Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-12
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
CROSS COUNCILMEN.


Lacking Ono Of . Quorum Last Evening
Blaming Bill Heard.
A special meeting Of cohimOn council
had been called for last evening to take
action ON the report of the committee ex-
amining the accounts Of the city treasurer,
which had been read in select council at
the stated meeting last week, but failed to
reach the common branch owing to the
adjournment of that body. By the hour
designated in the call, Z O'Clock, moro than
a quorum of the city fathers had assembled
in and around the city hall, and were ap-
parently waiting for the summons to call
them to their seats. Drs. LevergoOd and
Davis werc sitting together in placid con-
versatiOn. when Councilman Beard stalked
into the chamber and inquired Of the pres
ident whether select council had been call
ed together.
DR.. Levergood said he believed it had
not, and in this he was confirmed by the
Evans, of select, the same question in the
afternoon.
"What's the use of US meeting il select
| council don't? demanded Mr.. Beard.
DR.. Levergood said the meeting had
been called to act ON q matter that had
been disposed of by select council at \ for
Il
pleasantly that common council was doubt
less expected to concur in the action of the
other branch.
| eff that's sO," said Mr.. Beard, ''dOn't
| stay here, "and turning on his heel, he strOdc
out of the room, leaving his eight or ten
| brother councilmen in state of mild expos
tulation at his conduct, though one or two
did venture to express the opinion that it
was rather queer in President Evans fail
ing to call select council together when he
knew that the common branch was to
meet for important business.
The half dozen or more cOuncilmen who
had been gathered around the door below
prior to Mr.. Boards cOllO0uy with the
president didn't. make their appearance
upstairs, although the hands on Rhoads's
clock just across the street, where they
could't help seeing it, pointed to full
| quarter past seven.
':We'll come to order, anyhow, said DR..
Levergood, rapping with his gavel, "and
see if that don't bring them. The clerk
will please call the roll"
But the clerk wasn't there. Ho was
risking his life hanging out the vestibule
window vainly endeavOring to discover the
| whereabouts of COuncilmen Sprecher,
Hays, Hershey, White, Sing and some
others, who had suddenly and mysterious
| ly disappeared from their stations OH the
curb right after Mr.. Beard had hounced
out of the council room in Il very evident
temper.
| The clerk caught the echo of President
LevergOOd's words, however, and hastily
| recovering his equilibrium, hurried into
the chamber, took his customary position
ON the presidents right, and called off the
! names.
| "Twclve," he said after the tally was
completed.
| "Ws'll wait while and maybe there'Il
be few stragglers," said the doctor.
l Just then Councilman DOwney sauntered
in chewing chestnuts. and took front
seat.
| "One more, - said the president, ''antl
we'll have quorum. Perhaps the clerk
might be able to discover one lying around
| loose somewhere"
| The clerk blushed n rosy red ut this prob
ably uninCentiOnal implication that the
average councilman could ordinarily be
discovered tight, but accepting his new
functions of sergeant-at-arm he sailed
forth on his search after the truants.
In five minntes he was back with the
information that not blessed common
councilman could he find in tho neighbOr-
hood of the city hall, and the couple OF
select men whom he had run across gently
but firmly declined his polite invitation
to walk in and participate in the delibera-
tions of the lower body.
"There being no quorum, council
stands adjOurned,' said DIR. Levergood in
his most judicial tone, and the cOuncilmel,
all arose, most of them with a very cross
expression Of countenancc, and sundry re-
marks which seemed to indicate the coun-
cilmanic opinion that "Bin Beard :"
was responsible for this abortive attempt
at a meeting.
"When you catch me around here
again just let me know" said DR.. Davis,
picking up his high hat and glove =
thrlsting his gold-heatlcd cane unde.. his
arm, and striding ont ahead of hiS. fellow
legislators in not the most amia', ',le frame
of mind.