The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-23
Questions EmanatiOg from the
Chief Executive
WILL Be FOUGHT IN COUNCIL
Members VIII Get Even by Ask
ing Appropriations
FOR CEMETERY AND PARKS
1t is Said That They Made Remarks or
the Streets Which Caused the
Mayor Not to Reap
point Them.

The organization of the new committees
| of the city council will likely cause a di-
vision in that body on all questions eman-
ating from the official head Of the admin
| istration. No sooner had Mayor Drennen
made public the standing of the new COM
| mittees than the lines began to be drawn.
Leaders of the opposition to Mayor Dren-
| men at once began laying plans to cause
| him trouble.
If the present agreement Is carried out
| 1t is said that every question which the
| mayor puts before the body will be fought
most vigorously by those members who OPP
| posed his candidacy for mayor and who
were ignored in the reconstruction of the
| more important committees. The prime
movers in the opposing element assert that
Mr. Drennen ousted the Smith men from
the prominent places and left them to hold
the bag on the councils working bodies of
the lesser degree Of Importance.
The removal of President Henry B. Gray,
of the Peoples Savings Bank and Trust
company from the craftsmanship of the
finance committee has precipitated storm
of indignation among the opposition forces
as we'll as creating wide comment among
all GLASSES. Line friends OF the OepOSeu
Chairman are arguing that his position in
the financial world better adapted him to
direct the workings of the finance commit
tee perhaps than any other member OF the
board of aldermen.
They Dig Up Precedents
They go back and dig up presidents for
this argument, pointing out that with the
exception Of one instance the head of this
| committee has always been a banker OF
had some connection with a bank. Among
the gentlemen who have formerly held this
position are Charles Linn, William Berney,
E. w. Linn, ]. B. Cobbs, c. T. Enslen and
L. o. Smith, all connected with the promi
nent banks of the city. The removal of
Alderman w. J. Pearce and Walter Moore
from the chairmansnips of the police and
sanitation and miscellaneous committees
| respectively has been variously commented
upon Mr.. Pearce was the campaign mana
ger for Ross C. Smith
The members of the city council who were
opposed to Mr. Drennen were either left or
placed at the head of the following COM
| mittees: Markets, Rainbow; parks, Meig
ham, cemetery, Harrington; miscellaneous,
| Ward.
The members who have been deposed
| from the leading committees and transfer
| red to the minor ones are saying good ma
| turedly that they will bring about wonder
| fur Improvements in their lines of work.
VIII Improve Parks and Cen etery
"The, cemeteries and parks will receive
| long needed attention. said one of them
| yesterday "Oak Hill cemetery is sadly in
| need of improvements, and while Chairman
| Harrington and his predecessor, Alderman
| AIeignan, did good work the appropriations
were too small to accomplish much in the
| way OF identifying and improving the
| grounds.
81 understand that the cemetery fund now
| has one thousand dollars to its credit" he
continued, land no doubt this amount, with
| additional appropriations from the general
funds will be expended at once in laying
brick guttering along the drives and walks
under the direction of the cemetery commit
| tee."
The cemetery committee is composed of
Harrington, Meighan, Gray, Williams and
| Wheeler.
| The gentleman also stated that the COM
| mittee on parks would probably ask the
| board for a substantial appropriation for
| the care and Improvement of the three
i
| ton that the board would pass fayorably on
these requests for additional appropria-
| lions.
| Mayor Drennen In the City
Mayor Drennen was in the city for two
hours yesterday. He came down from
| Blount Springs in the morning, and re-
turned at 1890.
II feel slightly improved in health" said
Mayor Drennen. "and have hopes of soon
being strong again.
Though the mayor is not looking as
strong and physically vigorous as usual.
he does not have the appearance OF being
very sick man. He is paler and thinner,
but did not seem to be at all nervous, and
his color is good
He came down to attend to some press
ing private business affairs and also to
consult with his physician. He has moth
ing to say on politics or city affairs.
Members Did Some Boosting
A close friend of the mayor said that
the decapitation of certain heads of coun-
ell committees was readily explained He
said that the committeeman referred to
had remarked openly that IL they were not
re-appointed they were In a position to
give him some concern in conducting the
affairs of the city. This information, he
said, reached the ears of the mayor,
whether In an exaggerated form, he did not
know.
The mayor quietly took the initiative and
threw down the gauntlet. leaving the dis