The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-14
SENSATION IN PHILADELPHIA Mayor Weaver Gets Ills First Setback.
 - DOWNED BY CITY COUNCIL Crowd Cries "Thievesr' and
 "Cre0kSl' An Effort to Give street RaiIw.y rranchise. without Proat ts srunicipaIity--Arrest of
 Frank H. Caven.
DOWNED BY CITY COUNCIL

=" of thieves" and "crooks." and under the protection of squad of police, the Committee on Street Railways of City Councils today referred to the city so-' licitor for his opinion as to their legal ity four bills repeating ordinances to use lie miles of street to lay tracks without the city receiving any compen- sation for the franchises.
 The meeting was in all respects as sensational and as stormy as that held by the Committee of Finance some weeks ago. when the gas lease was un~ der consideration. The "repealerse or Weaver and the action of the cora- mittee today is the first setback the Mayor has received since the beginning of the reform which began with tho fight on the gas lease
 Another sensation in the political situation today was the arrest of Frank 1T. Caven. select councilman from the violating his councilmanic oath by be- ing interested in city contracts. He was held in $10.0O0 bail for a further hearing He denies the charge
 The fight over the street car fran chises promises to be warm one be- fore 1t is finally ended. It Is a contest between the Mayor and citizens living
  posed new lines are to run on the one hand and the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company. backed by the Republican orr ganixation. on the other. Recently four street car companies subsidiary con cerns of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company. which corporation controls City Councils ordinances giving them the right to lay tracks on 110 miles of street without the city receiving any think for the privilige.
 Vetoed by Weaver.
 Citizens protested against tho ordi- nances and Mayor Weaver vetoed them. The same day the gas lease was passed by Councils the four bills were passed over the Mayors veto. but no further action was taken because of the k#s lease light. Two weeks later whs2 Councils adopted a resolution Mf}A- drawing the gas lease bills, fows 0fdt- nances were introduced repeating the street railway ordinances and today was set for a hearing on the measures
 The committed room was crowded with lawyers, representing both sid q. and other citizens. A motion was made that the repeaiers be favorably reported to Councils, but the chairman asked that all those who desired to speak on the measures be heard before the com mittee took action. and this was agreed to Select Councilman Thomas J. Ryan, the only Democratic member of Select Councils, suggested that the bills pc sent 10 the city solicitor for his opinion as so their legality. He made the point that the ordinances had been passed. and that the street car companies nad thus been vested with the right to use the streets wanted and that Councils could not now take those rights from them.
 His suggestion was received with storm of misses. This made MT. Ryan very angry. and turning to the Cnair- man, he said:
 T am ashamed of you to allow any member of councils to be insultea in this way. for one do not mean 70 sit here and listen to 1t. If we can not be protected from this mob I shall move that we adjourn at once withous considering these bills any further.
 shook Firat at Crowd.
 Turning to the crowd he shook his fist and said: T am here serving tne city to the best of my ability and do- ing what think is rights. For you sneerers and hissers l have no Fear whatever. want to say that if you want to do something good for your city you can't do 1t by doing wrong. want you gentlemen to play fair. You applaud me one day and then hiss me the next. If you have come here 70 browbeat me. can browbeat back ana I can, even vote against you.
 MT. Ryan was pacihed by members of the committee and sat down
 Other members of the committees who spoke against the repealers were called "thieves'' and crooks" and so disorderly did the proceedings become that a squad of police was hurriedly summoned from the central station on the sixth floor of the city ball to she committee room on the fourth floor. Thereafter better order was main- tained.
 the reneaIers was the Rev. Dr. G. A. BickIe, a prominent Methodist minia- ter, who headed a delegation of clergy men.
 After both sides had been heard the committee, by a vote of 15 to II. re- ferred the bills to the City Solicitox for an opinion on them by noon Thurs day. Councils meet that day at 8 p. m.
 Director of Public Safety Acker to- day temporarily suspended work on the Torresdale boulevard. which is ex- pected to cost several million dollars before 1t Is completed. Work was stopped on the operation because 1t is living up to the specifications in the matter of material furnished in the building of the boulevard. The Mo- Nichols brothers also have the contract for this work. Frank M. Ritter, a former director of public safety, was appointed secretary of the civil service board today. He succeeded Rolla Dano, a political friend of State Sena- tor James P. McNichol. who was re- moved from the civil service board some weeks ago by Mayor Weaver.