Richmond planet., 1905-06-17
FRANCHISE FIGHT
IN PHILADELPHIA
Crowd HootS Council Committee Con
siderinS Repeal Bills
COUNCILMAN UNDER ARREST

Philadelphia. June II. Amid the
cry OF thieves" and crooks" and un-
der the protection OF n squad Of police.
the committee on street railways o.
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 l1O 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 al 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 II.
Caven select councilman from the
Saith ward. on the charge OF violating
his councilmanic oath by being inter
ested In city contracts He was held
IN $4,000 bail for n further hearing.
He denies the charge. Caven was ar
rested on charges OF conspiracy 20
cheat and defraud the municipality.
The afidavit on which the warrant
was issued charges that he supplied
sand for the filtration beds at Torres
dale. RoNborough and Belmont. as a
contractor under Daniel ]. McNichol
the senator's brother. under whose
name the McNichol firm is conducted
The fight over the street car fran
chise promises 90 be warm one be.
fore II is finally ended. II is a contest
between the mavor and citizens living
In the territory through which the pro
posed new lines are TO run. on the one
hand and the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit company. backed by the Re
publican organization on the other.
Citizens protested against the ordi-
nances and Mayor Weaver vetoed
them. The same day the gas lease was
passed by councils the four bills were
passed over the mayors veto. but No
further action was taken because OF
the gas lease fight. Two weeks later
when councils adopted a resolution
Withdrawing the gas lease bill four
ordinances were introduced repeating
the street railway franchises.
The committee room was crowded
with lawyers representing both sides
and other citizens A motion was
made that the repealers be favorably
reported 10 councils but the chairman
asked that all those who desired 10
speak on the measures be heard before
the committee took action. and this
was agreed TO. Select Councilman
Thomas J. Ryan. the only Democratic
member of select council. suggested
that the bills be sent 10 the city so
licitor for his opinion as 20 their le-
gality He made the point that the
ordinances had been passed and that
the street car companies had thus
been vested with the right TO use the
streets wanted. and that councils
could not now take those rights from
them. His suggestion was received
with a storm of Kisses.
Other members of the committee
who spoke against the repealers were
called thieves" and crooks" and so
disorderly did the proceedings become
that a squad Of police were hurriedly
summoned from the central station on
the sixth floor Of city haIi 20 the com
mittee room of the fourth floor. There
after better order was maintained.
An echo OF the gas lease tight came
from Harrisburg. when State Treas
urer Mathues appointed Arthur r. II.
Morrow, of this city. bond clerk in the
state treasury department. Mr.. Nor
row was forced out of the position OF
assistant secretary of the department
Of supplies in the gas lease fight. His
salary will be s2500 a year In the
supply department he received $4,000