss and John R. Hornaday the city of Birmingham is practically assured of lower gas rates in the immediate fu- ture, as at Tuesdays meeting these members of the board will vote to mod fly the existing gas contract between the city and the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company to reduce the present rate by at least 25 cents a thousand cubic feet to the consumers.
 A franchise to utilize by-product gas will also be granted the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company at the same time.
 Owing to the absence of Commi ssion- CT Truss at Fridays conference with President J. s. Pevear of the gas com pany there was a deadlock, as Com missioners Barber and Weatherly main tained that the original offer of the city should be the basis of further nego- tiations and not the counter proposals of tire company.
 Taking the view that any reduction from the present rates was a decided gain for the city, Commissioners Ward and Hornady opposed the stand taken by Mir. Weatherly and MT. Barber.
 TRUSS BREAKS DEADLOCK
 Yesterday morning this deadlock was broken when Commissioner Truss an nounced that, like Mir. Ward. he felt that a reduction in rates was a gain for the consumers and should be taken advantage of without further barley. This settled the issue, as it meant a majority in favor of by-product gas.
 At Fridays conference Commission CT Barber stated yesterday he made the following offer to President Pevear: q asked President Pevear." said MT. Barber, ito at once name fiat rate to last the life of the present contract without any further reductions. I am willing to deal with him if he will name such a flat rate. When I made the offer MT. Pevear parried the ques- tion and stated that he would have to consult his associates. He also stated he was in a hurry to terminate this business. Well, according to my view we cannot afford to be in too much of a hurry on the citys business" WARD EXPLAINS
 1 Mayor Commissioner Ward stated yesterday that a contract with some slight changes from the offer of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company will be drawn up and voted on next Tuesday. This contract will be ratified by the votes of Commissioners Ward, Hornady and Truss, while Com missioners Barber and Weatherly are expected to oppose.
 "A reduction of 25 cents a thousand cubic feet" said Commissioner Ward means a considerable saving and feel that if we cannot secure better terms we should accept what IS bet ter than we have at the present time. With few slight changes, the offer of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company will be accepted at next Tuesdays meeting"
 PRESENT RATE 95 CENTS
 The present gas rate is 95 cents a thousand cubic feet The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company has a contract with the city which runs until 1921. About year ago the ques- tion of by-product gas came up. Aft CT a trial of about 30 days by the consumers this form of fuel and light was found to be highly satisfactory and negotiations were opened with the city toward securing a franchise for the use of this gas.
 As the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company and the city could not arrive at terms the matter was dropped but revived from time to time. Recently it again came forward when the city commission made an offer to the company that 1t would grant franchise providing the gas rates were lowered to 70 cents when the contract was signed and 10 cents year there after until the rate was 90 cents, where it would remain until the con tract expired.
 Without rejecting the offer of the city, the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company came back with counter proposal in which it offered to lower the present rate to 70 cents when the contract was signed and to make reductions of cents whenever the gross receipts amounted to as much as S202, ,000 which are the pres ent annual receipts from gas con sumption in Brmin gham. This is the offer that will be accepted at next Tuesdays meeting.