The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-11
CITY INTELLIG ENCE


select Brdnch.-ME Lyno IN the chair A com.
muDicahOn was received rom G.. +. Gordon In.
SpeetOr of Streets The CT air announced IL TO he a
verv volt Umin GUS dOcumen
Mr.. Bumm requested its reading, iuasmuob as he
had offered resolution OF inquiry why the Eig
teenth and Nineteenth Wards ave not been visited
by the public scavengcrs
The communication was read. Mr. Gordon ad.
mits the justice OF the complaints. He SAYS that
over two hundred written complaints have been
received, ana that the contractors for the district
named have sadly neglected their business. Many
complaints referred TO the Board OF Health have
been returned "atienGed'tO," when not q thing has
been done concerning them Upper Delaware ave.
nue. has b,en touched but once in two months and
IN the wards named one hundred and four streets
have not ley been touched by the present con-
Irnct0rs. ihe writer says thai despite the covert
aJacks OF interested parties shall con nue to per-
i1 iIIm us duy, rnylng upon the confidence OF his
I,eIoW-cllzens and the support Of his Honor the
Mr.. Van Cleve said that the entire tenor and pur-
port OF TINS communication should receive the con-
Ieml au0n OIL City Councils. TINS official seems to
nave only ono ambition and that was to annul and
break these contracts. II is whole communication is
q tissue OF ia schools from beginning to end. lie
hau no sooner been the recipient of the appointment
than he openly stated that he would break up the
contractor for the northern district There we're no
complains from the southern district, yet 1t was
even III worse condition tuan the northern strict
There ls ample reason why these contractors cannot
now enter INTO the spirit and letter of the contract
they have taken They require little time to get
Their dumping places. The speaker knew that the
Mayor did not endorse GOrIon's communication
He knew that The Mayor had to d Gordon that rea-
s0ha0le tme must be given to the contrac 0rs to do
Their work. Instead on AIDING them he has confirm.
ally annoyed them and unless he desiss the speaker
Moulg AT an early DAY move ior the abrOgLtion Of
Every one Of the disappointed applicants for the
contract 1--we in the northern district. They have
formed combination, and al these complaints are
lnsuRated by them, and everything tends to show
that this man Gordon is a oarty TO the combination
lhese dirty poitcians are op, osed to the contract
system, and with Gordon to aid them Will continue
TO harass and persecute gentlemen who are rapidly
making the city as clean any in the Union. They
iOund the city with six months accumulation upon
the streets, and alter but two months labor are
annoyed and prosecuted by the very men from
whom they should receive all possible Iacihtes
Besides this people now wing out to the ash
carts the accumulations OF Il whole winter, and
these, IN the spirit the contract w,re the con.
remove.
Mr. Gray expressed the belief that this was a very
whom he believed be correct in all his statements
AS compared with the upper district the southern
speaker believed that the Mavor to-day is sick at
heart that he ever gave the contract to parties
Mr. Bumm said that he had introduced the resolu-
ton because IN some parts OF ms and the Nine
teenth Wards the dirt was two feet deep; complaints
were coming in to him at a rate so annoyingiy that
he would have been false TO his duty as a represen-
tatiVe had he not introduced the resolution Since
then, however the contractors had been at work In
the districts complained Of and the streets had been
cleansed. 1t was hlgh Ilme however, and he was
glad that the work had been done.
Nj barlow re -retted the outburst upon the part
OF Mr.. Van Cleve. The comm Inicaton was not
tissue Of Ialsehoods, but an epItome of facts nre
sented to the MayOr. That gentleman has been so
annoyed by complaints that he was Obliged to re.
monsuate with MIR. smith in very earnest terms.
1t was really cruelty to attack street inspector
who was endeavorng honestly to do his duty
MI van Cleve said ii was strange that Mr. Barlow
should defend a man who had malgned upon che
open streets the gentleman who had just spoken as
Wen as himself; VINO had SAID that he should be
liked" as we as thev. lhc contractors are going
steadily through tne entire district and by the expi.
ration OF this week will BE- using street-sweepIng
machines and will be able 10 report the entire dis
trct ceaned. The DIRT in aces there has been re-
notes to the Mayor have since acknowledged that
they were lnsteated to wIite them by interested
parties: The Mayor, however, is the only judge IN
The subject was ultimately re erred.
Mr.. Barlow moved that the Committee Law be
discharged from the consideration OF the resolution
requesting the opinion of the City Solicitor III regard
to the power OF committee o! Investigation to COM
pei the attendance OF witnesses
Colonel Page suggested that the resolution should
remain with the Committee ror the present. The
question originated IN the eolution cOul1 be tested
when the time comes.
The motion to discharge the Committee was agreed
to, and the resolution came Uetore the Chamber for
Mr.. Barlow SAID that the Chairman of Special
Committee Colonel Page) legal gentleman was of
opinion that witnesses could be subpenaed before a
SPECIAL committee. The SPEAKER one of the same
committee, did not believe the committee possessed
the power TO cOmIel the attendance of witnesses.
Believing this, he was not disposed to continue
the Siy Solicitor. He would not continue IN a fish
ing expedition into lhe management of the Gas
Works when there had been no charge made against
II Ose having control. Mr. Barlow referred to he
proceedings in the Committee, and complained that
the Chief Engineer OF the Gas Works had not been
mit,ee
Colonel Page, in reply said that heretofore in his
remarks ne was careful 10 allude to anYtnng
that passed in the Committee because ne considered
II h breach OF confidence relate anything until
the report is submitted in REGULAR form. The con-
duct OF the gentleman IRON the First Barlow did
not surprise him, because he from the be ginning
mat so far as the gentleman concerned there
was no inclination 10 proceed with the investigation
and every member of the Chamber must now come
10 the same conclusion. Ii the gentleman wishes 10
know who prompted tins Investigation, l will tell
hlm, The pubHc-that public to which the gentle
man processes at all times TO pay much defer.
ence
Now, with respect to the opinion of the City SoIi-
cltOr, TO which aluson has been made, did say at
first, and now, that this Council had power TO
compel the attendance oi witnesses; that II had
power TO administer an oath TO a witness Up TO
that point the law Is clearly ultl the Chamber The
an attachment, and the po Ter 10 compel the witness
10 swear. These are questions, however, which
should not lie a'sed before the proper time But
the gentleman I inks OF tins in ADVANCE. Why?
Why should he assume hat witnesses will not at.
tend consent TO br sworn? He SAYS there are sci.
entihc questions TO be prOpo Hded. How does he
know II!
Mr. Barlow-Y GU sated So
Colonel Page-Ihe gentleme misunderstood me.
was careful not TO saV anN thing OF the kind. |
dld not choose 10 inform the gentlemen of the other
dscouTteOus TO a witness. That is not true
and the meml ers OF the Committee will sustain me
the assertion They will say that the rebuke then
administered 10 the individual was well nerited
the dignity OF the Chamber. The insult was not
directed TO me, but to the Council, which the Com
mi;tee represented. AS to an insult to me, have
only TO say that no gent eman will and no black.
guard can. II is TO be regretted that this Cham
Der does not make its power respected In the
streets am as any other man, but in this Chamber
when ! TAI TO receive it the insult is directed
at the Chamber, not me. | saw when TINS Com.