The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-05


bers voted for the proposed oh ange and
nine voted against it. There WAS consid-
cradle argument before this vote was
taken but 1t was understood that the
vote WAS entirely informal and was
called merely for the purpose of obtain
ing an expression of opinion in regard
to the proposed change.
Alderman Ilslsy asked the mayor why
he bad not read the first amendment in
the charter instead of reading the second
amendment which had just heen voted
upon. The mayor replied that vote mad
been taken Oh this first amendment
which abolished the city council and
members in its place, on Monady night
and it was unnecessary to vote upon the
amendment again.
hThe opponents of the changes In the
charter voted steadily against each
amendment aa it was read. Usually
the members of the convention voted as
follows: In favor of the amendm ents:
Aldermen Kehue. Thompson and Leigh
ton; Counuilmen, Flaherty, Johnston,
johnson, Dow, Virgin, Merrill Smith
and May berry.
Opposed to the amendmnts: Aldermen
Illsley, Howell, Mcdonald and Pagan;
CouuciImen Thompson. Lamson, Stone,
Brown, Bryson, and Corey.
Section by section the amendments
were taken up and voted upon. over
some of them there was much argument
and quibbling, but as rule the voting
stood as above, although often the mem
bers changed about little, some OF them
voting first on one side and then on the
other.
Over the amendment giving greater
powers to the mayor the vote stood IL to
II and the mayor cast tho deciding vote
in favor of the am eminent. For over
an hour the voting on amendments md
the discussion went on and finally all
of them were passed. The opponents
of the amendment looked sick and dis
gustei with the whole business before it
was half finished but continued to vote
steadily against every one that was read.
Finally all of the amendments had
been acted upon favorably and a motion
" as made to instruct Portland's repre-
sentatives to the legislature to do all in
their power to secure a passage of them
but it was decided that vote of this
kind would be illegal and SO the coucen-
tioi dissolved without acting on the
matter.
just before dissolving Clerk E. @.
Mitchell af ked the convention what had
become of the amendments giving the
women three seats lat large on the
school board. This proposed Samend-
ment was not includetd in the
printed draft and Alderman Kehoe said
it must have been mislaid.
Councilman Virgin asked for vote
on this proposed change but the only
two or thres members arose in favor of
Councilman Mayberry remarked that the
members were evidently afraid to face
the women and vote on this question.
DEERING ANNEXATION TABLED.
After tile disso1ying CT the joint con-
vention the alderlaen assembled il their
own room and voted to lay on the table
Alderman McDonald's order about the
annexation of Deefing. The board then
adjourned without acting on the amend
ments to the city charter.
| In Common Council.
The Council was called to order by
President Dow. Messrs. Sprague Hem
M 4 oHg
Mr.. Dougherty answered to the roll
call, but left tie chamber almost i'm
mediately, being excused by the Presi-
dent.
The order calling for the purchase of
land to complete the Portland street i'm
provement was taken from the table aud
was referred to the next city government
in non concurrence.
When the Council reassembled after
the joint convention, Mr.. Virgin intro
duced the following resolve:
Resolved, That 1t is the sense of the
Common Council of the city of Portland
that the representatives of the city of
Portland in the legislature be requested
to advocate the passage of an act enact
| ing the proposed amendment to the pres
ent city charter as presented at the spec
ial meeting of the City Council, Febru-
airy 4, 1897.
The resolution as might be expected,
called out good deal Of discussion.
| MI. Lamson said he hoped tho resolu
ton would not be adopted. A large
number of the Council we're absent and
| he thought the resolution unfair under
the circumstances as not expressing the
real sentiment of a ma jority of the full
board.
In replying to this Mr.. Virgin declared
| it was not the fault of thoss present
| if some of the Council had seen fit TO
absent themselves. They knew of the
meeting and of the nature Of its business.
1t did not follow that the legislature
would pass the bill, or if they passed it
| they could alter it in any particular.
| What he desired was to get the matter
before the legislature at once as if any
thing was done it must be done before