Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-18


of the quaker City ever recorded. The
project involved the making of sew
enty- Ave year contract for lighting the
city with the United Gas Improvement
company, an organization endowed
with remarkable facilities for obtain
Ing highly remunerative contracts from
municipal sources.
Briefly stated, the facts are as fol-
lows: The United Gas Improvement
company holds q thirty year lease of
the Philadelphia gas works. According
TO the agreement, this lease may be ter
minated by the city In 1907. but 1t In
wolves the payment OF $40, 900. 000 The
municipal authorities, represented by
the city councils and the department
ofIicials, maintain that, the enforced
payment Of this large sum would result
In financial hardship to the city. Claim
ing that the city needs $45, 000,0 900 to
meet immediate expenses ana that 1t
has q borrowing capacity of only $15,-
100000, the municipal authorities made
new lease with the United Gas Inn
years. The consideration named is
S25. 100000, to be paid In three years.
no further the working of this scheme
n
fered to loan the city $20,00O,00O at s
per cent to take up the old gas lease
to advance $25,000,000 more within five
years. to reduce the price of gas to 80
cents per thousand and to share profits
with the city. one third for ten years
and one half for sixty This is the
comprehensive plan which the councils
favored and the citizens repudiated.
This Is the scheme which John Weaver,
the mayor of Philadelphia, pronounced
fraudulent and declared that he would
never be party to it's adoption and.
furthermore. that he intended to do his
utmost to defeat it. which he did subse-
Quently.
The chief executive Of Philadelphia is
today one of the most picturesque and
Interesting personalities in American
politics. He enjoys the distinction Of
being the first English born citizen to
be elected to the mayoralty Of great
American city. A quarter of century
ago, then rosy checked Devonshire lad
OF sixteen, John Weaver trod sturdily
down the gang plank of the ship which
brought him to America. He was a
stranger In strange land, but he was
honest and courageous. There was no
Une to welcome him with open arms,
nor had there been any leave taking
when he left his native country. Dick
Wilmington ran away from London
only to turn back and become it's lord
mayor; John Weaver had run away
from England to become mayor of Phil
adelphia.
His father wanted him to remain in
Deyonshire and perpetuate the family
avocation of market gardening John
expressed desire to seek fortune else
where, but his father saw no good out
OF England and very little outside of
Devonshire. The lad persisted, and the
parent lost his temper. Before the re-
action arrived ,the boy slipped away
quietly to Liverpool and took steerage
passage on a liner. When he had paid
for his ticket he had not enough re-
manning of the money he had accumu-
lated in Devonshire to occasion him the
slightest worry.
Although he was penniless. he was by
no means destitute, and he was not at
all dismiiyed when he paused to take
stock of his most available assets. He
was honest and willing. and he knew it.
He had a clean, truthful face and the
bearing of a gentleman. and he proba-
bly, knew that also These heaven sent
blessings served him admirably. They
made such a favorable impression on
one of his fellow travellers that he vol
unteered to see that the bright faced
Devonshire lad was given a chance. He
took him to Philadelphia and gave him