Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-14
On the Faces of a Number of
City officials, Nowadays.
SOME CORDIAL RELATIONS
Severed, and More Serious Condi.
tion Anticipated
THE CAUSES OF TIE GOODNESS


May DAYS. The pretty shade trees that
throw their sweet branches, luxuriant with
leaves, against the windows of City, Hall,
are gaily green, but within the building the
prevailing color is blue. The cordial rela-
tions which, q few weeks ago, existed be-
tween the Mayor of Pittsburg and the heads
of the several city departments have been
broken of, and there are monitions of q
more serious condition of affairs. Indeed,
appearances in City Hall indicate that,
while there is at this time no direct clash
between the Mayor and the chiefs, serious
disagreement is imminent.
When the recent municipal campaign was
on, the advocates of the election of Judge
Bailey asserted that If he were elected he
would be Mayor in fact as we'll as in name,
and would exercise that power of directing
the chiefs of departments conferred upon the
head of the city government by the charter
of June IA, 1887. They opposed the election
of Mr.. Gourley because they feared, or
claimed that they feared, that he would sit
in the Mayors chair rather as an ornament
than as a dynamic power. What they de-
sired Judge Bailey to do Mr.. Gourley, much
to their surprise as we'll as to the bewilder-
ment of the men who elected him, is sproceed-
ing to do.
oUTCRoPPINGS OF HIS POLICY.
For several weeks there have been out
groupings of the new Mayors policy, what
the boys out in Colorado used to call face
tiously "pyrites of indications" He has
discovered radical intention to act up to
H,,11 Il Il
The trouble now beginning grows out of the
various interpretations putupon the twenty
first section of the new charter which Sec
tion reads: "The Mayor shall have general
supervision of all the departments, with
power to direct their officers within their
duties, under the law and ordinances"
The specter of this awful twenty-frst Sec
tion stalks in the corridors of City Hall and
shakes its bony finger, with fateful power
to direct" at every official, great and small.
The Mayor indicated his determination to
investigate, oversee and direct, during the
Monday meeting of the Board of Awards.
The personal disagreement at that meeting
between him and Chief Elliot brought the
whole situation under inquiry, and investi-
cation showed very uneasy state of things.
Last Thursday Mayor Gourley addressed
a note to each city officer and each head of
a city department, asking for a statement of
the number of employees, their duties, sala-
ries and hours of labor.
WHAT WAS EXPECTED.
From words spoken by the Mayor, it was
soon said around the Hall that His Honor
intended to use the reports as bases for the
dismissal of certain employees. He ex-
pressed to several people, but not to re-
porter for this paper, the opinion that both
Chief Brown and Chief Bigelow had men
on the pay-rolls of their departments who
were not earning their salt.
A reporter for THE DISPATCH was sent
to see the Mayor yesterday, but that gentle
man refused to see him. The general re-
ports as to his utterances were, however,
carried to the chiefs of departments. and
were calculated to make them feel any,
thing else than friendly to Mr.. Gourley.
Recently the Mayor removed from
spacious quarters on the first floor into two
small rooms in a corner of the second floor
1t is said that be agreed reluctantly to this
change. 1t seemed to carry with it q pecu-
liarly distasteful Significance. After being in.
stalled upstairs the work Of furnishing the new
rooms was begun, but a few days since il was
suddenly stopped. 1t appears now that Mr.
Bigelow had entered into contract to have
the rooms repainted. He received on Monday
a note from the Mayor informing him that the
work could not be done without advertisement
and regular disposition of the matter by the
Board of Awards. Mr.. Blgelow thereupon
dropped the painter with whom he had con-
tracted and advertised for sealed proposals for
painting the rooms to be received at the Con.
troller's office until o'clock next Monday
afternoon.
ALSO AN ADVERTISER.
Down on the first floor Chief Brown occupied
the Mayors roomy and pleasant quarters, ard
prepared to fit them up. He received q similar
warning, and has advertised for sealed pro-
posals for fitting up the offices, to be received
at the Controllers office until Saturday.
May "a
Chiefs Brown, Bigelow and Elliot on receiving
the requests from the Mayor last Thursday,
prepared at once to furnish the information re-
quired. Similar requests for lists and details
were sent to the City Controller, Treasurer
Clerk, Assessor, etc. One of those officers said
yesterday that the charter gave the Mayor no
authority over them. but in the language Of
the twenty-hrst section, only over "the depart
ments."
Chief Brown, of the Department OF Public
yesterday. The Chief said of it: at contains
nothing that is not in my last annual report
but gives all the information asked for by the
Mayor; the number of employees OF the Depart
ment. their duties, salaries and hours, the num-
Der of horses and buggies in the department
and by whom used. / suppose the Mayor
wanted the figures for his report to Councils
My annual report CONTAINING them is IN the
hands OF the printers, SO that he could not
have access to it. am perfectly ready TO give
the Mayor all the information he asks. II is
my plain duty to do SO. We are running this
department on open business principles"
ONE PRACTICE STOPPED.
On Monday Mr.. Gourley wrote to Chief
Brown, asking If it were true that persons ar.
rested by police officers and taken to the sta
tions were released without trial by order of
chief, superintendent or inspectors. The Chief
admitted that such discretion was st rare in
tervals exercised by the officials of the Police
Bureau, but said that It would be discontinued.
Yesterday Chief Brown instructed the in
spectors that no more prisoners should be re-
leased except on furnishing bail or by due
course OF hearing and discharge by q police
magistrate.
Chief Bigelow, Of the Department of Public
Works. said yesterday, when Questioned con-
cerning the alleged Disbursements: Il have
great deal Of work to do, and am doing more
work in the department and In a better way,
than was ever done in the history Of the city.
/ am glad that the Mayor is taking an interest
in the matter. and am glad to give him infor-
nation on all subjects. have received a COM
munication from him. asking for a list of the
employees OF my department., their salaries.
their work and number of hours of service
and the number of horses and buggies, and by
whom used. Ny answer will probably be I'm.
ished tomorrow.
ALWAYS OPEN TO INSPECTION.
81 will give him all the information have on
the subject, and on any subject connected
with the Department of Public Works, even
going beyond the limit of law, That is my
position. AS far as the public is concerned, this
office is open to inspection, everything con-
nected with il, at any time. without notice"
Chief Elliot, of the Department of Public