The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-29
ROOM WAS NEEDED
so CHAIRMAN DALE WROTE CON-
MITTEE CHAIRMAN.
IMPEDIMENT TO ELECTION
THREATENED. BUT SEEMS To HAVE
DEEM AVERTED.

Chairman Dale Nof County Commits
siOners Directed That N Letter BE
Addressed to Acting Chairman
Alexander, stating That Oct. 10,
the Day of the Primary, Was Also
the Day for Commissioners' Meet
ing and That Rooms Used by
Board Could Not BE Used for Elec-
tion-DaIe and Lawrence Confer
red and Terms of Truce Virtually
Fixed.
What came very near being clash
between the County Commissioners
and the Democratic Executive Com
Ynittee of the county was narrowly
averted yesterday. 1t may chance, in
deed, that it has not been averted at
all
When Chairman J. J. Dale of the
County Commissioners reached home
and proceeded to his Office yesterday
morning, he found that Thurs
day, Oct 10, the day set for
holding the primary election for
ordinary, was that on which
the meeting of the Board of County
Commissioners is to be held. 1t is the
day fixed regularly by the rules of the
board.
Chairman Dale instructed the clerk
of the board, Mr. G.. Reuben Butler, to
write a letter to Mr.. A. L. Alexander,
acting chairman of the Executive Com.
mittee, notifying him that on account
of the fact that the meeting Of the
commissioners Is to be held on Oct. TO-
1t would be impossible for the board to
permit the use of the rooms, used by
II for the transaction of public busi-
ness. for purposes of the election.
This would have been a damper, in
deed. The rules of the primary cleo
ton provide for eleven boxes, and that
is about the maximum number that
the rooms on the first floor of the
Court House can conveniently accom-
modate 1t is customary to locate two
boxes in the office of the county at
torney and one or two in the court
room of the county commissioners. To
take away these rooms, both of winch
are used by the commissioners at their
meetings, would make it practically
impossible to hold the election at the
Court House and provide the eleven
boxes.
The letter addressed to Mr.. Alexan-
der went to his office and will not be
opened until his return to the city. 1t
is hoped that he will be back on Oct.
8. In the meantime, had not the de-
cision at which the chairman OF the
commission had arrived become rather
generally known and the contents OF
the communication to the acting chair
man reached in substance, the ears OF
Mr.. A. A. Lawrence, one of the mem
bers of the committee, there would
have been a pretty nut for the COM
mittee to crack when Mr.. Alexander
did return and open his mall.
Mr.. Lawrence, however, heard what
had been DONE and made call upon
Chairman Dale at his office. There
was a conference, and the result OF II
was that Chairman Dale about half-
way promised to refer the matter 10
the board. and suggest that when the
commissioners met on Oct. 10, 1t
would be merely to adjourn until the
following or some later day.
1t is probable, though by no means
certain, that this is the course that
will be followed. The letter to Acting
Chairman Alexander was positive
enough in its terms. it is understood,
and merely expressed the regret OF the
commissioners that the committee
COulQ not nave Tie IOOlllS AiSSNSN 49,
the use of the primary.
In such situations as this the alb
sence of the acting chairman from the
city is being very seriously felt. In
his absence there is no one to open his
official mail, and the entries of the four
candidates now in the race remain,
presumably. on file in his office. No
body knows whether they comply with
the conditions fixed by the committee
or not
Furthermore, Oct. / is the day fixed
by the rules for the deposit with the
chairman or acting chairman, by the
candidates, of their pro rata shares of
the expenses of the election. The
amount of these expenses was to have
been determined by Mr.. Alexander,
and it has not been determined yet.
He is not expected back before Oct. 3,
and when the day for the deposit rolls
around, the candidates will not know
with whom to make their deposit nor
how much they are to be required to
put up. He is required also to locate
the boxes and the rules do not provide
for an understudy in case of his abb
sence.
The difference with the commission
ers has not yet been settled, though
probably II will be. 1t is certain that
the refusal would be a very unpopular
step for the commissioners to take, and
it is quite likely that the action al
ready taken and expressed in the let
ter to the acting chairman of the Ex-
ecutive Committee will be reconsidered
and that, in a measure agreed on at
the conference between Chairman Dale
and Mr.. Lawrence, substituted in its
stead.