The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-16
OVER 14O BLOCKS TOBE
 9FOR $35,OOO
 Hans To Extend
 1t For 30 Years At
 Tuesday Meeting
 lPANY HAS FORMALLY AGREED UPON THI PRICE Harrison Points Out Blocks Cover 10 Per Cent Of Track age And Widely Scattered

The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company has agreed to pay the city of Birmingham $35,00O for a 3O-year extension of street railway franchises over 140 blocks of the city's streets. This covers approximately 10 per cent of the street railway trackage in the city, the remaining 90 per cent ofswhich was originally granted in perpetuity.
 The announcement that the company had accepted the figure tentatively agreed upon with the city was made by Commissioner W. l.. Harrison at the city hall Saturday. W. B. White, counsel for the street railway company, conferred with City Attorney W. J. Wynn and. it was informally decided to hold conference between the com pany officials and city commissioners Monday for signing the formal agree ment. It is planned to adopt the agree ment officially at Tuesdays commits sion meeting.
 ago that the city was willing to ex- tend the franchises on 140 blocks for a total consideration of $35,00O there has been criticism of the agreement in vari- ous circles on the ground that the amount paid was not sufficient from the city's standpoint. MT. Harrison claims, however, that he has gone into the mat ter very thoroughly and that the figure seems fair to him when all the cir cumstances are considered.
 Granted In Perpetuity
 When the original franchises were granted they were in perpetuity and the city received nothing" said Mir. Harrison Saturday. 'The franchises now under consideration are scattered blocks in various parts of town, which were originally granted for thirty years They will be expiring now in varying periods of from four to six years. The company was very anxious, however, to have these strengthened out under the receivership in order that they could complete their financial arrangements to take the company out of the re- ceiver's hands.
 Taken altogether it seems like fair proposition to me. Something would have to be done anyway and the blocks under consideration are so scattered that they would be of practically no value to anyone else.
 ''In arriving at the $35,000 figure it was based on blockage rate, which was considered fair. As I said, it em- braces about 10 per cent of the com pany's trackage and large per cent age of this 10 per cent is upon the Norwood line. It seemed necessary to pass on the matter in connection with the compaFy's reorganization and in order that its financing would not be handicapped by having the matter hang ing over unsettled"
 Plaiis For Auction Sale In the meantime all plans for the sale of the company's properties at public auction a week from Monday are practically completed and when the sale is made the company is to be reor- ganized at once.
 The question of the steam heat franchise. it is understood, has been dropped temporarily. Mir. Harrison ex- plained Saturday that this franchise was somewhat indefinite, though it seemed to have been granted in per petuity and the city maintains that it also provides that the company supply in perpetuity steam for heating the city hall and city jail.