The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-29
WYNN ID PROTECT CITY'S INTERESTS AT M0NTGOME ERY
Officials Perturbed At Outlook For Legislation Affecting
 Viaduct Program

Latest developments in the fate of the legislation pending on viaducts and underpasses had city officials greatly perturbed Monday morning. After d short conference with Presi- dent D. E. McLendon and Commits sioners w. l.. Harrison and ". E Dickson, City Attorney W. J. Wynn caught the first train out for Mont gomery to endeavor to protect Bir- mingham's interests
 News that reached the city hall Tuesday morning was to the effect that the railroads were making a vigorous effort to saddle on the state highway commission responsi- bility for the sponsoring of the Brooks railroad bill, which provides that all communities, regardless of size, that take the initiative to have constructed within their municipal limits any sort of viaduct, underpass or like public improvements must pay half Of the costs,
 Officials now see in the act oi 1911, passed to allow Birmingham 10 pay part of the costs of railroad intersection improvements to accele- rate action, a recoil that has butted open the way for cornter Legislation to the provisions of the code of 1907 that is leading to long litiga ton.
 At o'clock Tuesday afternoon a conference was scheduled to be held in Montgomery between the state highway commission and the legis- lative committee on the revision of laws at which the Brooks, or rall- road, bill was to be the topic ot discussion. It was to be present at this conference to look out for Birmingham interests that MT Wynn left Birmingham Tuesday morning for the capital
 Since the statement issued by Senator Walter s. Brewer to the et- feet that the Brewer bill prepared to clear the legal atmosphere in re- gard to the code of 1907 and the act ot 1911. had been adyersed by the committee on revision of laws and that he saw little hope for the pas sage of the measure in which Btr- mingham is so vitally interested, there has been an atmosphere ot apathy in Birmingham circles, as far as can be learned. Though the call ing of a mass meeting was discrss- ed mass action vigorously carried out, as Senator Brower suggested, has not materialized so far.
 O O O
 Attitude One Of DejectioB.
 They've got us licked, so what's the use?" seems to be the general attitude toward the measures the railroads spokesmen are preparing to put over. There has been no lit tie comment, sometimes in eXaspera- tion, over the fact that the railroad bill has been sponsored by legisla- tor from a disnterested community, said to be in no wise connected with the railroads.
 At the mass meeting in the Cham Der of Commerce week or so ago Col T. II. Motion, one of Birmins- hams pioneers, stated that he had resigned the presidency of the Bir- mingham Chamber of Commerce be- cause officials of that organization at that time would not back him up in his fight. to get yiaducts over Railroad avenue. Colonel Motion said he and others had been fighting for proper crossings for Birming- ham north and south streets across Railroad avenue, for 37 years, and that the growth of the city depend- ed on better facilities for street traffic in such improvements.
 Other than MT. Wynn's trip to Montgomery to be present at the conference in Montgomery Tuesday, as far as could be learned there was nothing being done in Birmingham Tuesday, other than possible indi- vidual interest, to combat the pend ing legislation, which is said by Bir- mngham officials and citizens to be highly inimical to Birmingham welfare and growth.