Arizona republican., 1905-05-24
By Which Philadelphia Is
 Torn Apart
THE MAYORS $ OPPOSITION
To the Lease Consented 10 by the
 Council Results in His Dismissal of Officials Who Refuse to Support him-The Affair Political Issue.

Philadelphia. May 2s.-In his efforts to defeat the consummatiOn of the plan to lease the city gas works to the Un- ited Gas Improvement company for seventy-five years for S25. 900 900 May or Weaver today dismissed from office David J. Smyth. director of the de partment of public safety and Peter F. Costello. director of the department of public works. The mayor has announe- ed that he is in the fight to the bit- ter end. which means that a great pn- litical battle is now on and will be carried to the polls next November. Tn his fight against the gas lease and the republican organization. the may or has called in as counsel. E.Ifhu Roo, of New Yo.k, and former Judge James Gay Gordon of this city.
 Frederick J. Shoyer. director of the department of supplies by direction or the mayor, was suspended pending an investigation. and also Arthur H Nor row, assistant director of the depart ment. The removal of Directors Snyth and Costello. did not come until
 
 sign immediately. In reply each sent a letter to the mayor offering his re- siguatioR to take effect when his sue cessor shall be qualified
 Mayor Weaver answered them by demanding their immediate resigna- tion- The answers the directors rs- turned were to the effect that they had tnr @l,,f~-
 ual form and in accordance with the provisions of the city charter and they would stand by them as tendered
 MT. Weaver then ended the cores pondence by sending to each a letter of dismissal.
 After the removals had been an nounced, the mayor made public the names of the men he had selected for the places They are Colonel Sheldon Potter, to fill the office of director of public safety and A Lincoln Acker. to be-director of the department of public works ad interim The fight over the form of the resignation Was an important one in that the new di- rectors can only be qualified by con hrmation of the eonucil. which Is con trolled by the organization Each of the dismissed directors received S1e.- OOO a year, and together they had con- trol of 10000 office holders IL is net likely that the city council will con- firm the men appointed by the mayor. but they will hold offices ad interim The two dismissed directors refused ,o use their influence to help the mayor in his anti-gas lease fight. and this led the mayor to ask the directors for their resignations-
 The news of the mayors action spread quickly to every section Of the city. Every one wanted to know what the Organization" was going to do. IL Is evident that it is planning for a great struggle. The next city election will be held in November. when sher- in and coroner are to be elected
 The Organization" candidate for sheriff is Harry C. RanSley. president of the select council and an advocate of the gas lease. and it is likely that the reform organizations of the city will center their strength to Gefeac him. While the mayor refuses to say what his future action will be regard ing the other office holders who oppose him, it is believed that he is not through with his work in this direc- tion. The reform organizations of the city are continuing with a vim the plans to block the lease. Ward meet ings were held tonight. the largest of of which took place at the Bourse-