Now, Bailey and Mac Grath tried to have the posters (of the fire limit demonstrators) brought through the narrow door of the hall, but found it difficult. Several Aldermen became frightened, and the presiding Alderman Mc Avoy declared, without a word of explanation, the session adjourned, inspite of the fact that a motion for adjournment had just been voted down... If the Chairman had continued with the order of the day, the execrated fire ordinance would have received no ten votes; but for that very reason he usurped the power of dissolution.

Now both doors opened. Flags and banners were carried in amid hurrahs. Alderman Schaffner had told his constituents on Sunday afternoon that one could impress the City Council only in such visual form. The citizens became very angry when they found that the City Council was just now being adjourned. Aldermen mixed with the public that meanwhile had passed the rail...and talked back and forth and reproached each other. The Aldermen had to accept many a sharp criticism.

Mr. Hesing, being called, made the following speech..."The newspapers have reproached me with stirring up discontent for my personal advantage. They should know better. Lincoln has offered me an office twice, and I have refused it, Grant once, and I again refused. I seek no office, but I do seek to promote the public welfare. I came to Cincinnati at the age of 17, and I already helped at 18, through speeches and agitation, to get a fire ordinance passed. In Chicago I have worked for fire limits, at a time when it was very dangerous to advocate publicly such opinions. I am for fire limits where the citizens want them, and circumstances demand them. But I cannot approve when the workers and handicrafts men are practically prevented from setting on their own plots.

How the papers howl against the reconstruction of the wooden shacks of the Northside! Why don't they agitate for the cleaning up of our fire and police departments?...I am for a fire limit on the Northside, namely Wells Street to the end, and from Clark to Fullerton."

At this moment the windows clattered, and stones and pieces of bricks hit heads. It seems that the rowdies had been instigated to disturb Mr. Hesing's speech, and they succeeded. The meeting dissolved.