The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-05-30
MAYOR WEAVER
GAINING VOTES
Needs Seven More Councilman to
Defeat the Gas Lease.
LINES ARE BROKEN

struuole TO Hold or Win Councllmen
Growing Hotter, Some Of Whom Are
Waverlns Under Tremendous Pres
sure Of Constituents and viii Prob
ably Go With the Mayor-Street
Cleaning Contracts Held Up.
Philadelphia. May 27-"rhe situa-
ton is growing brighter every minute
said Mayor Weaver, when asked what
proercss ne was making in his effort Ia
defeat the extension of the lease OF the
civ gas works lie would not give iis-
ures nor go into other details. but con
tented himself with saying that he had
received assurances from many coun-
cilmen who had voted for the lease
Inst week that they would support him
in his veto. Leaders OF the Republican
organization. which is advocating the
lease. continue 60 remain silent lhere
are. however signs that some OF the
coun,ilmen are breaking away under
tremendous pressure from their con
stituents and will probably GO along
with the mayor The all-absorbinS
point OF interest Is whether the mayor
viii succeed in getting enough TO de-
feat the bill when It shall come Up
next Thursday for passage over his
veto The organization still stands on
its statement that it will pass the lease
ordinance IN spite OF disapprovaL
The record up 20 date shows that the
MAYOR has 10 select councilmen and 20
members Of common council with MIN.
In select council there are AZ members.
To mass the ordinance over the mayor s
veto the organization needs 20 votes
and the mayor II TO sustain him The
membership Of common council Is ~
Here the organization needs 81 and
the mayor 81.
Street Cleaning Bids Annulled.
The FIRST important move OF the ne"
administration-a move that was OF
vital importance 10 organization men
who hold city contracts was taken
when the new director OF public works.
Acker. annuled the advertisement for
bids for street cleaning for 1906. The
contract will aggregate about $1,000
900. The contract for this year is held
by the Ware Brothers. one OF whom Is
Z state senator and another recorder OF
deeds. This action was taken by Di-
rector Acker I'm a letter TO Samuel SUIT
cliAe. chief Of the bureau OF street
cleaning. Mr.. Sutcliffe was instructed
70 recall all specification blank forms
OF proposals. etc The new bids were
70 have been opened on June l. While
Mayor Weaver and Director Acker re-
fuse 10 discuss this action, 1t was
learned from an authoritative source
that new specifications would be drawn
no. which will provide for liberal eX-
tension OF time for the submission OF
bids
All the principal figures in the strug-
gle for supremacy kept behind closed
doors most OF the day. The mayor had
numerous conferences with his attor-
neys and lieutenants on matters per
tanning 10 the local battle that Will
have its real start next Monday. In the
Offices of United States Senator Pen
rose. where organization headquarters
have been temporarily established
many conferences were held during the
day and evening. The deep silence at
the headquarters remains unbroken.
and the only word that can be had from
the leaders IS that the organization is
confident Of the outcome
Councilmen Pursued.