The morning news., 1889-04-23
ALDERMEN SQUABBLING.
TIE CITY COUNCIL TAKES DIR. FAL-
LIGANT TO TASK.


The Interview in Sundays Morning
News" Stirs the Ire of Mayor
Schwarz and DR.. Falligant's Brother
Councilnen en-Too Much Talk About
Jobs and Schemes Makes Lively
Time in the Councillor. FAlligant
and the Electric Light Contract-He
Will Push an Investigation - The
Councils Resolution.
There was a lively session of the city
council yesterday afternoon IN which
Alderman Falhgant was the objective
point, and he was under fire for nearly two
hours. The mayor opened fire and Alder
men Wells, McDonough, Myers, Bailey,
Nichols. Haines aud Cam participated in
the skirmish Aldermen Harmon, Harris,
Mills and Reid maintained strict silence.
CITY Attorney Adams was present but did
not give any opinion as to the regularity Of
the proceedings. The interview with DR..
Falhgant in Sundays MORNING News was
the cause Of the turmoil, and before the
council adjourned it passed the following
resolution offered by Alderman Nc
Donough, which evoked a protest from
Alderman Falligant:
Reso1red, That Alderman Falligant, or any
other alderman IS requested that whenever he
has any charges insnuations or complaints 10
make against his colleagues. or any OF them,
he will first make them in council in writing,
and that he do not first 20 into the pubic
prints With them
The meeting of council was totally unex-
pected 70 some of the aldermen. During the
forenoon they received the following notice:
CITY OF SAvANNAH. "a,
April p, 1899. {
SIR-You are requested to attend special
meeting of the city council, at the exchange,
Monday April p, at 1890 O'Clock p. m, as per
rules OF council, to consider matters Of import
ance.
THE OBJECTIONABLE INTERVIEW.
Every member was in his seat. The
music was opened by the mayor in brief
speech i'll which he resented alleged i'm
putations against my board" He said
that he would not let them pass uunoticed,
and he considered il his duty 10 defend the
council He alluded to the Falligant inter
view in Sundays MORNING NEWS, and
added that when he saw 40 denial OF it in
the MORNING News yeste day, by Alder
man Falligant, he felt that the charges
it contained ought to be brought to the at
tention Of the council.
Clerk Rebarer was instructed to read the
interview. which was done, and the objec-
lowing paragraphs;
But when bring up these measures in coun-
Gil ialluding 10 house drainage for Savannah
welfare, and some person, whose chief line Of
study lies in telling the qualities of spot cotton
or grades Of rOslu, giving his pOnderOus opinion
Of sanitary science. and council adopts il: or
another wants to know IL it will tax his indi-
vidual pocket to help improve the general vel
fare. and finding such thing possible opposes
the improvement; or another takes the ground
that be prefers privies for his tenants and
lest, in the general great work for the
protection of the comfort and health
and prosperity OF the community as a
body, some cost of the Improvement may fall
on him, be also fights IT; or another thinks 1t
may take away some Of the amount in the
budget wanted for schemes in which he feels
greater direct interest and therefore brings his
batteries 70 bear against it. aud still others help
TO down my suggestions on equally unwise
grounds
You say, doctor that money is wanted for
other schemes"
Certainly. Take one thing alone, and see
what Savannah IS paying to schemes. -Four
years ago a combination was made to keep me
out of council The methods by which the
combination worked its schemes are not neces-
sary to mention just now, but II, with Alder
man Bailey, they attempt to divert the moneys
appropriated for house drainage. / will offer in
council a resolution 10 Investigate the history
of the electric light octopus, and ask the ap-
pointmeut OF committee to send for persons
and papers,
the object Of the meeting, and when he
learned that council proposed to put him
on the rack, g said he was taken By sur
prise, and in a matter as grave as this and
on short notice. he desired TO be repre-
sented by counsel.
DIR. FALLIGANT's POSITION.
AS the council was disposed to 90 on with
the discussion, Alderman Falligant said
that he had been notified only few mo
ments before of the real object Of
the meeting by the mayor, and
that the latter had been informed
that the haste in the proceedings
was entirely at variance with his rights,
both as an alderman and a citizen, and that
be would send Immediately for his brother,
Robert Falligant, Esq, as bis counsel. The
mayor, DR.. Falligant said, assented without
hesitation 70 the justice of the demand, and
lawyer Falligant had been sent for In a
matter so grave as this proceeding, he said
that he did not feel willing to proceed with
out the presence and advice Of his COUNSEL
unless it should be determined that the
conferences was intended sincerely as an
amlcable adjustment Of any misunderstand-
ing: and that no action OF any kind should
be taken involving any other determination
except upon a fun hearing, after specific
charges made against him and after his
reply based upon the declarations iu the
paper the clerk had just read, and with the
advice Of counsel.
Thecouncll having assented to this PROPOSE
tion, DR.. Faligant said that thu interview
with him was in relation 10 a contract made
by previous council, aud it referred spe-
cltcalIy to that contract He made the
point Of order that the present council has
nothing to do with IL, that his threat, If it
should I've chosen to so call it, was
made in regard to contract,
TO find out the nature and figures
of that c)ntract, and to ascertain from such
investigation whether the lighting cannot
be done vastly cheaper. Such an lnvestiga-
ton, he said, Is IN line with his duty as an
alderman, and that be would be studying
the city's interest in so doing. Some gentle.
men, he said, have declared that bribery was
charged in relation TO the contract but
he denied that there is any such
charge or language III the interview. lie
had said that II would be shown whether
aldermen were interested IN that GO tract
and as 1t has been definitely stated that
such was the fact. lie did not see that he
had made any mis-s,stement IN his Ian
guage.
THE LIGHTING CoMPAHY's PROPOSITION.
Alderman Falligant went on 10 say that
council had no right to neddle with his
comments on the Electric Light Company.
Mr.. Robinson of the Thomson Houston
Electric Light Company, he said, mad made
proposition TO establish plant here for
S35, ,OOO which could be- operated at 81, 900 10
$1,000 per annum, giving 200 lights, double
that now furnished the city aud at the end
of that fifuo ha rrty sf,,lI ,,,vt, 4ba ,,Io.,t