The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-21
OBJECTIONS ID THE
 REROUT|NG PLAN ID
 BE THRESHED OUT
Citizens Give Views on Pro- posed Plan-Meeting at City Hall This After
 noon to Discuss Plans

AhOOAL GO D1SCuSS T Id0S
 Objections to the proposed reroutine or the street car lines will be heard this afternoon at the public meeting before the city commissioners Louis Gelders and George McCleery gave out the fol- lowing interviews last night on the sub ject:
 The objections to the proposed re- routing of the street car lines will he threshed out in the public meeting be- lore the commissioners today at o'clock said MT. Gelders. "The com- mittee proposing the rerouting strongly desires a large attendance of citizens and invites suggestions But it wishes to correct a statement that has ap- peared in the press to the effect that any change was absurd since there had been no kicks against the old sys. tenn AS a matter of fact the entire plan of rerouting the street cars was suggested by statement appearing In the newspapers about six months ago, accredited to the commissioner of public safety. The commissioner objected seriously to the dangers to the public
 
 car lines on certain streets. Stirred by this idea, a number of citizens began work on the plans for rerouting these lines. Their activities eliminated in the proposals laid before the commission and the public on last Monday after noon.
 Furthermore. had those who state there had been no kicks against the old system been interested enough to loS they would have seen a petition con- taining the signatures of hundreds of citizens of Greater Birmingham pre- sented before the commission asking for a change in the routing of the car lines that there might be cars connect ing the newer divisions. The committee was gratified to show that this wholly
 Independent movement was already embodied in the proposed plans then in the possession of the commission. The quick response of the public shows that the work of the committee fills long felt need. Letters and expressions of good will from labor leaders, club wom- en, educators and business men attest the interest of the public in this work for the common good"
 MCLEERY'S STATEMENT Regarding this movement for chang ing the routing of street cars through the business district of Birmingham" said MT. McCleery, q think this is matter which concerns the general public who use the street cars and I would be absolutely opposed to any change that would inconvenience them in getting to the center of the business district, which is the place the vast majority de- sire to go. I am, therefore, opposed to any change whatever that would take any cars off streets now traversed and cause car patrons from any section, in or out of the city, to be compelled to walk one, two or three blocks to get to their destination. For instance, it's pro- posed to have the East Lake and& West End cars confined to First avenue, in which case passengers bound for Second or Third avenues will be compelled to walk from one to three blocks, and the Boyles and Pratt-Ensley cars would be confined to Fourth avenue and never touch on the business centre.
 "There has been some talk of conges- ton, but this is a little premature for Birmingham as yet, and we need a good deal more congestion before any radical change in street car routing becomes necessary for that reason. Congestion is no argument anyhow against public con- venience, and if congestion becomes un- l bearable which it is not anywhere in | Birmingham at present, it would be
  Any change made or contemplated must be made with the supreme object in view of catering to the convenience and com fort of the public who patronize the street cars. and whether the cars are | routed through or looped in the center of Birmingham they must pass at least | the corners of Second avenue and Nine teenth street and Third avenue and Nineteenth street. and also the corners | of Second avenue and Twentieth street and Third avenue and Twentieth street 1 for this is the centre of Birmingham s business district and the place where almost everybody wants to go.
 q am heartily in favor of any arrange ment which would facilitate the comfort | and convenience of school children who | have to use the cars, and it should not be very difficult problem to solve, but | it should also be borne in mind that there are boys and girls in East Lake, West End, Ensley, Woodlawn and other suburbs who attend high school in addi- l tion to those who live on the South | Highlands and no provision is made for | them. It might be deemed feasible to | have all cars from the suburbs make a | loop to the high school during the school l term