The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-02
Mass Meeting in Gadsden
Adopts Strong Resolutions
WANT ALDERMEN TO RESIGN
Condemn the Recent Action In Chang.
Ing Front and Granting the
Franchise to Weller
and Mitchell.

and Mitchell.
Gadsden. January 1-(Special.) 1.-THE
mass meeting held at the Court House
last Thursday night to take action on the
City Councils manner in which they had
reversed themselves on the Weller-M
chell water works franchise was largely
attended. there being from go to $50 repre-
sentative citizens and tax payers present
to express their views on the so-called
usurpation of power. Speeches were made
by several prominent citizens, who
handled two of the Councilmen without
gloves and denounced their actions in no
uncertain words. The meeting was called
to order by w. M. Meeks, who named
Obal Christopher as chairman and the
BODY got down to work with vengeance.
j. E. Blackwood stated the object of the
meeting was to give the people an oppor-
tunity to express themselves on the ac-
ton of three OF the Aldermen OF the
city In attempting to hold a meeting of
the board in the absence of the Mayor and
two of the Aldermen and to pass such
resolutions as the meeting desired.
Otto Agricola and Charles Z. Smith,
candidates for Mayor, w. j. Boykin and
Obal Christopher made strong speeches
condemning the action of these men and
passed the following resolutions, which
were introduced by George d Motley and
passed with only one dissenting vote:
Adopt Warm Resolutions.
Whereas. A part of the Board of Alder
men OF the City Of Gadsden, at called
meeting, known only to themselves, have
| attempted in an illegal manner to elect
| Z. s. Ward as an Alderman of the city,
and In conjunction with the said Ward,
have attempted to give gratuiously to r.
A. Mitchell of Alabama City and w. II.
| Weller of Admission, two non-residents, a
| valuable water works franchise, and have
attempted to bind the City of Gadsden to
| these gentlemen by a thirty year con-
| tract.
Whereas, c. L. Guice and ]. p. Arm
strong, two OF the said Aldermen, did,
| prior TO their election, publicly announce
| that 1T was up to the voters to say
whether the city should own the water
works or the water works own the CITY,"
and gave their written pledges that, If
| elected they would neither give sell nor
dispose of any valuable franchise without
first giving due publicity to the question
and submitting 1t to vote of the peo-
| pie; and 81
| Whereas, The said C. l.. Guice and
| j. p. Armstrong have not been true to
| the trust confided in them by the people
| but have fiagrantly violated their writ
ten pledge; and,
| Whereas, Said attempted confirmation
of said Mitchell contract was a usurpation
| of power and contrary to law; therefore,
| be 1t
| Resolved, BY the citizens of Gadsden,
| In mass meeting assembled:
First. That we hereby place our en-
phatic disapproval upon such conduct of
| public servants as exemplified by Messrs.
Guice and Armstrong, and we do en-
| phatically condemn the action of the AL
dermen In attempting to reinstate the
Mitchell-Weller franchise
Second, That we call upon c. s.
Ward to refrain from any further at
tempt to usury the office Of Alderman
of the city, as he In nowise represents
the sentiment of the people.
Third, That we call upon the said C.
L. Guice and ]. P. Armstrong to I'm
mediately tender their designations as
Aldermen from their respective wards
and to refrain hereafter from exercising
any power or privileges as Aldermen.
| Fourth, That we call upon all good
citizens of Gadsden to unite with us
in the approaching municipal election in
an effort to elect a Board of Aldermen
composed OF citizens of high honor and
known integrity. who will be faithful
to every trust and true to every pledge,
who will hold honor above dollars and
integrity above gold
Fifth. That said attempted confirma-
tion OF said ordnance is void and we
declare your unalterabie purpose to op-
pose the ownership of said franchise
by auch. methods or by any one ex-
cept the public themselves.
| Aldermen viii Not ResIan.
| Your correspondent interview the two
| Aldermen, DIR. Guice and j. p Armstrong
who were asked by the mass meeting to
resign Both stated in most emphatic
terms that they would not resign their
offices. as they felt that they were in
| the right. IL the voters OF the city held
| ar election and requested them to re-
| sign they would do SO and not before.
Council Also Meets.
| While the mass meeting was being held
the four Aldermen. Lawrence Smith, ]. P.
| Armstrong, G. L. Guice and c. s. Ward
were holding another meeting at the city
hall. The following resolution was passed
| unanimously:
| Resolved, That 1t is the sense of this
meeting of the board, that Mayor Camp
bell be, and is hereby requested to make
| report to this board on Monday. the
| I'd day of January, 1905, of the disposition
% city bonds for city hall. at what price
sold and expenses accrued T.. said sale.
I'd. Resolved. That the Mayor is also
| required to submit plans. specifications,
| and bids on the construction of said
| city hall at the regular meeting on
Monday. January 2. 1905.
The City Clrek was called upon as well
| as the Treasurer to make a report al
the next meeting of the financial con-
| diton of the city and an estimate OF
| the available resources of the city.
| The two meetings have been the sole
| topic of conversation all day and the peo-
| pie are greatly wrought up and are align
| ing themselves on one side or the other
| This water worns question has been the
| cause of much trouble for the past two
years and has cost the city and the We'll
| Ter Mitchell crowd n nice sum of money
| each in the way of court costs.
Postoffice Hours Today.
Postmaster Hughes stated last night
49, 49, I1trr,fp oy, q m postofftra mould