Daily Republican., 1881-05-27
THIRD EDITION.
COMMISSIONER LYNCH.
why Mr. MeMenamin Left the
Street Committee for the Street
C0mmituee's GOOd-An Interest.
ing STORY.

Ing story.
1t is not at all likely that Mr.. Nc
Mcnamin, eX-chairman of the Street
Committee and would-be Street Com
missioner, will resign his seat in Coun-
Gil, although such action on his part
would undoubtedly be exceedingly ac-
ceptable to that body. But it is certain
that Louis p. Lynch will hereafter be
Street Commissioner. The inside his
tory of the trouble between Street Com
missioner Lynch and Mr. McMenamin is
interesting, and a better time to relate it
than now could not be selected.
Mr.. McMenamin, when he was
elected to Council in 1879, demanded
through his friends that he be made
Chairman of the Street Committee. The
scandaluuS extravaganza Of the Street
Department when he was in Council
before and held that same position, was
still fresh in the public mind Hence
it was with serious foreOodingS that he
was given the chairmanShip in ques-
ton. The understanding was that he
would redeem himself, that he would by
proDer action recover the confidence Of
the public. that he would, in fact, make
the Street Department as far above the
average in the eyes Of every body in the
time to come, as il was below the aver
aye when he lad been at the head OF
that department before.
! No sooner was Mir. McMcnamin pla-
ccd in his old position than he took the
whole charge of the Street departments
Mr.. Lynch was no longer street Com
missioner ; he was simply Il figure head
The gentleman from the Eighth ward
was Street Commissioner III fact, ana
dictated and directed things, while Mr..
Lynch had to take the blame. For
some unknown reason the chairman OF
the Street Committee conceived a deep
dislike for Mr. Lynch, and the bed of
thai gentleman has not been one OF
roses by any means for long time.
The arrogance of the chairman has be-
come proyerhial among the members OF
Council, and many Of them have in
times past, advised Lynch 10 assert the
authority which was really his, and re-
fuse to submit to Mr.. McMcuamin die
tatiOn.
Finally when the howl was raised
over the dirty streets about Il month
ago, and the fact that Mr. McAlcnamin
and not the Street Commissioner was
to blame for the bad sanitary condition
of our highways, became apparent, Mr..
Lynch was urged to increase the force
Of men despite Mr. McMenanin's false
ly economical O-icrS to the contrary
The matter at length came up III the
Street Committee, and the Street Com
missioner WAS ordered To employ as
many additional men aS llr saw tit.
This he did, and in a little while
the pest breeding districts were thor
oughly cleaned, But here was insubor-
dinaton which to Mr., MtMenamln was
n mortal ottensc. Shortly after this the
Street Commissioner proceeded to use
his own judgdmcut in matters of the
lu this lie was supported
by Messrs. AbeIe, Townsend, Robinson
and Smith, Mr., McMcnuuin alone dis
scnting. Here was more lusub0rdma-
ton, which in Mr.. McManamin' eyes
made the otfruSe duublN terrible.
Now, Mr.. McMenamiu was strongly
in favor of Mr.. Francis MrCloSkcy being
Lynch was elected, and it is believed
by many that be still desires to Sc" Mr..
McCloskey III that position. Whether
this had anything 10 do with Mr.. Nc
Mcnamiu'S 5 next step is unknown. The
next step' was radical and sur
prisiug one. Il was simply an effort to
have Mr.. Lynch removed from the office
of Street Commissioners Council can
remove the Street Commissioner for
"cauSr' The cause i'll the present i'll
stance was really not allowing Mr., Me
Menamin to be Street Commissioner
of course there were other trumped up
Charges against Mr.. Lynch.
At the caucus of the Democratic Coun-
cilmcn held last Monday night 10 con-
slider the charges, none of the complaints
were proved. They all fell fiat. The
Democratic members considered II Il
good joke and laughed, Mr.. McMcna-
min did not consider il a joke and got
mad. He got So mad that he concluded
to 20 even further than this. He tried
to bulldoze the Street Committee. To
these gentlemen he said, "If you don't
sign a report prcterring charges against
Lynch, I'll resign from the committee.
This awful threat, so appalling to con-
template and So tar reaching in its eff
feet, had not the desired result. The
charges We're not preferred in Council,
and Mr.. McMcnamin got madder still
and resigned.
This is the whole story in brief. Coun-
Gil is now wanting Mr.. McMenamin to
resign. 1t is not to be expected that he
will do SO, but that he will continue to
hold his seat without doing any Of the
work. 1t may he that the trouble will not
lead to such a desirable thing as Mr..
McMenamin resigning, but it will re-
suit in the Street Department being in
the proper hands, and this the public
regard as something gained.
One little circumstance which hap
pened some time ago, and which was
known in this office ut the time, will
clearly show the animus Of Mr.. Nc
Menamin. Shortly attertaking charge
of the Street Committees affairs he is
sued an order that no Department adj
vcrtising was to be given TO the REPUB
LICAN. This was prompted 10y person
al dislike.
On one occasion an important matter
which was important for the people t'
| know was advertised i'll these columns
as well us those ofthe other city papers
| Mr.. McMenamin objected to the bll
and made strenuous effort to c0mpe
Mr. Lynch to pay it out of his pock
ct. In this he was unsuccessful ant
the bill was ordered to be paid by Coun