Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-28
THE CHIEFS UPHELD.
City Councils Refuse to Investigate
the Political Charges.
THE WHARF PARK GETS A START.
designations of the Liquor Dealers ALI Ae.
Cepted at Last.
MEETING OF THE LOCAL LEGISLATURE

In Select Council yesterday afternoon a
resolution authorizing the Chief of the De-
partment of Public Works to allow the
dumping of earth on the Allegheny wharf
below Sixth street for park purposes was
voted down, but was afterward reconsidered,
and, when Mr.. Bigelow made a speech
showing that he could get Is cents a wagon
load from contractors for the privilege of
dumping good earth on the park site which
the city would otherwise be compelled to
buy when the park ordinance passed, the reso-
luton was unanimously adopted.
The resolution requesting the Chief Of the
Department of Public Safety to furnish a
statement of an assessment made on the en-
ployes of his department for political purposes
was defeated bys call for the yeas and nays as
follows:
mons, J. b. Gillespie, Monroe, Nisbet and Warm
'Nays-Messrs. Anderson, Benz, Brophy, Col
thews Miller, McCord, Mckinley, Paul, Perry,
Robertson, ROhrkaste, Treusch, Warren Will
lams, Wilson and Ford--N.
A resolution requesting the chief of the
same department to furnish a statement of the
number of hremen, police. and other city en-
ployes IN his department, who had been engaged
IN political work during the recent city election
campaign, was also defeated on the call of ayes
and nays, the vote being the same, except that
James h. Gillespie voted mo" on the call.
THE CHARGES DISCUSSED.
Resolutions of the same character relating
to the Department of Public Works were also
defeated. Mr.Warmcastle made a brief speech
in support of the resolutions in which he said
that it had been charged that employees of both
these departments had been assessed for elec-
Sion purposes, and that they had been allowed
pay while off duty on electioneering work.
He thought it would be best to have the chiefs
report on the matter, and if there was no truth
in it, accusations of that kind would be silenced
IN the iuture; whereas, if no report was made
the city officials would be subjected to the same
accusations at every opportunity.
Mr.. Monroe thought it a disgrace that Coun-
cils should vote down resolutions of this kind,
when public statements containing such dam
aging allegations had been made.
ny. Robertson reported that the committee
appointed to investigate and report on the mat
ter of the designations OF the councilmen from
the Second, Fifth and Eighteenth Wards had
seen the gentlemen and learned that they had
offered their designations in good faith and
they hoped councils would accept them. The
report of the committee was received and then
on motion of Mr.. Robertson the designations OF
the three councilmen were accepted. The
mayor will be instructed to issue proclama-
rion for special elections in the Second, Fifth
and Eighteenth Wards to fill the vacancies
made by these designations
The ordinance authorizing the controller and
treasurer to close up certain accounts with de-
funct repositories was laid over until report
was received from the city treasurer.
DEFEATED IN COMMON BRANCH.
In Common Council petition was presented
from property owners on Atwood street asking
Pittsburg, Oakland and East Liberty Railway
Company be made to pay part of the paving
of that street if granted right of way along it.
The chair read report from the Board of As
SCISSORS showing the total taxable valuation of
the city to be 500 800 695 1t was divided as fol-
lows: Full Sl46 lO6 455; rural. 81 776 lao; agri-
cultural, s., S99, ,76S; personal, 81 ,SS2
Mr.. Bigham, from the Committee on Public
Works, presented the ordinances that have
been recalled on account of the newstreet bill.
They were all sent to the Board of Viewers, in
cluding the Diamond alley widening ordinance.
IT, Chairman read report from the com
init IN the resignation of Mr.. Ruhlandt, of
the .enty-slxth ward. The report read:
Your committee to whom was referred the res
1gnatfon Of Mr.. Ruhlandt of the Twenty-sixth
ward, respectfully report urging the acceptance
of the same, as it was a voluntary act.
Without any debate the resignation was
unanimously accepted, and the Mayor asked to
order an election to fill the vacancy
Mr.. Ferguson moved that the ordinance re-
1erring to the apportonment of the city en-
ployes according, to the population of the
wards, which was negatively recommended in
committee be taken up. He asked for a sus-
pension of the rules, which was given him, and
Mr. Culbertson moved to amend by providing
that the apportionment should be based on the
triennial registration of resident taxables in
each ward. This was adopted. Mr. Kearns
offered an amendment for the appointment of
civil service commission of three to carry out
the provisions of the ordinance. This motion
was ignored.
The clerk of Select Council reported that that
body had non-concurred with Common Council
in passing the resolutions of inquiry relative to
political assessments placed on and political
work done by city employees. Mr.. Carr moved
to adhere to the former action and ask for a
10 ofo cfl l0I
ayes to IA noes and the resolution failed
Ordinances were introduced granting the
Pittsburg Incline Plane Company the right to
construct an incline plane from Bradford
street. between South Eleventh and South
Twelfth streets, Brownsville avenue, and
authorizing the City Bridge Company to build
an approach to the new bridge to be con-
structed over the Allegheny river between
Sixth street and Barker's alley