The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-20
THEY COULD NOT
RATTLE MIR. GRIER
He Gave the Common Council q Parlia.
mentary Exhibition Last Night.
APPEALS FROM HIS DECISIONS
They Were Not Effective, for Ma.
jority Of the Members Present Were
in Favor Of the Chnirman's Action.
Paving Muddle is Still Muddled.

phalt adherentS last night was one OI
the liveliest on record. The enort TO
annul councils action in reconsidering
the awarding of the contract for paving
Monroe avenue. by which 1t was taken
from the Barber company and given to
Dunn Bros, after five OF the Barber
men had left the meeting, failed, first.
because one of the men who voted with
them last time Gllroy. of the Seventh,
was absent. and second. because Chair
man Grier was in the chair.
The fight was made on the minutes.
When Clerk Hatton had finished their
reading Mr.. Nealis attacked the por-
tion relating to the reconsideration as
being irregular and moved to strike
them out. Messrs. Oliver and Keller
argued that they We're a correct record
Of the proceedings and until they were
proved otherwise no part of them could
be eXpunged. Mr.. oliver embodied his
contention In a point of order and the
chair ruled that as the minutes Were a
correct record of the proceedings, the
point of order was well taken.
Mr. Nealis then appealed from the
decision of the chair. Messrs. Sweeney
and ReGan seconding the appeal. Mr..
Grier sat back in his chair and paid no
heed to the appeal when Mr.. Nealis
placed II before him on the desk. After
picked up the appeal and said he want
ed instructions as to whether or not ne
should put the motion, 1t being evident
that the chair was not disposed to do II.
Isn't the appeal regular" Mr. Nealis
asked
1t is not my place." replied Mr..
Grier Ito instruct you as to the proper
method OF taking an appeal from my
decision. If was going to take an ap-
peal l would first find out how to prop
erly proceed"
GOT MORE SIGNERS.
Maybe there amt enough slgners,
but l can get more" said Mr. Nealis,
and taking the appeal from the desk he
got Messrs. Gordon. Wenzel and. Noone
to attach their signatures. When he
brought 1t back Mr.. Grier smiled u
wicked smile and directing the clerk to
read the appeal, put 1t before the house,
without any explanation of his previ-
Gus refusal to do so. BY a vote of ten
to nine the decision of the chair was
sustained, the members voting as fol-
lows:
.Ayes-Loftus. Simon Thomas, r. f.
Thomas, Flanaghan. Moir. Seamans,
onver, Leidler. Keller, Grier--lO.
Nays-Gordon, Regan, Wenzel, Wirth.
Seweney. Nealis, Noone, McGrail, Nor
tun-y
Mr.. Wirth asked to change his vote
from nay to aye. but evidently the clerk
uid not hear him, for he was recorded
win the nays. Mr.. Gordon voted ave
under "a amisapprehensiOn. Select Coun.
Gilman ]. J. Manley, who was sitting
near by. called his attention to the mis-,
!aks, ana Mr. Seamans called the at
tentioh OF the chair to Mr.. Manley's
lnierterence, whereupon the chair
called MI. Manley down. A howl went
ep rom the Barber men because they
reared the chair would not hear to Mr.
Gordon's request. but after repeated
Interruptions and calls to order the
cnair announced that the gentleman's
vote mad been changed in accorda nco
with his request. N''eo
lheh the big Kick of the night came.
Upon the announcement of the result
OF the voting on the appeal Mr.. Grier
declared the reports of committees in
oruer put Mr.. Nealis objected to going
OUT OF the second order, the reading Of
minutes as they had not been approved
chairman Grier decided that the min
utes mad been approved by the action
oi council In sustaining his decision,
and that he had decided that they had
been approved before Mr.. Nealis raised
any objection.
MIR. NEALIs' DENIAL.
Mr.. Nealis denied this, arguing that
that house had merely decided TO sis
tain MIR. divers point of order and NOT
10 approve the minutes. He called upon
CLERK Hatton for any minute he might
nave OF the minutes having been ap-
proved but Mr.. Hatton could NOT find
any motion to that affect.
MT. Nealis appealed to the chairs
sense or fairness and justice, warned
him against doing something that
would brand him as bulldozer. over
riding all the rules of councils and
threatened him with all kinds of dire
calamities In the future, but Mr.. Grier
needed him not, further than to tell
MIN he was out of order and to direct
him to take his seat
BY way Of diversion Mr. Sweeney
called the chair IAN old bulldozer" and
the chair told him to either comport
himself as gentleman or leave the
room. Mr.. Sweeney only laughed at
this
This Kind OF thing went on for quite q
time. Messrs Nealis and Sweeney oh.
Jecting to everything and contendine
that council was still in the second or
der of business. consideration of the
minutes. the chair proceeding amidst
all the turmoil with his calls for re-
ports of committees in their regular
order and the subsequent orders of
business
Mr. Noone made a motion to adopt
the minutes, excepting the portion re-
lating to reconsideration, but the chair
was deaf. To end the agony Mr. Sea-
mans made a motion to adjourn but
1t was lost, the vote being as follows:
Ayes-Loftus. r. E. Thomas, Flana-
CHAN. Moir. Wirth, Seamans, Oliver,
Keller, Grier-9.
Nays-Gordon, Simon Thomas. Re-
gan. Wenzel, Sweeney. Nealis, Zeidler,
Noone, McGrail, Norton-1O.
MR. MEALS Appeals