The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-29
THEY RULE MUNICIPALITIES.
THE MAYORS AND COUNCILMEN OF
AMERICA IN SESSION.

Address of WcIcomc-SeveraI Pa
pers ON VeXcd Questions OF City
Government Are Rend--The Big
Cities Are As Yet Unrepresentcd.
The Convention Gets to work.
Columbus, o.. Sept. 2S.-The first annual
conference of the mayors and councilmen
of the United States, Canada and Mexico
was called TO order at IL o'clock this
morning by Mayor Black of this city.
About 160 regularly accredited delegates
were present IN the auditorium. The may
or's opening remarks were brief and
formal, and he closed by Introducing GOV.
Asa s. Bushnell of Ohio, who delivered
an address of welcome
At the close Of the governors welcome,
Mayor Black presented Mayor C. A. Col
lier of Atlanta, Ga, who responded for
the visitors. in a speech glowing with SEN
timents of patriotism, and presenting
the Importance of good municipal govern
ment, with great force and eloquence.
He compimented Ohio upon the aid that
she extended to Atlanta during the first
cotton exposition, and closed with a feel
ing tribute to the common love of couu-
try that had called the delegates to-
gether Mayor Golfers address was re-
ceived with enthusiastic applause.
Mayor Black was made chairman of the
convention, and Editor Gorden of City
Government, secretary. These officers are
to serve only during the sessions of the
convention prior to the formation of a per-
manent organization on the closing day.
A resolution for the appointment of COM
mittee of five to report plan of organiza-
ton and names of officers for the first
year disclosed the existence of two factions
among the delegates-one in favor of pro-
eeeding to business without any report of
a committee on credentials; the other in
sisting that the meeting could not proceed
until an accredited roll of delegates had
been approved by a vote of those present
and claiming to be delegates. a lively de-
bate ensued and the matter was finally
compromised by am agreement that the
chairman of each delegation report at
once to the secretary Of the convention,
and that any municipal official vouched for
by a chairman be admitted as a delegate
and that the chairman of the convention
appoint the committee on organization
from the roll as made up. The original
call for this conference was addressed to
mayors and councilmen only, but the pro-
moters of the movement when asked for
a copy of the call. did not produce it, and
this mornings action leaves the gates of
the convention wide open for policemen,
iremen, city clerks and ward constables
il only the chairman of delegation vouch-
es for them as city officials"
AT noon the convention adjourned till
2 p. m.
It was nearly o'clock when Chairman
Black called the meeting to order this
afternoon; there was no reference made
by the chairman or the secretary to the
official roll call as made up from the re-
ports of delegation chairmen, and as no
request for it came from the floor, the
convention continued it's business without
any definite information as to who consti-
tute its membership.
Chairman Black announced the follow
ing as the committee to formulate a plan
for permanent organization: Mayors Nc
Vicar of Des Moines, Ia; Pratt OF Mimi
eapolis, Mimi; Collier of Atlanta, Ga;
Hastings of Niagara Falls, N. Y, and
Councilman Walker, of Trenton, N. ].
This committee is TO report not later than
Wednesday night. 1t is looked upon as
fairly representative of the attendance
geographically and otherwise, and the del
egates expect a great deal from it In tho
way of practical suggestions. A careful
count. made al the afternoon session, dis
closed the presence OF tWenty-seven men
wearing the official badges of mayors and
fifty-one men and women with those of
councilmen. The number of properly ac-
credited delegates is probably not far from
100. AS yet New York city, Chicago
Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis
and other cities of that class are without
representation here.
Joseph w. Slower of New York occupied
forty minutes of the time Of the convention
in the reading of a paper on "relegraphic
Systems for the Facilitation of Fire and
Police Service" 1t was largely technical
in character.
William Brophy. chief electrician of the
al, af tI,. fnr
a paper on Modern Construction and
Maintenance of Electric Wires, and Their
Supervision by Municipalities" but he was
unable to be present, and a substitute read
the paper. There was no discussion of
either paper, and at 4 o'clock the conven-
ton adjourned until p. m.
Chairman Black, in his opening remarks
at to-night's session, made reference to
the Importance of street lighting in cities
and called attention to the significance
and influence of the National Street Light
ing Association, now In session here. In
closing, he introduced Henry Hopkins OF
New Haven, Conn, who Is secretary of
the association. He read paper on THE
Proper Lighting of cities Streets" the
chief point of which was an analysis of
the reasons why the cost of public light
ing Is increasing, while the cost per light
is decreasing. These he gave as the ex-
pansion Of the populated area of cities
application Of light to rapid street transit
the demand for improved service in Old
localities, and the pursuit of mercantile
and professional duties at night
The National Street Lighting Associa-
ton has thirty-eight delegates here, but
so far its deliberations have possessed no
measure of public interest. Mayor Nc
Vicar of Des Moines, Ia, followed with a
prepared paper on street lighting by con-
tract and by municipal owenrship.
Mr.. McVicar was listened to with tine
closest attention throughout. anS at the
close of the address he invited questions
from his auditors He confessed, how
ever that he was not conversant with
all the facts and problems bearing upon
municipal ownership.
The official roster of the conference, as
far as completed tonight, contains 195
names, but many of the delegates are
from Columbus and other nearby Ohio
cities. Outside of Ohio the principal
cities represented are Minneapolis, Den
yer, st. Paul, Tampa, Fla. Joliet. H.,
New Haven, Atlanta, birmingham, Des
Moines, Peoria, Pawtucket, Detroit, Ev
ansville, Macon, Baltimore, Fargo ana
Wilmington, Del. The latter has twenty
two rerroaenta ffVps here. Peoria has efx-