Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-06-17
FRANCHISE FIGHT
IN PHILADELPHIA
Crowd HOOts Council Committee Con-
sidering Repeal Bills.
COUNCILMAN UNDER ARREST

cry OF thieves ana crOOkS ana un-
der the protection of a 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 10 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 II.
Caven. select councilman from the
34th ward. on the charge OF violating
his councilmanic oath by being inter
ested In city contracts. He was held
in $4,000 bail for 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
contractor under Daniel J. McNichol.
the senator's brother, under whose
name the McNichol firm is conducted.
The fight over the street car fran
chise promises to be a warm one be-
fore It is finally ended. II is a contest
between the mayor 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 to councils. but the chairman
asked that all those who desired to
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 to the city So
licitor for his opinion as to 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 hall to the COM
mittee room of the fourth floor. There
after better order was maintained.
An echo of the gas lease fight 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 $250O a year In the
supply department he received $4,000
CANNON EXPLODED
Three Members of Sons of Veterans
Battery Seriously Injured.
Williamsport. Pa. June 15.-William
Eddinger had his right hand shattered
and portion Of II blown off and HIS
arm broken In two places. John Price
had his arm broken in four places. and
third man, the vent holder, whose
name could not be ascertained, had
one of his hands and arm badly burned
by the premature explosion of field
piece at Milton. All of the injured are
members of the Sons of Veterans Bat
terry. which is In camp with the Sons
of Veterans Reserve at their annual
state encampment at Milton. and are
residents of Easton, Pa.
Last evening the Easton battery be-
gan a salute of Is guns. While the Sec
ond gun was being loaded it was dis
charged prematurely. with the above
serious results.
$1e24 For Conscience Fund.
Washington June li.-Commissioner
of Pensions Warner received a contri-
butoin of 1924 to the conscience fund
of the treasury. 1t came from a pen
sioner and is the sum total of pension
money drawn by him since the Civil
War. beginning at the rate of 81 and
rising to So per month. The identity
of the pensioner Is withheld at the