The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-26
MAYOR WEAVER AGAIN
 GUSTS TWO DIRECTORS
MOST SENSATIONAL MOVE YET IN QUAKER CITY GAS
 FIGHT.

Once More Instal1s the Men He Ap-
 pointed Tuesday Night-obtains
 Special supersedeas Suspending Tem-
 porary Injunction Granted to the old
 Directors-Bitter Feeling Intensified
 Vague Rumor That aRingr VIII
 Bring Impeachment Proceedings.
 Philadelphia. May 25.-The bitter feel- ing that has been engendered by the gas lease fight was intensified to-day when Mayor Weaver practically eject ed from the offices of the departments of public safety and public works his two former directors and again install- ed the men appointed by him oh Tues- day night. The action of the mayor to- day was the most sensational move that he has yet made. The moment the news flashed through the great city building that the old directors were out and the new men in rumors flew thick and fast that a wholesale dismissal of bureau chiefs and other officials was about to occur.
 The news created considerable ex- citement in the city hall and on the political "rialto" and nearly all that were interested assembled in the vicin- ity of the mayors office to learn of tho 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 ofhces his attorneys appeared in the supreme court and obtained special supersedeas suspending the temporary injunction granted to the old directors yesterday by the county court.
 Another dramatic incident of the day was the great ovation given Mayor Weaver by several thousand persons while on his way from city hall to the Union league for lunch. It was sen- sational demonstration. and was looked upon by those opposed to the lease as an indication of the trend of popular sentiment.
 In the thick of the fight this after noon came the story, but from where no one appears to know, that the mayor Is to be impeached. For what particular offense was not clearly defined. One | before the bar of city councils for his conduct of an election fraud case while he was district attorney, and another rurnor had 1t that he was to be made to answer for some alleged lapse of duty while in his present position. All att tempt to confirm the impeachment ril- nor failed, but at the same time no one could be induced to deny them. The leaders of the organization were closeted all day. All were silent on the impeachment story and on all pro- posed plans for the future.
 The organization leaders say they continue to stand pat on the gas lease and that their ranks are solid all along the line. On the other hand Mayor Weaver announced late to-day that he had assurances that the vote in both council chambers, when his veto is considered, will be changed material ly from the vote taken last week. One councilman publicly announced to-day that he would change his vote, and 1t is understood that the mayor has the di- rect promise from several others that they will sustain him.
 The situation is daily growing more |tense. In all sections of the city re- form organizations and the newspapers have aroused citizens to take a hand i'm the fight The councilmen who favor the gas lease are having a hard time of it. They are being swamped with protests and delegations of neighbors are calling on them Many of them re- ply that they are for the lease so long as the peerless leader,'' as Commis- sioner Durham is affectionately called by the organization men, is for it. As a result of the agitation against l the lease three select and. six common council men have now announced that they would change their vote on the lease. This would make the vote in se- lect council stand thirty-fou for the lease and eight against, and in common council sixty-eight for and sixteen against. It takes a two-third vote to pass an ordinance over the mayors veto. NINl lDa John c. Winston, as chairman of the. committee of seventy, has engaged Jo- l seph C. Auerbach, a New York kslawyer, | to represent the committee in it's fight against the gas lease. We are going further than the mayor, said MT. Win-s ston tonight. He simply wants to lstraighten out his departments. We are going to investigate civic matters and will stir up the city When we have finished there will be stench that will reach to heaven. I