The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-03
CONTROL Of
UTILITIES IN
STATE ISSUE
Governor ELECT Unwilling to
Make Radical Change in
Alabama Law, But Would
Let City Commissioners Sit
in Session With Major Board

Governor-elect w. W. Brandon
and the Municipal league "home
rulers" of Alabama are on the verge
OF clash over the proposed bill to
restore municipal control Of local
utilities to the cities and towns of
Alabama
This was indicated Monday fol-
lowing a conference at Tuscaloosa
between the governor-elect and
members of the league and the Ala
bama public service commission
elect.
Governor-elect Brandon will in
sist that the public utility act of
Alabama be amended to permit To-
cal government representatives. to
sit with the Alabama public service
commission in cases involving local
utilities. The governor-elect said
that he cannot support the proposal
to return control of local utilities
to the city governments, as en-
bodied in the home rule" measure.
This information reached Birming-
ham Monday night from the Tusca-
loosa bureau of The Age-Herald.
No Compromise, Says Harrison
William l.. Harrison, commissioner
of public utilities for Birmingham,
on his return to Birmingham late
Monday night, speaking as member
of the Home Rule" league, said that
restoration of control of local util-
tiles to the municipalities was neces-
~ cnrnnrnOnica would
be taken. Commissioner Harrison
explained that Governor elect Bran
don called the conference at the in
stance of the public service commits
sioners- elect to determine how far
reaching in effect the measure
would be.
I'VE entered the conference that
the commissioners Of the state board
might obtain an idea OF the bills fea-
lures" said Commissioner Harrison.
"Our fight, of course, will be in the
legislature" Commissioner Harrison
characterized the bill as being in no
way an attempt to abolish the pub
lie service commission, or to inter-
fere with it's jurisdiction over util-
tiles operating in the state at large.
Governor Brandon told the con-
ferees that the service of public util-
tiles has grown to such an extent in
recent years that the return of con-
troll to municipalities would cause
many complications and that he be-
lieved control of utilities should re-
main with a state board such as the
public service commission. However,
he said the cities which receive the
service of utilities should be per-
mitted to have representatives sit
with the commission in the cases in
order that their advice might be
available.
In Line With Federal Law
All members Of the public service
commission which will take office
January is agreed that the cities
should have such representation,
which would be in line with the fed
eral law which provides that a mem
her of a state service commission
may sit with the interstate com
merce commission, but may develop
information and make suggestions
during consideration Of the case.
Commissioner Harrison told The
Age-Herald Immediately after his re-
turn to Birmingham Monday night
that rough draft of the measure
would be ready within few days
public utilities of Mobile, o. B. Hill.
Jr.. city attorney of Florence, and
w. ]. Wynn, Birmingham city attor-
ney, are drawing up the bill. Public
Service Commissioners elect Fitz-
hugh Lee and Frank Morgan and
A. G. Patterson, president of the
state commission, completed the con-
ference membership.