The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-31
HOW COUNCIL DID THE WORK.
THE EXPECTED CONSERVATISM
WAS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

| the New Council, However, the
Minority Was Unable to Force a
POstpOnement-Stre and Lanes
Committee Temporarily Placed in
Charge of Public Works.
1t was about a quarter to o'clock when
Mayor Myers and the members of his
board of aldermen entered the
! Council room last night and
took their seats at the long table.
Previous to that time a short conference
had been held at the Mayors office. The
| aldermen took their seats as at the inau-
| guration.
The Council room was crowded with peo-
pie interested in the result of the meeting,
| the majority of those present evidently
being supporters of the new administration
| though there was a sprinkfng of the
| friends of the officials whose decapitation
| was anticipated.
The members had no sooner taken their
seats than Clerk Bailey announced or
dinance on it's first reading by Alderman
| Dixon" and proceeded to read the ordin-
ance aboushng the Offices of chief and as
sistant chief of police, and chief and as
sistant chief fireman. Alderman Tiede-
man moved that the ordinance be put on
| its second reading. The motion was about
to be put when Alderman Thomas an
| nounced that he was constrained TO OBJ
| ject Mayor Myers proceeded to put the
motion whether the ordinance should be
| placed upon it's second reading.
| Alderman Thomas made the point that
under the rules of Council unanimous con-
sent was required for an ordinance to be
/ put on its second reading at the same
meeting at which it was introduced. Mayor
Myers remarked that Council had adopted
no rules. Mr. Thomas stated that he
| thought that in this case the rules govern
| ing former Councils would remain in force,
| and asked for the decision of the city at
torney on this point.
City Attorney Adams stated that the
| plan had been for a new Council to adopt
the rules of previous boards by resolution
For example. when the late administration
| went into office a resolution to this effect
was offered by Alderman Charlton and
adopted. Mr.. Adams referred to the print
| ed copies of the rules on the Council ia
bic, bearing the date of their adoption,
! Feb. 10, 1897. Not having adopted these
| rules, he said, Council could not be gov
erned by them. Mr.. Adams remarked
| further that he had not made a special
study Of parliamentary procedure, but
! that was his opinion from such knowledge
! as he possessed.
| The ordinance was then read a second
| time, and Alderman Thomas called for a
! yea and nay vote. The vote was taken
with t. following result: For: Dixon,
| Williams, Screven, Tiedeman Bacon, Jar
rell, Schwarz. Against: Thomas, Mills,
| Graham and Wells. The ordinance was de-
| clared adopted. This announcement was
followed by applause from the crowd.
The next ordinance was one by Alder
man Bacon creating the Office of super
intendent of the fire department. The or
| dinance creates the Office and provides
| that at the first regular meeting in Feb
| ruary after an election for Mayor and al
| derman a superintendent of the fire de-
| partment shall be elected for two years,
| who shall perform all the duties heretofore
| performed by the chief and assistant chief
| of the fire department. The ordinance
! provided that a superintendent to serve
| during the interim should be appointed by
| the Mayor.
| A motion for a second reading of this
ordinance was objected to by Alderman
Thomas, who also called for a yea and
| nay vote. which resulted in a vote of s
to in favor of a second reading, Alder
man Wells voting with the majority. AL
| dorman Thomas objected that the ordi-
state the salary to be paid.
That does not make it Illegal" said
Mayor Myers.
Mr.. Adams appealed to and said
that the failure TO state the salary did
not inValldate the other provisions of the
ordinance. Mayor Myers stated that he
thought it was the intention of Council
TO wait until it could investigate the finan-
cial condition of the city before fixing any
salaries.
TlA or1tr
viva voce vote, Alderman Thomas and
others voting no.
Alderman Tiedeman fathered the next
ordinance, which was to create the office
of superintendent of police. This ordi-
nance differed from the one creating n su-
perintendent of the fire department. In
stead of making the superintendent of no.
lice elective by Council the ordinance
makes him appontive by the Mayor and
subject to removal at any time with or
without cause. His duties are those now
performed by the chief and the assistant
chief of police.
Alderman Graham was the obiector this
time but the motion to read a second time
was carried by yea and nay vote and the
ordinance was read second time and
adopted by a similar vote.
The next ordinance was by Alderman
screven 10 repeal the ordinance creating
the Office of superintendent of public
works Alderman Thomas called for the
yeas and nays on the motion for a second
reading. The vote stood to T. Alderman
Wells voting with the minority. Alderman
Wells position is understood to be, not
that he was opposed to the programme OF
\ the majority of the board. but that he was
opposed to hasty action on these ques tons
and he, therefore, voted each time against
| the second reading of the ordinances. The
ordinances having been adopted he voted
with the majority for those ordinances Gre
atinp new offices. Alderman Screven's
ordinance was adopted on the second read
Ing
After the committees of Council had
been announced Mayor Myers inquired Of
the clerk if there were any further bust
ness 20 come before the meeting. but Mr.
Bailey had exhausted the supply of or.
dinances with which he had been fur
uished.
Il announce my first appointment, that
of John e. Mcguire as superintendent of
! the fire department." said Mr.. Myers. AID,
pause by the crowd followed this an
mi