The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-16

Already Spent on It and s5,OOO,OOO
 Needed to Complete It-Secret Agree
 ments to Squeeze Every Cent Fossil bIe Out of the City-COrrupt Com diti0n of Affairs-President InYesti- gating oae Feature.
 Philadelphia, June 15.-There were highly interesting developments to-day in Mayor Weaver's crusade for good government. The fight against the trolley franchise is, for the moment forgotten in the light of what develop ed at the hearing of Select Councilman Frank H. Caven, who is charged with violating his councilmanic oath by be- ing interested in city contracts. Dur. | ing the hearing it was shown that In- suranee Commissioner Israel w. Dur ham, the leader of the republican or I ganization in this city, is a partner in the McNichol firm of city contractors I It was also shown that while James F. McNichol, who is now a state senator, | and one of the local republican leaders, | was in city councils the McNichol firm l consisted of Durham, Mrs. James F. I McNichol, John M. Mack and Daniel J. McNichol. a brother of James F. Me- Nichol. It was also shown that after James P. McNichol left the councils his | wife withdrew from the firm and that | her place was taken by himself. At l the close of the hearing Caven was | held in $2,500 bonds for court.
 l Other evidence of a sensational char acter was to the effect that a secret agreement existed between Councilman Caven and his father, trading as James l Caven & Son, and another firm in which they agreed that no contract shall be 1 entered into by either of the parties 1 with the McNichol firm or other firm doing work on the city's filtration sys- l tenn without the written consent of both parties 4 As a result of what developed at the hearing Mayor Weaver late to-day ac- l cepted the resignation of John W. Hill chief engineer of the bureau of filtra- ton. and also that of his son, Henry W. Hill. who was assistant to his fla l tfer
 Chief Hill was the highest salaried ! official in the city, his compensation being $17,o0O year. Simultaneous with the acceptance of the resigna- tions all work on the city's filtration system was ordered stopped. 1 The office of Chief Hill was placed in charge of Assistant Director of Public l Works Hicks, and the city's offices at the filtration plants were put in charge of detectives with instructions to per init no one to remove any records or other documents.
 The filtration system has cost the city about s22, 100000 and 1t will take up- wards of $5,O00,0 ,00O more to complete the
 work. The McNichol firm has had con tracts for about three quarters of the | work.
 After establishing the fact that Caven was member of councils for seven years, Judge Gordon produced three contracts made by the city with T Daniel J. McNichol for sand gravel and other material. They aggregated $1,S55 000. The agreement entered into
 by the Caven's and the firm of Nor cross & Edmunds of New Jersey, dealers in sand, was submitted in evil dence. The agreement, in substance, provided for a union of interests and the harmonious action of the Cavens 1 and Norcross & Edmunds in the furn- ishing of sand and gravel to McNichol or any other contractor who would thereafter obtain the contract for the construction of the filter beds. It was an ironclad agreement and bound the parties to a faithful performance of all it's provisions.
 Chief Hill testified that on one con-
 tract there was bid lower than Me-
 Nichols and tht 1t was not awarded tc that bidder but instead bids were again advertised for. This time Me
 Nichol was the only bidder and he re-
 ceived the contract.
 It was brought out that one contract let to the McNichol firm for $290, ,00O was sublet to the Caven firm which did the work for $215, ,O00. The United States civil service commission, backed up by
 President Roosevelt is investigating one phase of the local political situation although it is denied that it's inquiry has anything to do with current events
 in the local political world. The com-
 mission is inquiring into the case of
 Clarence Meeser, deputy internal rev.
 enue collector for this district, and Mrs
 Slenora Park, an employe of the United States mint. Meeser was accused o1
 election frauds along with Samuel Sal
 ter. He was fugitive from justice but returned and was not convicted
 Mrs. Park was boarding house keepe, and testified at Salters trial that Saltel
 was at her home during the time he
 was alleged to have committed tht
 election fraud of which he was accused Salter was acquitted. Subsequently,
 Meeser and Mrs. Park were given em. lployment in the federal service. Con- missioners Alfred W. Cooley and Henry
 F. Green came here and to-day began
 an inquiry as to whether Meeser and
 Mrs. Park were fit to hold positions ir the government service. The commits
 sioners had with them letter dated June 7, which read as follows:
 Civil Service Commission, Washing ton, D. C., June IA.
 "Gentlemen: Please use this letter
 as authority for making thorough in.
 vestigation of the facts in the case ot
 Clarence Meeser and Eleanora Park
 and have an exhaustive report made tc me thereon. G.. } rt