The San Francisco call., 1905-06-14
Temporary Victory
of Philadelphia
" Machine.
Bills to Repeal
Franchise Grants
Held Up
Mayor Causes Ar
rest of a Pronni-
nent Politician.

PHILADELPHIA. June 13-Amid
cries of "Thievesw and "Crooksi' and
under the protection of a squad of po
lice, the council committee on street
railways referred to the City Solicitor
for his opinion as to their legality
four bills repeating ordinances grant
ing street car companies the right to
use 110 miles of street to lay tracks
without the requiring of any compen-
sdtion for the franchises. The meet
ing was in all respects as sensational
and as stormy that held by the COM
mittee on finance some weeks ago,
when the gas lease was under consid-
GRAFTON. The ''repealers" were intro
duced at the instance of Mayor Weaver
and the action of the committee to-day
is the first setback the Mayor has re-
ceived since the inauguration of the
reform movement, which was begun
with the fight on the gas lease.
Another sensation in the political
situation to-day was the arrest at the
instance of the Mayor OF Frank H.
Caven, Select Councilman from the
Thirty-fourth Ward, on the charge of
having violated his councilmanic oath
by being interested in city contracts.
He was held in $4,000 bail for a further
hearing. He denies the charge.
The fight over the street car fran
chises promises to be a warm one be-
fore 1t is finally ended. 1t is a con-
test between the Mayor and citizens
living in the territory through which
the proposed new lines are to be run,
on the one hand, and the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company, backed by the
Republican organization, on the other.
PASSED OVER THE MAYORS VETO
Recently four street car companies,
subsidiary concerns of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company, which corpo-
ration controls practically all the street
car lines in the city. caused>> to be
passed by the City Councils ordinances
giving them the right to lay track on
10 miles of streets. without the city
receiving anything for the privilege.
Citizens protested against the ordi-
nances and Mayor Weaver vetoed them
On the same day the gas lease was
passed by councils and the four bills
were passed over the Mayors veto, but
no further action was taken because
of the gas lease fight. Two weeks lat
er, when councils adopted resolution
withdrawing the gas lease bill. four
ordinances were introduced repeating
the street railway ordinances and to-
day was set for hearing on the meas
ures.
The committee-room was crowded.
Select Councilman Thomas j. Ryan, the
only Democratic member of Select
Council, suggested that the bills be
sent TO the City Solicitor for his opin-
ion as to their legality. His sugges-
tion was received with a storm of
Kisses. This made Ryan very angry
and he spoke bitterly of the disturbers.
Four members of the committee who
spoke against the repealers were called
thieves" and crooks and so disorder
ly did the proceedings become that a
squad of police was hurriedly sum-
moned. Thereafter better order was
maintained.
After both sides had been heard the
committee, by vote of Is to IL, re-
ferred the bills to the City Solicitor
for an opinion on them by noon on
Thursday.
REMOVAL OF COUNCILMAN CAVEN.
The removal of Select Councilman
Caven to-day caused a great sensation.
The affidavit charges that Caven, while
member of Councils, committed the Of
fense of being interested directly and
indirectly in certain contracts for supplies
and material for the use of the city.
Those supplies consisted of sand and
gravel, which were furnished to Daniel
]. McNicnol & Co, contractors, to be used
in the new filtration beds.
State Senator James p. McNichol, one
Of the leaders of the Republican organiza-
ton in this city. is member Of the con-
tracing firm involved.
Director of Public Works Acker to-day
temporarily suspended work on the Tor
resdale boulevard, which is expected to
cost several million dollars, because it
is alleged that the contractors are not
living UP TO the specifications in the
matter of material supplied in building
the boulevard.
Colonel Sheldon Potter, director of Pub
lie Safety. notified all employees to-day
that hereafter no permission will be nee
essary for any employe TO change his
place of residence. Colonel Potter said
that in the past there was printed form
that had to be filed in whenever a man
desired to move, and his application for
permission to move had to be indorsed by
a ward leader.
Frank NJ. Ritter, a former director of
public safety, was appointed secretary of
the Civil Service Board to-day.
PITTsBURG CRATER CONVICTED.