The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-10
INDIGNATION OVER PARKING PROPOSAL SENSE OF NEE ING
East Lake And WoodIaWn Citizens Hold Big Mass
 Meeting Of Protest

IdIkIHS or streets Dy power com panies makes an obstruction and hindrance to the travelling public and is therefore Illegal" declared Won L. Thompson, Woowlawn lawyer, at an enthusiastic mass meeting held in the Woodlawn city hall Monday night, Boulevard association, Mrs. J. NJ. Hankins, president, presiding.
 These streets are public, are dedi- cated to public uses, and every per son has an equal right to every foot of them," he continued. What right has a corporation to block street? The B. R., L. and P. company will not be monopoly We will not let them. When contract is made beyond the fpale of the law it is invalid, and we must o something to prevent the en- forcing of such contract"
 Several hundred people were pres ent at the mass meeting and ap- plauded when suggestions were made which would prevent the power com pany from parking the streets in ac- cordance with a contract, a detrl- ment to the interests of Woodlawn and East Lake, and the traVeling public in general, they said' first avenue does not need parking, thus narrowing it by 27 feet, Thomas E. Huey stated, for it has more trafflc than any other road in Alabama. It is on the main highway from New Orleans to Boston. Highways from Atlanta, Talladega, Leeds, Mount pinson, Chalkville and other cities pour their traffic into Birmingham along First avenue, said Judge Horace Wilkinson, and it was tho sentiment Of the assembly that ln- stead of being narrowed the road should be Widened, in view of the IN crease of traffic that will come in the future.
 No Consideration For People.
 "Only the street car owners and the jitneys were considered in form ing the contract for parking, and, the people who should be served were given no consideration, 1t seems, said Judge Wilkinson We got ab- solutely nothing" Either the conn mission has made grave mlstake' or is catering to wishes of the B. R. l.. and D." declared James Arthur. 'Why should our commission make concessions. to. the power company when they get only a right of way of one and 1one-half mics on the Bessemer road?" was asked. w.. b. Gibson asked that committee be ap- pointed to investigate ways ana means of preventing the enforcing of the contract.
 Won L. Thompson, William L. White, Thomas E. Huey, Judge HOT ace Wilkinson and Mrs. J. M. Han kins were appointed to act as a ways and means committee, to determine how a satisfactory settlement might be secured. At the suggestion or MT. Huey it was decided advisable that a committee of interested clti- zens visit the city commission when it meets at the city hall at lO O'CLOCK Tuesday morning, a large number nledging themselves to meet at the Woodlawn city hall and go to the commission in a body.
 Petition Is Circulated.
 Citizens of WodiaWn and East Lake who spoke their sentiments at the mass meeting Monday night were Mrs. J. NJ Hankins, T. F. Huey, d. Arthur, Judge Horace Wilkinson, W B. Gibson, William l.. White, Von L. Thombson, George B. snyder, J. L. Norment. and Albert B. smith. pc tition. already signed by approXl- nately 600 citizens, is being clrcu- lated and reads as follows;
 "To the Board of Commissioners of the City of Birmingham: The un- dersigned residents. living east or Thirty ninth street in WoodiaWn anu East Lake. respectively represent un- to your honorable hody that 1t IS tnelr opinion that the provision Tn the city's contract with the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company. affecting First avenue, is Serlous mistake and one that is very preju- dicial to the public interest, that First avenue is the most travelled east ana west thoroughfare in the city, ana IS just capable of handling the trat1lc when paved from curb to curb, as It is west of Thirty ninth street, ana that they request that it be left Tn it's present contemptible condition unless you can amend the contract with said company so that 1t may be paVed between as well as on eacn side of the tracks as it should be"
 As the contract reads the Birmlng- ham Railway, Light and Power com pany will place a curbing outside their 27-foot limit MT. Huey fig ures that out of hundred root rlght of way, allowing 175 for sidewalks on each side, it will leave roadway of 19 feet on each side of the car track. Such d narrow roadway, he said. would, not allow passing, and much inconvenience would be caused if A slow speed vehicle takes the lead It was also stated that sucn roadway is dangerous to travel IRe power company is not required to pave their part of the street unuer the present contract,
 It was advised that the East Lake Boulevard association join with the iitney owners in staying the con tract by injunction. Jitney service was complimented, and the state ment made that if street car serVlce was as it should be the power com pany would have no fear of the Jlt- ney.