The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-25
BY A COMMITTEE OF FIVE.
THE CITY COMMISSIONS TO BE IN
VESTIG AFED.

Their workings, Records and Eff
cheney to lie Looked IntO-Thc In
vestigating Committee 10 Consist
of Aldermen GucEcnheimer, Hmm
fIton, Davis. Owens ANA Charlton
and 10 Have PIenary Power For Il
Thorough Examination of the city
Departments Controlled by the
Commissions.
The city commissions are to be invcsd-
gated by the council a resolution to this
end was adopted last night and a COM
mittee was appointed for the purpose BY
the mayor The committee consists Of
Aldermen Guckenhelmer, Hamilton, Da-
Wis, Owens and Charlton. The resolution
providing for the Investigation was Offer
ed by Alderman Guckenheimer and reads
as follows:
Be it resolved, by the mayor and alder
men Of the city Of Savannah in council
assembled, that a committee of five al
dermen be appointed by the mayor, which
shall be empowered to make an investi-
cation as TO the workings, record and
efficiency of any of the commissions for
for the city of Savannah established by
the legislature in 1925, when. in the judy
ment of said committee, such inves-
LEGATIONS should be had, and whose
duty it shall be to report the result of
such Investigations, with their recommen-
dations, TO the council Of the city of Sa-
vannah. The said committee shall be
authorized to summon witnesses and hear
testimony under oath, and to do all things
necessary, in their judgment. to a COM
plete, thorough and full investigation.
As there was a very lengthy caucus pre-
ceding the meeting of council, 1t was nat
ural to suppose that the resolution had
been fully discussed in the caucus. Mayor
Meldrim, however, when asked about the
matter said that the resolution had not
been discussed. He was asked the object
and intent of the resolution, whether 1t
was it intended that the investigation
should be general or specific, and whether
it would it be of a friendly or unfriendly
character towards the commission.
IAN that will be left to the committee,
he replied. Il cannot tell you anything
further than is stated in the resolution
Alderman Guckenheimer was asked as
to his object in presenting the resolu-
ton, and what he intended should be the
scope OF the investigator.
I'VE simply want to understand the
workings of the commissions" he said. 1T
is necessary for the information of council
that we should understand them. l can
tell you more about 1t after the committee
has been called together"
when will the investigation begin?"
Alderman Guckenheimer was asked.
''The committee viii have to decide
that" he replied.
If the committee were not authorized by
the resolution to summon witnesses and
take evidence under oath 1t might be sup
posed, from the reading of the rest of the
resolution, that the investigation was to
be simply a friendly quest for informa-
ton and no more. The authority to sum-
mon witnesses and take evidence under
oath, however, shows that the committee
is expected to perform work of more Sc
rious character. As there is no reason for
supposing the committee to be friendly to
the commissions, the natural conclusion
is that it is expected to uncover evidence
upon which specific charges against the
commissioners can be based with view
to securing their removal
The charges against Public Works Com
missioner Winink by NJ. A. Buttimer were
placed in the hands of Clerk Bailey again
yesterday. 1t win be remembered that
Mr. Buttimer was very much exercised be-
cause these charges were not presented to
council al the last meeting and that after
the meeting he took possession of the pa
per and carried it away with him. No
mention of these charges were made in
open council and it is understood that they
were not read in the caucus.