The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-09-19
ULLMAN EXPLAINS
FAILURE TO REPORT
ON THE T|DEWATER
Says Either Way He Re-
ports Will Be Interpreted
as Move in Political
Campaign

The city commission meeting yester-
day morning was just like the govern
ment says that Alabama must be-dry as
on a little life, when City Attorney I'LL
man stated the reasons for his not hav-
ing reported on the Tidewater franchise
matter which was referred to him at
recent meeting of the commission.
Attorney H. A. Dickinson brother of
DR.. A. j. Dickinson, introduced an ordi-
nance, the purport of which was to get
a report on the Tidewater case, to de-
termine it's exact status. Commissioner
Barber was presiding in the absence of
President Ward and he stated that he
could see no use of the ordinance when
he had made a motion to the same eff
feet at a previous meeting, which was
adopted.
He added that the commission would
like to know why City Attorney ullman
had not made his report, and Mr.. Ull-
man gave the following reasons:
TT has been currently reported on
the streets that DR.. Dickinson has said
that he would smoke EN- out, with
reference to the commissioners, and
their opinions on the Tidewater fran
chise matter, and that if the commits
sion revoked the franchise, as he asked,
1t would be charged in the campaign
that it was done for campaign purposes
IF the commission did not revoke the
franchise, then it would be stated that
the commission was favoring the Bir-
mingham Railway, Light and Power
company, and that Is the reason that
have not made my report, and | will
not make this report unless so ordered
by the president, or the commission, as
a whole. I think that this matter should
not be decided upon political grounds.
but on it's merits"
Mr.. Barber said that he was ready
to vote now, and that it would not make
any difference with him whether it was
before or after the election, he would
vote Just the same on the report.
The ordinance was referred to the city
attorney as was the resolution, to be
reported back to the commission as to
its legality, prior to action by the COM
mission.
rather fervent outburst of oratory
was heard at the morning session when
j. e. Pate made it plain that the plum
bers of Birmingham would not observe
a law that was not observed by other
citizens. The charge was made that DIR.
w. C. Gewin had opened a sewer and
allowed an unskilled workman to tap
it, make connections. and run the pipes
from the new addition to the Birmng-
ham inffrmary, contrary to law and
that no other citizen was allowed to tap
the sewers without inspection, and that
Dr. Gewin had covered the pipes UP
without an inspection.
Following Mr.. Pate, Leon Dulion made
a speech, wherein he provoked laughter
when he drew comparison between a
doctor and a plumber.
The commission adopted the new city
code, the work of codification having
Just been completed by Judge Anderton,
and the book is now on the press.
West End citizens, Alex Montgomery,
Frank Butler, Mr.. Hagood and w. G.
Gewin appeared before the commission
for relief from street conditions which
was granted. the commission agreeing to
repair the street at once, compel the
Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic rail-
road to station a guard at the crossing
on Broad street. and to place guard
rails on the bridge over Spring branch.