Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-05
CHARTER AMENDMENT ORDINANCE
REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE.
READ IN THE UPPER HOUSE
-FOUR MEN WILL NOW DECIDE ITS
FATE.
Threatened Clash Between Aldermen
Morgan and Brown Takes PInce
Ordinance ApprOprintinS
S75.2I6.9S, December
Expenses, Passed.

AS was anticiDated. the ordinance call
ing for a special election TO amend the
city charter was last night referred by
the upper house of the city council to the
judiciary committee, comprising Aldermen
EysseIl, Johnson and Wyne and City
Counselor McDougal. The ordinance was
made last in the order of business and
her it was called uD by Alderman Nor
rison there had already been several at
tcupts to adjourn, so there was absolutely
nc debate and no expressions of opinion.
pro or con. 1t was read entire Alderman
Morgan moved TO refer, whereupon Alder
man Morrison protested on the ground that
the ordinance had emanated from a mem
her of that committee. referring to Judge
McDougal. He afterward removed his OBJ
lection and Alderman Seddon seconded the
motion to refer. The house then adjourned.
Though the members of the committee
are reticent regarding their attitude toward
the measure. it is generally believed that
the committee, as a whole, will report it
favorably.
The Importance of last nights session
and the threatened clash between Alder
men Morgan and Brown attracted an un-
usually large number of citizens, and, de-
spite the inclement weather, the upper
house auditorium was full.
The clash came off per announcement.
There was a heated debate over the paw
ing of certain streets in the vicinity of the
senior Browns property near Twelfth and
Lydia and fnLliy hinged on the question
of whether the resolution calling for the
Improvement should be referred to the
public improvements committee, where
Brown wanted it, or to the streets. alleys
wanted it. Brown is chairman of the
former. 1t was put to a vote and Brown
won by vote of to ). Morgan was dis
satisfied with the wordy lashing he had
given Brown, however, and said:
Il think you are inoculated with the
right kind of matter and that it will take
effect in good time
The controversy opened with Morgan in
Producing a resolution to grade Lydia ave-
nue. from Eleventh TO Twelfth street and
to pave it between Ninth and Twelfth. He
had read letter from c. o. Tichenor, who
owns property there calling attention to
the bad condition of the street and ask
ing that II be paved. Alderman Morgan
then said:
Il don't want this matter to go to the
public improvements committee, because
Mr.. Brown is too much interested in it.
He has been holding up these improve
ments there for years. It's a shame for
Il man who assumes to be the leader of a
great body like this to stcop to such OBJ
structive tactics. 'Taint right, gentlemen
-'taint fair"
Some years ago." retorted Alderman
Brown. deliberately, someone in this house
called the gentleman who has just spoken
an imbecile. l didn't believe it then, but
L do now"
Then Mr.. Brown went on to give his
tory of the paving of Lydia avenue. show
ing that the petition for paving between
Eleventh and Twelfth had lacked 207 feet
of a majority, and stating that if there
had been Il majority petition ne. as chair
man OF the committee, would have favored
the Improvement.
Alderman Morgan then accused Mr..
Brown OF having the mudholes in the
streets surrounding his, Mir. Browns. prop
erty filled with stone at the expense of
the city, and charged him with being an
obstructionlst. u prevaricator and the son
of a millionaire. During all this, Alderman
Brown held his temper admirably.
An ordinance appropriating $75,2169S for
the citys expenses for last month, was
passed, the upper house concurring in sew
eral lower house amendments. 1t appro-
PIRATES Sl2l9S.i3 for the police department,
Sll, ,042.6S for the fire department and $5.4OS
for the city hall and other city employees.
street and Irwin place, was authorized to
encroach eighteen inches upon the side
walk with 4 flight of wooden steps. though
City Counselor McDougal has decided that
the council has no authority to grant such
permission. 1t was Alderman Morgan S
measure. the church being located in his
neighborhood. He said in support of it
that he hoped the council would do moth
ing to interfere with the cause of the Lord
in his ward. so it carried with but one dis
senting vote.
A resolution declaring lights to be neces-
sary at the intersection of streets and rail-
way lines, and requiring the railway COM
panies to purchase and maintain the lamps.
was referred TO the gas committee. with
instructions to draw up an ordinance in the
case. The city engineer reported the fol-
lowing crossings as in need of lights: First
street and the Missouri Pacific; Chestnut
avenue and the Chicago & Alton. Chestnut
avenue and the Missouri Pacific, and on
the following streets where they interseCt
with the Kansas City Suburban Belt line:
Indiana avenue Highland avenue. Forest
avenue Harrison street Campbell street,
Locust street. Broadway. Washington
street, Pennsylvania avenue, Madison ave-
nue. Terrace place, Delaware street and
Grand avenue.
About 100 gas lights and gasoline lamps at
various street crossings We're discontinued
to make room for the fifty electric lights
recently provided for.
In the Lower House.