Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-09-07
GIVEN CONTROL BY
ABSENCES, FAIL TO
SUPPORT MAYOR
Democrats in Orange Council
Refuse Additional Grant
to Fire Board.

Given control of the Orange Common
Council last night by the absence of
three Republican members Messrs Jo-
seph A. Birkholz, Charles a. LeMaster
and j. Frank Murray, the latter de-
tanned by the death of a relative, the
Democratic minority failed to support
a strong message from Mayor Arthur
B. Seymour, who requested an addi-
tional appropriation for the Fire Com
mission. through Councilman Daniel
Colemans alignment with the Repuh-
lican members.
Motions to have City Counsel Will
lam A. Lord prepare amendments 10
the city tax ordinance allowing the Fire
Commission either $1,000 or $4,000, failed
of passage by a tie vote. Councilman
Coleman each time voted with the five
Republican members present, while the
other six Democrats voted together.
CoIeman's Explanation.
In explanation of his Endorsement of
Majority Leader William A. Calhoun's
determined stand against the addi-
tional funds, Mr. Coleman said he was
of the same oppinion as the Second
ward Republican who held that Orange
must not go ahead too rapidly in bet
tering the department and that the i'm
provements at considerable expense TO
the fire fighting equipment of appara-
tus and men brought NO relief from
the advanced cost of fire insurance i'm
posed on property owners by the Fire
Underwriters Board
It was a merry battle while it lasted
and Councilman Calhoun, despite the
handicap of being three men short,
proved himself parliamentarlan CT
no mean order, and, in addition to get
ting in nearly a dozen motions to ad-
journ on the divided majority of the
Democrats, delayed to the last possible
moment the efforts to get to vote or
the fire raise and only yielded when lie
got unexpected 81 pport from his OPP
ponents.
Mayor Seymour, interested by the
threats of President Sumter L. Beegle
and his colleagues of the Fire Board
that designations would follow refusal
to give funds that are needed to avoid
exceeding the reduced appropriation,
sent a strong message to the Council
urging that an appropriation be made.
Mayors Message Goes Over.
BY strict party vote the mayors
HeSSdBe went over u new buSluSSS
when Minority Leader John C. Fineran
moved to give the commission some ad-
ditional money. He asked the finance
committee what the members wanted
and was informed by Chairman Harry
Bergman that they wished $4,000 ad-
ditional.
In offering the measure to give the
fire commission an appropriation, Mr.
Fineran said he simply wanted to have
the cost of the fire department for the
present year put in the tax budget.
He did not care who is to be in the
incoming council of 1911. but thought
that this years appropriation should
be paid out of money raised this year.
This is no reflection upon the finance
committee" said Mr. Fineran. IF this
sum is not raised in the tax levy notes
will be issued by the finance commit
tee for the sum required by the fire
officials. We are all anxious to keep
the tax rate as low as possible and /
can say that additional money is COM
ing to the city that we did not know
of when we first made up the budget.
If the chairman of the finance COM
mittee will show that the money will
not be needed for the department. l
will withdraw my motion. But we
should pay the obligation this year. and
not carry it over to next years coun-
Gil"
Chairman Bergman, of the finance
committee said he doubted that the
County Board of Taxation would allow
the budget to be added to- He said
money is being borrowed right along
for departments that run behind, and
he said the city will come to the res
Cup of anv dapnrtfnept ruppipo ehorf
we will not resign, either" he re-
marked. Mr.. Bergman urged that the
money the commission has in hand be
spent before additional funds be given
them
Councilman Richard J. Kelley then
explained that $4,000 was needed to
carry out anticipated expenditures for
the remaining four months, but that
with $1,000 adticdnal the two years
delay In giving additional allowance to
firemen would be cared for Mr.. Cal
houn held the Council had been over
generous to the Fire Board, and said
that the cost for fire service now ex-
ceeded 81 per inhabtant year.
He wanted the Council to lay the
matter over. commit it to the finance
committee defer consideration to Sep
tember 10. defer indefinitely or anything
but act last night, all of which he pre-
pared in a series of notions into
which he mixed batch of motions to,
adjourn. He apparently lost his fight
until the motion was finally put. when
Mr.. Coleman's vote made a tie.
Councilman W. Stanley then moved
that $4,000 be given, and when City
Counsel Lord drew up the motion an
effort to adjourn was blocked. Mr.
Coleman sticking with his colleagues
on the Democratic side On the very
next vote Mr.. Coleman joined the five
Republicans and then the Council ad-
journed.