Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-06-01
PhiIadeIphia's Mayor Throws Down
the Gauntlet to City's Re-
publican Leaders.
A GREAT POLITICAL FIGHT BEGINS
Director of Public Works and of Pub
lie Safety Are Dismissed from
Office by the Mayor-An In
cident in the Gas Lease
Battle.


TO defeat the consummation of the
plan TO lease the city gas works to the
United Gas Improvement Co. for rs
years for S25,0000O0. Mayor Weaver
yesterday dismissed from Office the
two principal members of his cabinet
and thereby delivered staggering
blow to the dominant political organi-
ZatiOn of this city which has caused
probably the greatest sensation in the
history of Philadelphia municipal af-
fairs. While the citizens were expect
ing some sort of a move on the part
of the mayor, they were not prepared
for the immediate removal from office
Of David J. Smyth. director of the de-
partment of public safety, and Peter f.
Costello director of the department of
public works.
After the removals had been an
nounced the mayor made public the
names of the men he had selected for
the places They are Col. Sheldon
Potter to fiji the office of director of
public safety and Lincoln Acker to be
director of the department Of public
works
The mayor has announced that he is
in the fight to the bitter end, which
means that a great political battle is
now on and will be carried to the polls
next November. In his fight against
the gas lease and the republican or
caniZatiOn the mayor has called in as
counsel Elihu Root, of New York, and
eX-Judge James Gay Gordon, of this
city. Judge Gordon is democrat.
Philadelphia. May 25.-The gas
lease fight was carried into the courts
Wednesday and in consequence the
two directors appointed by Mayor
Weaver Tuesday evening are out of
office and the directors who were dis
missed have again taken up the duties
Cf their positions.
The first move of the day was the
appearance before Judge Ralston in
common pleas court Of attorneys for
Peter Z. Costello and David J. Smyth,
the dismissed directors, who applied
for a preliminary injunction against
the mayor and Lincoln Acker and
Sheldon Potter. their successors in of
fee, restraining Messrs. Acker aand
Potter from assuming the duties of
their respective offices and restraining
the mayor and all other city employees
from aiding them in carrying out such
intentions. Judge Ralston granted a
temporary restraining order and fixed
next Monday as the time for the de
fendauts to show cause why the in
junction should not be made perma-
nent
Philadelphia, May 2G.-The bitter
feeling that has been cngendered by
the gas lease fight was intensified
Thursday when Mayor Weaver prac-
tically elected from the Offices of the
departments OF public safety and pub
lie works his two former directors
and again installed the men appointed
by him on Tuesday night The action
OF the mayor was the most sensational
move that he has yet made.
The news created considerable eX-
citcment in the city hail and on the
political "RialtO' and nearly all that
were interested assembled in the vi
cinity of the mayors office TO learn of
the next move. This came quickly,
but from an unexpected quarter-the
state supreme court. While the mayor
was ordering his old directors out of
their office, his attorneys appeared in
the supreme court and obtained a
special supersedas suspending the
temporary injunction granted to the
old directors by the county court.