Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-06-21


of the week in state politics was the
action of William Finn, the alleged re-
former, in unmasking himself by his
high handed proceedings in forcing out
of Office William Bigelow. the director
of public works of Plttsburg. Bigelow
had antagonized Finn; that is, he had
refused to take orders, and as Finn is
a great contractor, whose business is
largely with the city, there was but
one conclusion to reach. and that was
that Finn had good business reasons
for wanting Bigelow out of this i'm
portant office.
The county of Allegheny has been
all torn up over the matter, the news
papers have been teeming with col
umns of interviews and other state
ments from leading citizens. business
men and manufacturers, denouncing
Finn, and throughout the state the
citizens are taking up the agitation,
and they are determined that the
voters of the commonwealth shall be
no longer fooled by the so-called re-
form movement headed by "Bill'' Finn
and Dave" Martin.
Referring to a great meeting held by
business men and others in the coun-
Gil chamber before that body took it's
flee. a special from Pittsburg said:
A GREAT PROTEST.
Several thousand men, bankers,
merchants, manufacturers and others,
tried to crowd into a room that would
not hold 500. The rotunda of city hall
and the steps on Smithfield street
leading to the building were choked
with others trying to express their in
lignation. At the head of the citi-
xens was James H. Park, one of the
most prominent steel manufacturers in
the country. Thomas ID. Kellar, of the
Germania Insurance company, was
chosen chairman. Mr.. Park, John Brad
ley, Frank |. Gosser, r. B. Ivory and
Thomas McNeill made red hot speeches
against the proposed action of councils.
The following resolution was adopt
ed:
That it is the sentiment of the
people of Pittsburg that before e. NJ.
Bigelow, director of the department of
public works, shall be condemned by
our councils charges, ii there are any,
shall be made against him and he be al
lowed the right to face his accusers
and answer said charges. thus giving
him simply the right that is allowed
any American citizen. to be heard be-
fore he is condemned
DONE BY BRUTE FORCE.
The joint session of councils was
the most exciting gathering that has
been held in city hall in the last dozen
years. John S. Lambie, whom Films
Republican organization defeated for
mayor and elected a Democrat presid-
ed. Of the 81 members of councils, "a
wege present.
ever since Thursday of last week
Senator Finn had runners out to drive
then in. There was never a doubt
about having majority, but Finn
waited as big vote against Bigelow
as possible. The refusal of 81 mem
ber; to take orders was commented
upon and shows the demoralized con-
dition of the Pittsburg machine. The
following was the resolution deposing
Bigslow:
Resolved. in select and common
councils, that Edward NJ Bigelow be
and hereby is removed from his Office
OF director Of the department of public
works, and that the said Office be and
is hereby declared vacant
SCARED BY THE SIGHT OF FLINN.
'"rhe 81 members who voted against
to defer action until Bigelow could be
heard in his own defense, but the sight
of Finn through the open doors of the
city clerks Office scared all the county
office holders and other dependents,
and they refused to be fair. During
the speeches there was considerable ap-
plause from the lobby, which the po-
lice officers could not suppress. After
the resolution had been adopted Mr..
Wilson was elected He was the drec-
tor of the department of charities.
'No matter what the outcome shall
be, the Finn organization will be Grip
pied, and the effect of the trouble on
the proposed state fight of Finn
against stalwart Republicanism will be
felt
A BIG FIGHT ON THE BOSS.
"The fight between Finn and Bige-
low has been going on for months.
Heretofore Finn got nearly all the city
contracts, but Bigelow objected to the
way the work was being done. Some
of it was rejected because it did not
come up to specifications, and this
made Finn mad.
THE city is about to spend So, 500, 900
for filtration plant and Finn wants
the contract for the work. AS long as
Bigelow remained at the head of the
department of public works he could
not get any favors. and he induced Ma
gee to depose Bigelow. Now Bigelow
is against Magee because the latter. he
claims, invited him to come to New
York while Finn and the others cut
his official throat in Pittsburg.
"Bigelow will in all probability be
the leader of a new organization, which
VIII have for it's object the political
determination of Finn. The Pittsburg
fight will keep him at home next win
ter. and he will have little time to at
tend to running state affairs at Har-
risburg.
THE EXCUSE FOR THE OUTRAGE.
1.-The excuse given for ousting Bige-
low is the ring charge that he is re-
sponsible for certain defalcations in
hx, sh. af xl.la1l