The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-08
MEANS NEW BIDDER
 FOR BANKRUPT ROAD
Success At Shoals De- mands Rail Outlet To
 Gulf At Mobile
NETWORK OF RAILS
 MAY COVER STATE
New Phase Declared To Assure Operation Of Tidewater And
 Stop Junk" Talk

asked the city or Birmingham TOT complete history of and statement re- garding the present condition of the Tidewater street railway, in a letter received by Commissioner W. L. Har- rison Monday morning.
 Upon receipt of the communication Commissioner Harrison, already com versant with the Tidewater situation, began the compilation of report to be submitted direct to the Detroit manufacturer. The commissioner said, Monday morning, he expected to have the information asked for in the mail before sunset.
 Based on the indicated certainty of Ford getting Muscle Shoals, the com munication stated, Mr. Ford sees the instant need for a direct contact with Birmingham, the point of greatest in- terest, commercially, in Alabama, in regard to transportation, one of the prime necessities of which is, it was said. entrance into and passage through
  bankrupt Tidewater line has such as- sets not only in law but actually in placed rails and operating cars. the interurban property has become direct nucleus of interest in connection with the desired link-up.
 Logical Consequence
 Tt would seem to me-" Mir. Har- rison said, 'in speaking of the request for information, that the sometimes mentioned suggestion of an interurban electric line serflns the whole. state can now be regarded. to speak con seryatively, as possibility.
 "A line linking up Florence, Shef- field, Tuscumbia and other communi- ties in North Alabama, passing south through Birmingham and Montgomery and on to Mobile would be a logical consequence of Mir. Ford acquiring the Muscle Shoals property. I was asked in the communication I received if I could be counted on for my cooperation in such development as represented in MT. Ford acquiring the Tidewater. l want to say here and now, very dis tinctly, that such a proposition receives my hearty support.
 Branch lines, literally the beginning of network of interurban trolley ser vice in Alabama, will be the logical sequence of Ford getting Muscle Shoals and the Tidewater line, with its rights, in Birmingham.
 'Such a development" Mir. Har- rlson said. would set at rest any doubt of the Tidewater being discontinued, or even n change in its through service from East Lake to Pratt City,"
 Other Communities Mentioned
 Other communities mentioned in the communication received were Anniston, Bessemer, Tuscaloosa, and Selma, as the beginning of the considered cleo tric car statewide system.
 If this thing goes through" Mir. Harrison said, it will mean more to Alabama than any of us now realize. transportation link-up and affifiation that will send the state forward in de- velopment along lines that ordinarily would have taken many years"
 The Iidewater line, in its inception was built as a nucleus for a north and south Alabama interurban line. Ita very name, ''Tidewater," was chosen with the thought in mind of reaching a salt water port. To do what is now proposed would be only carryina out, 1t is said, the original scheme planned by the builders of the Tide water.
 An immediate effect of the nrono~;, tion now foreseen is the continuanc. of the Tidewater line. Should tbs Birmingham Electric company dron if thing not anticipated in view of inc latest phase of the matter. no few in. terests would want it to hold for sale to Ford, were he not to bid on it. The phase of the subject that came to light in the city hall Monday morning. if ia said, IS clearly indicative of the con. tinuance of the Tidewater line. eithe, by the Birmingham Electric company. Henry Ford or a third or even nm. known, bidders. Twice the Tidewater has been offered for sale at auction without bidder appearing. In A few days 1t will go on the auction block agaln. This time, it is anticipated. prospective purchasers will make their appearance. There remains the possi- blllty of a new receiver, but it is the intention of the municipal authori. ties to do all in their power to keep the Iidewater going as it is, and in the light of the most recent deyelop- ment. they. no longer anticipate any doubt of it.
 Layout Declared Ideal
 From the standpoint of a north and south Alabama electric transportation company, the Tidewater lines layout in Birmingham is declared to be ideal. for 1t gives entrance to the city at each end and continuous way through the municipality of Greater Birmingham. making it easy to develop depot and station equipment at almost any point.
 It has been known that when Ford takes over Muscle Shoals a service road through Alabama will be logical additional development, especially in regard to such transportation system having firm connection in Birmipg- ham.
 Maps, reports, franchise copies,