The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-27
BESSEMER WANTS
 LOWER WATER RATE
People Much Interested in the Proposed Change of
 Ownership of Company
NONJURY COURT TERM
This Was Called by Judge Gwin and Long Docket of Minor
 Cases Was Disposed of.
 Civil Matters Next

Bessemer, January -(Speeial) Much interest in being manifested in Bessemer in regard to the proposed change of ownership of the Besse- ner Waterworks company, it being an : nounced sometime ago that the local plant would be sold to the Alabama Water company. A short time before the above announcement was made, the Bessemer city council appointed a committee to take up the matter of q reduction in water rates in Bessemer with the company, and the officials of the Alabama Water company came before the council and asked 1t to defer action in the matter until after the proposed change was made, when they stated that they would take up the matter with the council a a later date. For many years the people of Bessemer have felt that they paid an excessive water rate and are getting anxious to know just when the new company will assume charge of the local plant, so that an effort may be
 A nonjury docket was tried in the Ressemer division of the circuit court today before Judge J. c. B. Gwin and a large number of witnesses were summoned All of the defendants were charged with minor offenses and sev eral cases were disposed of, while q large number were passed to be re- set
 On Monday morning a jury docket the first since the change of the late city court, will be taken up and a large number of cases have been set for the week.
 Mrs. William R. Evans, S5 years of age, died last night at the home of her son, A. W. Evans, at Dolomite. following a short illness. The deceased has lived in this district for many years where she was well known and loved by scores of friends. The de- ceased is survived by her husband William R. Evans, who is ST years of age and is critically i'll at this time and little hope is held for his recovery; one son, A. W. Evans, of Dolomite and two daughters, Mrs. R. P Thomas of Birmingham and Mrs Reese S. Davis of Discoon, Penn, as we'll as large number of grand children and great grandchildren. The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the Bethlehem church. the Rev A. c. Swindall of Dolomite, off ciating. Interment will follow at the Bethlehem cemetery with Kennedy in charge.
 Much interest is being manifested in the Sunday school institute which will be held on February and at the First Presbyterian church under the direction of Leon c. Palmer, sec- retary of the Alabama Sunday School association, assisted by Mrs Palmer and Miss Freda Bose. The institute will be for Sunday school workers of all denominations and splendid pro- gramme has been arranged and will be announced later. The public is in- vited to attend.
 The city schools completed their midyear examination today and on Monday large number of pupils will receive their certificates and will pass to higher grades Quite a number have completed the course in the grammar schools and will go into high school Monday morning. The est in the history of the high school will be greatly increased. When the high school was erected several years ago, it was to accommodate 250 pupils, at the present time there are nearly 4oO pupils in that building
 Mrs. Eugenia Lee, 70 years of age, died last night at the home of her sister, Mrs A. J. Denton at Pleasant