Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-24
Allegheny Citizens Very Anxious to
Hasten the MetamOrphosis to a
Second-Class City.
CITY COUNCILS ARE PETITIONED.
AtChange A Must Come, but Just Bow, De-
velops Many Knotty Problems, Which
Even Lawyers Cannot Crack.
HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS LOOMING UP.
Some Of the Men Who will Appear in the Scramble
for Municipal HOnorx

The people Of Allegheny are ready and
willing to become citizens of a city of the
second class. Ever since the census was
taken this feeling has increased, until now
it is almost demanded. 1t was expected at
the last meeting Of Councils that some
step would be taken to hurry the
matter, but as no action was taken by them,
the citizens yesterday inaugursted a move
to hurry matters. A petition was circulated,
asking Councils to take some action, the
burden of which was as follows:
To the Councils the City Of Allegheny:
WHEREAS, The official count OF the
United States census just taken, shows that
the city of Allegheny now has nearly los 600
population-severalt thousand more than is re-
quired by law to constitute city
of the second class; therefore, we,
the undersigned, respectfully request
your honorable body to pass appropriate
resolutions asking the Governor to issue a
proclamation declaring that Allegheny is now
o city of the second class. in order that the
proper preparations may be made in time for
holding the next city election.
AMONG nHE SIGNATURES.
among the well-known names which ap-
peared as subscribers being those of Mayor
james G. Wyman, E. Maginn; the cracker
manufacturer; S. Z. Biber, of Biber &
Easton; James &. Steele, Captain II. M.
Dunlap, 7. NJ. Latimer, Frank E. Atkins,
]. T. Mcintosh, Alfred ]. Smith, h. E.
Littell, Max Klein, A. J. Kaercher and A.
j. GilIeland.
The question has been a complicated one
in Allegheny. Councils were apparently
willing to ask the Governor to take sction
in the matter, but did not know the feeling
Of the citizens, and, on account of tie politi-
cal gymnastics with which Allegheny has
been entertained for some time past, each man
felt afraid to make move for fear he would
put his foot in it. They also feared it would
affect consolidation with Pittsburg. Some
agreed that to become city of the second
class would place Allegheny beyond the
reach of Pittsburg, while others argued that
to make both city governments alike would
bring both Pittsburg and Allegheny
closer together than ever. In fact,
Just before the last meeting of Councils
Clerk Of Common Council Dilworth drew
up resolution requesting the Governor to
take action in the matter. When Mr.. Dill
worth offered the resolution to a councilmen
to present it, caucus of several members
was held, and the clerk was told the matter
would be attended to at the proper time.
DON'T LIKE IT BURIED.
The resolution was buried, and such
promises did not evidently satisfy the
people, as the petitions circulated yesterday
plainly show.
Said one of the men who was getting
signers for the petition yesterday: ''There
does not seem to be the least opposition to the
idea. L only talked to one business man
who hesitated about signing, and he refused
because he said his head was so full of
his private business affairs that he could
not understand just all the petition meant,
and he did not want to put himself on
record. Nearly all the city officials are in
favor of Allegheny becoming a second-class
city, but as many of them are out
for the new Offices to be created They
hesitated for fear it would be said they were
trying to push matters in their own behalf.
Clerks White and Dilworth both favor it,
but being clerks Of the body to which the
petition was addressed, they did not think
it in good taste for them to sign"
Beyond this there are more perplexing
questions. One is: ''Is it mandatory for
Allegheny to become city of the second
class?" Major Hunker was interviewed on
this subject and said: although 1 am in
favor of a second class city, / don't know
that Allegheny will have to take place in
that class. AT present Allegheny
should be city of the third
class, if the act of May. 1882 had gone into
effect. But Allegheny is not now in the
third class. She is still operating under
her charter of 1870, and if it was not manda-
tory to become a city of the third class, will
Allegheny have to become a city of the
second class? L don't believe it will, un-
less the people so decide"
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
<The act of May, 1889, provides that all |
cities in the Commonwealth OF PennsyIva-
MA having population of 1O0, 900 and un-
der 600, 900 shall constitute the second class. |
The text of the second section of the act is |
as follows:
Tbs classification of said cities respectively,
shall be ascertained and fixed by reference to
their population, according to the last preced-
Ger census stake taken later. and whenever it shall ap-
pear by any such census, that any city of the
second or third class has attained population
emitting it to an advance in classi- |
dc2tion as herein prescribed it shall be the
duty of the Governor, under the great seal of
the Commonwealth, to certify the fact accord |
ingly; which certificate shall be entered at |
large upon the minutes of the Councils of such |
city and recorded in the Office for the record |
ing Of deeds of the proper county. At the mu- |
nicipal election, occurring not later than one |
month after the date of such certificate, the !
proper officers shall be elected, to which the |
said city will become entitled under the change |
in classification. and upon the first Monday of |
April next succeeding thereto the terms of all |
oacers of said city then IN office, whose ofhcers
are superseded by reason thereof, shall cease |
and determine, and the city government shall |
be duly organized, and shall thereafter be con- |
trolled and regulated by the laws Of this CON- |
moDwealth, applicable to the same under the |
respective classification hereby fixed and ap- |
pointed.
The best legal authorities in the city are
of the opinion that there is no chance to es-
cspe-if escape were thing to be desired |
from being a city of the second class. The |
only part optional 10 that of taking q special |
count of the people between cen
sus years. It is held that it is |
mandatory for Allegheny to bow her |
head and enter the second class position. |
The announcement of the census settles the |