Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-14
HEYD00BJECIT
City Councils Revolt Against
the Courts Edict.
THE JUDGE CRITICISED,
And the Forced designations of
Members Not Accepted.
AJOINT COMMITTEE TO INTERFERE
A Political Bomb is Hurled at the Chief of
Public Safety.
A JOINT COMMITTEE TO INTERFERE
A Political Bomb is Hurled at the Chief of
Public Safety.
PUSHING PROJECTS FOR PUBLIC PARKS

andt, member from the Twenty-sixth ward
one of the liquor dealers granted icens'
under condition that he resign from Coun
ellis The murmur broke into audible con
Versation, the conversation gave way tt
open comment
Mr.. Binder jumped to his feet with this
exclamation: 81 move the resignation be
rejected. understand it was handed in BY
force. The people have right to choose
their own representatives, and not one mani
Mr.. Steggert, of the Twenty-sixth ward,
seconded the motion.
The Chair-The proper motion is to accept
and then Council may adopt the motion or not.
Mr.. Carnahan-I do not like to vote on this
question until see Mr.. Ruhlandt. We might
do him an injury in refusing to accept.
The Chair-I know that Mr.. Ruhlandt don't
think he should remain in Council.
Mr.. Duncan-If we refuse the resignation it
only robs the ward of representation, as Mr..
Ruhlandt refuses to serve.
THE COURT ALLUDED TO.
Mr.. Carr-Council should be the Judge of the
qualifications of its members and not the
Judge of the Common Pleas Court The action
of the Court was a surprise to the people. No
man has a right to say to another, You shall
not represent the people on account of your
business"
Mr., Steggert-The people Of the Twenty
sixth ward had enough faith in Mr.. Ruhlandt
to elect him to Council when he was in the
business he now follows. It is wrong to force
him to resign.
Mr.. Carnahan-The Court has no right to re-
quire this resignation, but the fact remains
that license was granted on that condition. II
we reject this resignation we may find Mr..
Ruhlandt's license revoked or he may be re-
fused next year. We must look at this, as it
affects Mr.. Ruhlandt's interests, 1 want to
know, though, if he desires us to accept, and
will move that action on the resignation be
postponed.
-Nr Magee-I do not believe that the License
Court had the right to say to a man, "Your
neighbors elected you, but you shall not repre-
sent them and carry on the business you have
been in for years and which you ask the court
20 allow you to continue" IF being member
of this Council disqualifes you or me or any
man from following any walk OF life, then it is
time for all Of US to get out of Council. l do
not believe that it lays in the right of any man
70 say TO another, You cannot remain in
Council" They might say it to lawyer be-
cause he practices before the Court, or to a
business man because he may have case be-
IT is NOT FAIR.
Mr.. Ruhlandt has right to resign, but in
this case the resignation don't seem to be volun-
tary. Mr. Ruhlandt is the Oldest member in
point of continuous service in this branch.
don't believe that man who has been returned
for nine consecutive years should be told to get
out / understand Mr.. Ruhlandt pledged him
self to resign, and his word is at stake. 1t
seems to me that if this Council accepts the
resignation it should do it with the plain state
ment that it thinks it wrong to make such
condition in granting license.
Mr.. MacGonnigle-1 move to accept the res
ignation. I do this because met Mr.. Ruhlandt
on the street last week and he asked me to do
what 1 could to have his resignation accepted.
There is no question about Mr.. .Ruhlandt being
q good Councilman. ] suppose Judge White
feels that he gave license TO SO few men that
they would have all they could do to attend to
their saloon business.
Mr. Carnahan-That's the information 1
wanted. Mr.. Ruhlandt has said he wants to re-
sign and we might injure him by refusing to
re-elect him and send him back again we will
then be the judges, and 1 don't see how we
could refuse his certificate.
Mr. Magee-Mr. Ruhlandt asked me to vote
for his resignation, but do not think any ac-
ton should be taken, with statement from
this Council that no power is given to any court
to directa man elected to seat here to resign.
! don't believe the court did right when it said
Council"
Mr.. Carr-The court has no more right to re-
woke the license of Councilman than that of
any other citizen without violation Of the
law.
Mr.. Duncan-I move we refer this matter to
a special committee to ascertain the facts in
the case. As far as Mr.. Ruhlandt is concerned
would like to accommodate him, but as far as
we are concerned we are interested In ascer-
tainIng who are the judges of the qualifications
of our members.
~ aar,fc ado I'D
A POLITICAL SENSATION.
Mr. Ferguson offered the following:
Resolved, That the Chief of the Department Of
Public Safety be and he is hereby requested to
report to Councils, at their next regular meeting
how many policemen, fremen and other employees
OF his department were employed doing political
work during the day of February 10, 1889, and re-
ceived full pay for that day from the city.
Res olved, That the Chief of the Department of
Public Safety be and he is hereby requested to
furnish Councils, at their next regular meeting,
with such knowledge or information as he may
have in regard TO an assessment being made upon
the employees of the police, fire and other depart
ments under the control and management of the
Department of Public Safety and which was paid
out Of their pay for the month of January.
whether or not said fund was used for political
purposes at the last city election,
Mr.. Ferguson accompanied these with two
resolutions relating to the Department of Pub
members who are usually interested IN matters
of this kind were SO engaged that the vote was
taken and the resolutions adopted before they
were aware of what the fighting members from
the Seventeenth ward were up to.
PUBLIC PARK PROJECTS.
Mr.. MacGonnigie offered resolution for
special committee on parks, to serve during
the year, to consist Of three Common and two
Select Councilmen, in conjunction with the
Presidents of both branches This committee
is to have charge of all legislation in reference
to public parks and public squares. The reso-
luton was adopted. Messrs. MacGonnigle
Carnahan and Magee were appointed on behalf
Of Common Council, and Messrs. Lambie and
Chief Bigelow. of the Department of Public
Works, presented a communication on the
park question. as follows:
wish to call attention to the largely growing
population of our city, and the desire the part
Of the citizens for public parks. The business
Srivfne the downtown population into closer
quarters and the need of public breathing place
time Tor tie city to take action on this subject and
prepare for the laying out of public parks.
acres Of beautiful park land belonging 10 the |
Schenley estate, which thiak could be purchased
at a reasonable price, and the probabilities are |
that part Of the tract could be secured as gift.
Therefore would request that Committee on /
81 ike5 pe on pSe mater. would also Suggest
that representative man be appointed TO visit /
England to confer with Mrs. Schenley.
Your attention is also called to that part OF the
Allegheny wharf lying between the Exposition /
building and the Sixth street bridge. During the Il
past week all the debris has been removed, and
there seems to be general desire on the part of L
the public that this tract ofland be set aside for
PARK purposes. The laying out of the park will |
cost the city little or nothing. the revenue de-
rived from dumping privileges will almost pay all
expenses. lhaVe had offers from prominent citi-
Zens 70 donate trees and shrubbery and also an
OFFER from the Gusky estate to erect large foun-
tain in the center Of the park.
In view Of the above would ask that an ordi-
nance be passed Immediately making that part Of
Ehe wharf public park.
1t was referred to the Committee on Parks.