The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-14


met this evening at $50 o'clock pursuant
to recess. Present, Hon. p. w. Meldrim
mayor presiding, Alderman S. P. Hami.
ton, chairman of council, Alderman ". W
Owens, vice chairman of council, Alder
men Charlton, Krouskoff, Davis Hui
Willy, Guckenheimer, Reid, We'll and
Smith.
RESOLUTIONS.
BY Alderman Charlton
Be it resolved, by the mayor and alder
men of the city of Savannah, in council
assembled, That so much of the land 40
is necessary to open West Broad street
from Anderson street, southwark about
three hundred and fifty feet by one hum
bred feet wide, be purchased at and for
the sum of seventy-six hundred dollars
the owners of said land to remove all
houses now on said proposed extension
and the titles to be approved by the city
attorney.
Adopted.
BY Alderman Charlton
Be it resolved, by the mayor and alder.
men of the city of Savannah, in council
assembled, That the offer to sell 10 the
city so much of Henry, Waldburg New
Houston, Duffy, Harmon, Paulsen and
Bolton streets as run through the lands
of the Hollis Cam, McCredmon and
Grimm estates at price not exceeding six
cents per square foot, be accepted, subject
to approval, by the city attorney, OF the
titles to said land.
Adopted.
MISCELLANEOUS.
In the matter of the Impeachment pro.
ceedings against the fire commissioners
for which the meeting this evening was
called, his honor, the mayor submitted che
following:
Gentlemen: AT 5:35 O'Clock this after.
noon was served with a writ of proh,
bition, issued on the 18th inst, by Judge
Sweat of the Brunswick circuit
The substantial ayerments in the pet.
ton are that the mayor and aldermen Of
the city of Savannah are moving to try
the commissioners, with the intent of re.
moving" them from their Offices This
averment is untrue, for the commissions
would have received due courtesy and
have had a fair trial. There was no in.
tent to remove them. If guilty of miscon.
duct in office. they should be removed; Il
not guilty, they should be retainedt
1t Is further averred that council is
without jurisdiction. and. even if it had
jurisdiction, that the charges state no oil
Tense which would subject the commits
sonerS to removal.
These aVerments raise questions of law
and you have been advised by the city at
torney that you have jurisdiction, and that
the case made by the charges would jus.
tify a removal if these charges were sus-
tanned by the evidence
There is further averment to the effeat
that by the removal of these commits
sioners the fire department would be ST.
riously demorahzed and INSTRUCTED in
proper service to said city, the properly
owners thereof and the public. 1t is al
most needless to observe that if the com.
missioners were guilty of the charges
against them that the public service could
not suffer by their removal.
The matter stands Tins. A yasrsotfrI
communication from a committee OF IN.
derwrlters, addressed to the commission
calling attention to tie inefficiency of the
fire chief, receiving no proper consdera.
ton; of an investigation by a committee
OF this body finding the fire chief guilty
of offenses which would demand his re-
moval; of an investigation by the com.
missioners of the said fire chief, resulting
not only in his exoneration, but in an Gu
loguim upon his character and ability; Of
a letter addressed to the chief executive
of this city so discourteous to you as to
require it's return; of charges preferred
against these commissioners, which,
proven true, would authorize their remoy-
al, and of a writ of prohibition, ISSUED
upon an exparte statement, and without
notice, prohibiting you from dscharging
your duty, as you understand it, to the
city which you have sworn faithfully TO
| serve.
But this writ, whether prudently or i'm
prudently issued, it is your duty to OBJ
serve, and the mandate of the court will
be respectfully obeyed. In due season ap-
propriate relief will be obtained by proper
measures that will be taken to that end
There could be no clearer demonstration
of the necessity for the repeal of this OBJ
noxious legislation than is presented by
the facility with which your effort 10 pro-
tect the public welfare has been tempo
rarily delayed.
Council took a recess subject to the call
Of the chair. VIM. p. BAILEY,
Clerk of Council