The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-09
STONE OUT.
He Withdraws From
the Contest
i'm LETTER TO SPY.
Another Phase in Street
Commissioners Fight. =

L. ID PNOlAC llelo NibilNl CIV IL Ia Ohl LAAC
contest for street commissioner.
He reached that decision yesterday,
and as he desired everybody in Wor-
cester to know it he requested The Spy
to publish the fact.
Mr.. Stone says his reason for with
drawing is that he has been offered a
position which is better one than that
of street commissioner.
He laughed when The Spy man asked
him if he had any fear Of defeat. He
said not only had he no fear of being
defeated, but that he felt fairly con-
fident he could have won out had he
stayed in the contest.
His withdrawal is contained in the
following signed statement, which he
made for The Spy:
To the Editor of The Spy: [ de-
sire to announce that I am no long
er a candidate for the office of
street commissioner of the city of
Worcester. / thank my friends for
the kindness that has been shown
me during by candidacy, and it is
for purely personal reasons that l
withdraw at this time.
L. B. STONE.
Mr. Stone did not have a great deal
to say regarding his withdrawal. He
said he has received an offer which
he considers a better one than the
position Of street commissioner, and
has that offer under consideration He
has not yet made up his mind to ac.
cept the position, as it would demand
being out of town. He desired, how
ever to be free to accept the offer il
he chose. What the offer was, he
would not say.
Although he did not wish to make
any particular statement, he said he
did not want people to think he feared
to enter the contest because it was a
contest. On this point he said there
was fight last year which he entered
when he had everything to lose. He
has nothing to lose this year and
everything to gain in making O. fight
and the fact or there being q. contest
he'd nothing to do with his decision
He added that he has every confidence
tnat his friends in both branches on
whom he relied for support, would re-
main with him until the end.
stones withdrawal will certainly
place different aspect on the situa-
ton, but what that is, nobody can sur
mise. Whether there will be opposi-
ton to w. S. Prior is not publicly
known. There are suspicious which
will be corrected or confirmed today,
but nothing definite came out yester-
day. Members of the city council did
not know of Mr.. Stones action until
informed Of it by Spy men, and they
We're as much at sea as if they never
heard a word Of the contest. They
think there may be rat in the meal,
but what kind of one they can't even
surmise.
Ordinarily the withdrawal Of one Of
two candidates means the other has
not even a fullback between him and
the goal line, but it is whispered that
there may be a pitfall on the political
gridiron in the path Of Street Commits
sioner Prior. No member Of the city
government would make any such al
legation. If any Of them are aware &c
any deal, they are keeping 1t to them
selves, and those who are not in, dare
do no more than speculate.
When Stones withdrawal was posi-
lively known, the name of Charles H.
Bildreth was mentioned frequently.
The latter has reiterated that he is not
a candidate for the place, but has not
said definitely that he would not take
it, Everybody knows that democratic
members of both branches will sup
port him to a unit against Prior, and
republicans say he is a stronger man
than Stone among republican members
OF the city council.
One thing is known Of stones posi-
ton He has been more than willing to
withdraw at any time in favor Of a man
who could show more strength than he
His greatest desire was to defeat Prior
and he would sacrifice his own pros
poets for the position. to accomplish
that result. Even Stone himself mace
no pretensions to disguise that fact.
With him it was question of finding
man Of the greatest strength to run
for the office against the present in
cumbent.
Street Commissioner Prior received
his first knowledge of Stones with
drawal from a Spy man who called
at his residence to inform him Of the
fact.
II don't think there is anything
can say" said Mr.. Prior II had
expected it for some time, and am
not surprised OF course / am
pleased with the idea of having no
contest. | know nothing of Mr..
Stones reasons. for withdrawing. L
don't know of anything else 1 can
SAY on the matter"
The withdrawal has a great effect on
the democrats, for they were the
strongest factor of the opposition to
Prior Their position is peculiar. AL
though Stones friends in the common
council threw them down in the trade
which had been made for Gallagher
for assistant street commissioner, they
were willing to support Stone again.
Their opposition as a party is not es-
pecially against w. s. Prior. 1t is
directed against his brother, Burt S.
Prior assistant street commissioner.
While the elder Prior held to family
ties. the democrats are against him.
A few of them are opposed to Prior
himself and win not vote for him even
If the democratic caucus. which has
been adjourned until this evening, de-
cides that the best plan is to support
him. They say they are content with
what they have done, even if he Is
elected They have shown him that
they possess more power than he gave
them credit for, and wiN make him look
forward TO next year with fear.
The withdrawal of Stone comes as
a thunderclap to the democrats. That
they are not in any deal, n one exists
was plain when they were informed OF
hts withdrawal last evening They could
not simulate such genuine surprise
But 1t does not phase them. They
we're practically unbound after the
caucus, Saturday evening, although
their preference was known, and are