The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-23
CITED ID SHOW WHY CONTRACT BE
 NOT CANCELLED
Public Service Commission Calls on Lee c. Bradley to Ap- pear Dec. 30-0ther Rates
 Threatened Says Brown

To show cause why the contract
 now existing between the Birming-
 ham Railway, Light and Power
 company and the Alabama Power
 company shall not be annulIed and
 cancelled, Lee C. Bradley, receiver
 for the Birmingham Railway,
 BiEht and Power company has been
 Service commission to appear be-
 fore that body. December 20.
 J. Ellis Brown, public utilities com missioner of the city commission, yes terday sent letter to Mir. Bradley in which he advised the company that in case authority for the breaking of the contract is given, the city will expect the company, and not the people Of Birmingham, to stand the sequences.
 At the last meeting. of the Alabama legislature a law giving the Alabama Public Service commission power to act irrespective of contracts between cities and public utilities and between two public utilities was adopted.
 At the present time the Alabama Power company is petitioning the Ala bama Public Service commission for an increase in rates on the power they furnish throughout the state of Ala bama.
 ! DEPENDS ON CONTRACT
 The present contract which the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power company holds with the Alabama Pow CT company is the only thing that stands between the people of this city and a similar raise in all power rates. the commissioner believes.
 Should the contract be annulled, and the Alabama Power company be made free to raise the rates now ex- isting on the power it furnished the local company. it is very probable an effort would be made to have Birming- ham people pay an increased rate in all service rendered by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company. with the exception of the gas which was recently put in and is furnished from the Sloss- Sheffield By-products plant at North Birmingham" said Commissioner Brown.
 NOT NECESSARY
 The contract still has several months to run and I believe that if it is allowed to hold without interfer- ence prices will get back to normal. the last of the furry about the high cost of living will be over and no al iSce III ltS 4Ou pOWef VIII Dt plduSl- ble, much less necessary
 Commissioner Brown dispatched the following letter to MT Bradley:
 Dear Sir: I am informed that the Alabama Public Service commission has ordered you, as receiver of the Bir- mipgham Railway, Light and Power company, to appear before that body, December 30, 1920, and show cause why a certain contract now existing be- tween the Alabama Power company and Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company should not be cancelled and annulled. This contract as I un- derstand it, was made in good faith with your company for power fur nished by the Alabama Power company and has several months yet to run, if the same IS not interefered with.
 Since the Ala bama Power company has made application to the public ser vice commission for an increase in rates throughout the state, it appears to be the intention of that company to endeavor to get authority to break this contract and raise your rates for pow CT. l desire to advise you that in case authority for the same is given and this contract broken, that the city will expect your company to stand the con- sequences. Yours very truly,
 ''J. ELLIS BROWN
 Commissioner of Public Utilities