Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1910 — WELFARE OF CITY TO BE MAYOR’S SOLE OBJECT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WELFARE OF CITY TO BE MAYOR’S SOLE OBJECT

JOHN MAKEEVER Pioneer resident of Jasper County, who died Monday, January 3, at the age of 90 years, 1 month, and 3 days. 1

City’s Chief Executive Makes a Short Inaugural Speech, and Council Gets Down to Business.

KING DAVIS IS NEW MARSHAL G. A. Williams Elected to School Board Position, for Which Delos Thompson Declined to Qnalify. At about 8 o’clock Monday evening Mayor Geo. F. Meyers called the city council.' to order. He occupied the seat at the councilmanic chamber in the county assessor’s office which J. H. S. Ellis has held for the past eight years. To his right sat D. E. Grow, of the second ward, to his left sat Frank TKresler, of the third ward, and facing him at the opposite end of the table sat C. J. Dean, councilman at large. G. W. Hopkins, of the first ward, occupied Dr. H. L. Brown's old seat, the second on the left, and A. G. Catt occupied the chair wfilch Mayor Meyers held during his service as councilman. These places will be held during the administration unless ideas which Mayor Meyers holds are carried out. He believes that each councilman should have a separate desk, facing the desk of the mayor, and that each should have hlB notes and business of the council under lock and key. In case this plan is adopted It is probable that a railing wduld be constructed in such a manner that the visitors to the oouncil chamber would be seated outside and a degree of privacy giyen to the council which it does not now possess. After Mayor Meyers had called the council to order he suggested the adoption of rules to govern the council, and Councilman Grow made a motion that Roberts’ Rules of Order be adopted. The motion was carried. Mr. Meyers did n„t rise to his feet but In a calm manner expressed himself as grateful to the voters of the cRy for the honor of his election and stated that he hoped to merit the confidence thus reposed In him, as well as the friendship and co-operation of all the people of the city luring the term of his offloi. He stated that his sole object would be the welfare of the city and Its people, and that lie feels encouraged by the many prof-

fers of help and confidence that much good may be accomplished. He felt that he had about him meu who would stand behind him in the support of every honorable measure. He stated that as he shall proceed with the administration of the affairs of the city his acts shall have nothing of personal feeling in them, but shall be impartially based on the broad plan of the greatest good in the betterment of the city and its people. He said that he had counciled with his advisors about his appointment for marshal, but that he did not wish to shift the responsibility for the appointment, for it was his own act. He said that he had had seventeen applicants for the position, all good, worthy men, and that he had weighed the matter carefully in his mind and that the only regret he felt in making the appointment was the fact that the other sixteen applicants for the position, would have to be disappointed. He closed his talk with the statement that this appointment as well as the selection of his committees had been made with the one purpose of contributing to the best interests of the people. The business of the meeting was then taken up, and every member of the council cast his vote for Moses for city attorney. Councilman Hopkins then introduced two ordinances, one defining the duties of the city marshal, and the \ other fixing the salaries of the city marshal, city attorney, city civil nglneer and chief of the fire department. The former provided that to addition to the duties prescribed in the 3 1»lutes that the marshal be required to keep the streets, alleys, sidewalks and crossings, sewers, gutters aqd catch basins free of obstructions. The salary ordinance fixed a salary of SBO

per month for mashal, payable semimonthly; S2OO per annum for the city attorney, payable quarterly; 30 cents an hour for civil engineer for each hour actually employed; and S4O per year for fire chief, payable annually. Both ordinances met unanimous passage. • Delos Thompson, who at the last meeting of the old council had been elected to fill the unexpired term of Chas. W. Coen on the school board, stated that he, had not desired the office and ’ had decided not to qualify, and the board then elected Attorney G. A. Williams, all five -members voting for him. In this connection it may be stated that Mr. Thompson stated to the old board in the presence of a large number of people that he did not want to be placed on the board of seftool trustees, that he had had his turn and wanted some one else to take place. But he was elected in the face of that statement. Persons who were associated with Mr. Thompson on the school board or who met him in any capacity relating to the schools will agree that he was a valuable member of that board and served the city with honor. , Mr. Williams will make a splendid member of that body, and as Mrs. Williams had been ferquently mentioned as an available member of that body should the council desire to elect a woman, the board will have the service of Mr. Williams and the advice through him of his wife, whose experience in the school room will be very valuable. ~ r

Mayor Meyers then announced J. K. Davis, better known by the name of King Davis, as marshal, and calling his appointee forth, had the council examine and approve his bond, and tbfen swore hint'in. His bondsmen are Robert Michael and J. H. S. Ellis. : He then designated J. J. Montgomery as chief of the fire department and swore him in. The council then elected unanimously L. C. Klosterman as city civil engineer. They tfcen elected Dr. M. D. Gwin, Dr. H. J. Laws and Chas. Simpson as the city board of health. The treasurer’s bond in the sum of $15,000, signed by R. D. Thompson as treasurer, and S. P. Thompson, J. H. Chapman, Walter V. Porter and A. F. Long, was then approved, as was also the bond of Chas. Morlan, city clerk, for SSOO, signed by J. N. Leatherman and R. A. Parkinson.

It was decided to meet next Monday night, which is the regular meeting night under the provisions of a city ordinance. The council then adjourned, and the members responded to an invitation sent out by the Mayor to banquet with him at Fate’s restaurant. Included in the party were the members of the new council, the new city treasurer, clerk and marshal and Mayor Ellis, ex-marshal Parks and the members of the retiring council and administration, which included retiring treasurer Moses Leopold, who is the new city attorney, and the retiring city attorney G. A. Williams. All wer? present except Councilman Gerber. A very fine banquet was served, consisting of turkey, scolloped oysters, etc. This was followed by turning the banquet into an experience meeting, in which members of the old council endeavored to offer some advice that might serve as a guide to the new members. The old and new members were all given an opportunity to express themselves and a fine time was enjoyed. The most perfect harmony marks the launching of the new city administration and uppermost in the mind of each seems to be the welfare of the city. The next four years will afford great opportunity for their labors and should prove to be the most profitable In the history of Rensselaer. The following committees were an-

nounced: Finance, Claims, Contracts and ordinances—Grow, Hopkins and Catt. Streets, Alleys, Sidewalks and Public Safety—Dean, Catt and Kresler. Electric Lights, Water Works, Public Property and Education—H&pkins, Kresler and Grow. Sewers, Drainage, Bridges and Sanitary—Kresler, Dean and HopJdns. Fire Department, Nuisances, Resolutions and Rules—Catt, Grow and Dean. —. .-— —— =• Moses Leopold submitted bis final report, whicb showed $11,269.47 on hand to be turned over to Treasurer Thomson. The report was referred to the financial committee.

MAYORS OF RENSSELAER SINCE IT BECAME CITY OF 4th CLASS. 1898-1899 . . Thomas J. McCoy 1900-1901 John Eger 1902-1910 .... J. H. S. EUla 1910- . .. George F. Meyers