The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-28
BESSEMER MEETING
 HEARS WEATHERLY
Birmingham Commissioner Discusses the Proposed
 Water Contract
TESTIMONY IS TAKEN
Bessemer Citizens Give Evidence in the Impeachment Proceedings
 Against Sheriff Batson

E Bessemer, April 27-- -(speciaL) )-Con1- missioner James Weatherly of Bir- mingham addressed largely attended mass meeting of the citizens of Bes- semer tonight in the courtroom in the Realty building.
 John T McEniry, chairman of the committee calling the meeting to dis cuss the proposed contract with the Alabama Water company, presided Mir McEniry stated that the meeting was not an agitation against the Alabama Water company, but was held for the purpose of giving the people an op- portunity to understand the contract Commissioner James Weatherly of Blr- mingham, the speaker of the evening, stated that the matter under discus sion was a most important one and one that deserves much consideration. He said that out of 255 cities of over S0,000 inhabitants that reported to the United States census bureau the water plants in only 49 are owned by pri- vate companies There are a large number of towns with population of less than 30,000 that are not taken in by the census bureau which also own their water plants More than S1,000,-
  pal water plants. Rates for water in the various towns where the water plants were owned by private corpor- ations were discussed at length and compared with the proposed rates of fered by the Alabama Water company.
 MT. Weatherly stated he wouldn't pass any contract giving a 30-year franchise and the 13-year extension of the present franchise would be giving the company a 30-year franchise. He declared that the little consumers &were able to save very little by the proposed reduction. He further stated that he thought the city should ap-. point a strong committee to take Up the matter with the water company in friendly manner on the basis of a fair return on the investment and he felt sure that the company would be willing to meet the city on that basis.
 At the conclusion of Mr. Weatherly's talk petitions were read by MT Me sEniry and were signed by the men present planning to form themselves into a consumers league to purchase the property of the Alabama Water company.
 A motion was made and seconded that resolution be passed by the mass meeting asking the council to defer action on the proposed water contract and to petition the council not to sign the contract under any consideration granting a 13-year ex- tension of the franchise.
 Hearings in the impeachment pro- ceedings brought against Sheriff Thomas J Batson were held today ill the grand jury room of the Besse- mer division of the circuit court be- fore Commissioner Strickland The case was called at 9:30 o'clock and ts,vtimony was taken all day. About 115 witnesses were examined and tes- tified as to the character of Sheriff Batson. Perry w. Turner is represent ing the state. while Thomas T. Huey and .iBorden Burr are representin9 Sheriff Batson. No more testimony will be taken In Bessemer. but some will be taken in Birmingham in all prob . ability Saturday. and all this will he \ submitted to the supreme court in Montgomery next week when the case Will be heard. A number of Bessemer ahd Birmingham witnesses will go to