The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-08
ERSY UNI ONE MAN CARS ID.
 BE TAKEN HIGHER.
Refusal of Company to Make Change Moves Citizens to
 Refer Fight to Public
 Service Commission

Fountain Heights section who filed petitions with Commissioner ". L.. Harrison asking that the one-man cars be removed from the lines will present their petitions to the Ala bama public service commission, fol- nesday by J. s. Pevear, co-receiver of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company, that the type of cars now in use would Lot be changed. l.. II. Smith and Mrs. B. A. Cooper, who presented the peti- tions for the Norwood and Fountain Heights lines, respectively, stated Wednesday night that they will con tinue the fight to the end.
 The power company officials noti- fled the city commissioner Wednes- day that the company would not make the change as it would entail cost of approximately $lS0,00O and that competition from the jitneys on the lines was too keen. Re routing the cars through the down town section was granted by the traction company and the cars will proceed to First avenue and Twentl- eth street before turning instead Of Third avenue.
 Letters were written to MT. Smith and Mrs. Cooper by Commissioner Harrison asking for a conference and assuring them that he would cooperate with them in placing the B. sion. This conference will be held as soon as possible, the commission CT stated, and if the residents desire to go before the commission the mat ter will be prepared for immediate presentation.
 When asked regarding the matter Wednesday night, MT. Smith said, We would not have gone into this matter unless we intended to fight it to the finish, and all of the pe- titioners, amounting approximately to 250, will all stand behind me in whatever action we think best to have the changes made. Several of the residents stated to me that they used the street cars exclusively up to the time the one man cars were installed and since that time they were patronizing the jitneys and would continue to do so until the two-door cars were again placed on the lne.'
 Mrs. B. A. Cooper, who present=d the petition of the Fountain Heights residents, stated, "One obstacle n our path to have the changes asked for will not stop the signers Of the netition by the residents of this sec tion and we were going to push the matter with all possible ha 'te. l understand Commi ssioner Harrison has written me letter asking for conference and has assured us that he Wi cooperate with us iu having the sepa,Ste entrances on the cars of the Ines replaced. We have about 200 names on our peticl)n and they are all voters of this precinct"
 It was stated by the power com pany officials that the change from the one-man type of cars to meet with the requests for separate en- trance for white and colored would mean the retirement of the cars now in use and the purchase of at least Is new cars which would cost the company approximately $1S0,00o. The traction company, he stated. was not in a position to make such expendi- tures The matter was gone over fully by Lee c. Bradley, receiver Judge William l. Grubb and MT. Pe- year before an announcement was made.
 In the letter written to the two citizens, Mir Harrison inclosed copy of the letter received from MT. Pe- wear and one paragraph reads, AS stated in my previous letter that in the event the company refused to comply with your request the only thing that could be done in obtaining redress would be to file your com plalnt with the Alabama public ser vice commission. To do this will re- quire some time and expense in hay ing citizens from both lines appear before the public service commis- sion when the case is set for hear ing. I am willing to co-operat1 with you in carrying 1t before the pubic service commission and obtaining decision from them."