Milford chronicle., 1905-06-16
FRANCHISE FIGHT
IN PHILADELPHIA
Crowd HOOts Council Committee Con
sidering Repeal Bills
COUNCILMAN UNDER ARREST

Philadelphia. June IA. - Amid the
cry of thieves" and crooks" and un-
der the protection Of squad of police,
the committee on street railways of
city councils referred to the city so
licitor for his opinion as to their legal
ity four bills repeating ordinances
! granting street car companies the
right to use 110 miles of streets to lay
tracks without the city receiving any
compensation for the franchises. The
meeting was in all respects as sensa-
tional and as stormy as that held by
the committee on finance some weeks |
ago when the gas lease was under con-
sideration- The ''repealers" were intro |
duced at the instance OF Mayor
Weaver, and the action of the commit
tee is the first setback the mayor has
received since the Inauguration of the
reform movement which began with
the fight on the gas lease.
Another sensation in the political
situation was the arrest of Frank H.
Caven, select councilman from the
34th ward, on the charge of violating
his eouncilmanic oath by being inter
ested in city contracts. He was held
in $4,000 bail for a further hearing.
He denies the charge. Caven was ar
rested on charges of conspiracy to
cheat and defraud the municipality
The affidavit on which the warrant
was issued charges that he supplied
sand for the filtration beds at Torres
dale. ROxborough and Belmont as a
under Daniel J. McNichol. =
the senator's brother, under whose
name the McNichol firm is conducted
The fight over the street car fran
,hise promises to be a warm one be-
ore It is finally ended. 1t is a contest
,etween the mayor and citizens living
n the territory through which the pro
,osed new lines are to run. on the one
and and the Philadelphia Rapid +
'ransit company, backed by the Re
ublican organization, on the other. J.
itizens protested against the ordi-
ances and Mayor Weaver vetoed 70
hem. The same day the gas lease was
assed by councils the four bills were Re
assed over the mayors veto but no =,
lrther action was taken because of
lie gas lease fight. Two weeks later H
hen councils adopted a resolution
ithdrawing the gas lease BILL four
-dinances were introduced repeating
e street railway franchises. .
The committee room was crowded
Ith lawyers representing both sides Y
Id other citizens. A motion was
ade that the repealers be favOrably Z
ported to councils. but the chairman \
ked that all those who desired to
eak on the measures be heard before Of
G committee took action, and this
IS agreed to. Select Councilman All
tomas J. Ryan. the only Democratic att
smber Of select council, suggested nv
at the bills be sent to the city so -,
itor for his opinion as to their le. III
lity. He made the point that the
finances had been passed and that
: street car companies had thus To
IN vested with the right to use the IS, s
eets wanted. and that councils 1ppi
lid not now take those rights from
m. His suggestion was received w
h a storm of Kisses. z,
other members of the committee r.
o spoke against the repealers were mat
led thieves" and crooks, and so scS, @0Ti
orderly did the proceedings become bull,
t a squad of police were hurriedly geoS55
lmoned from the central station on 1r b
sixth floor of city hall to the COM
tee room of the fourth floor. There
sr better order was maintained. -
n echo Of the gas lease fight came
n Harrisburg, when State Treas
r Mathues appointed Arthur R. H.
row, of this city, bond clerk in the
e treasury department Mr. Nor
was forced out of the position of
stant secretary of the department
upplies in the gas lease fight. His
ry will be $250O a year In the
ply department he received $4,000.