# 1897 Toronto municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Canada, on January 4, 1897. Mayor Robert John Fleming was re-elected, defeating Alderman George McMurrich. Fleming's principal campaign pledge was a promise to build a bridge to extend the street railway system to the Toronto Islands, as well as readjusting water rates and reorganizing the boards of education. This was Fleming's fourth mayoral victory, his second in a row. He pledged that this would be his final term in office

## Toronto mayor
### Results

    Robert John Fleming (incumbent) - 11,960
    George McMurrich - 10,375
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## Board of Control

The Toronto Board of Control was elected by Toronto City Council from among its members, and presided over by the mayor. At the first council meeting following the general election, council chose Aldermen Graham, Lamb, and Leslie to sit on the body, presided over by the mayor.

## Plebiscites

A plebiscite was held on authorizing the spending of $275,000 on the completion of the municipal court house and $26,000 for a water main on Front Street. There was also a vote on moving future elections to New Year's Day.

### Court House

    Yea - 4,635
    Nay - 2,196

### Water Main

    Yea - 4,233
    Nay - 2,573

### New Year's Day election date

    Yea - 16,465
    Nay - 4,802
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## Aldermen elected to City Council

Four alderman were elected to sit on Toronto City Council in each of six wards. Six incumbent aldermen were defeated in the election.

### First Ward

    John Russell (incumbent) - 950
    Thomas Allen (incumbent) - 944
    John Knox Leslie (incumbent) - 936
    James Frame - 907
    T.S. Lobb - 886
    C.C. Small (incumbent) - 728
    Samuel H. Defries - 546
    Elgin Schoff - 434
    Ed Blong - 420
    T.E. Washington - 411
    George Wellings - 321
    Thomas Cummings - 125

### Second Ward

    John Hallam (incumbent) - 1,693
    Francis S. Spence (incumbent) - 1,687
    Daniel Lamb (incumbent) - 1,371
    William L. Beale - 1,281
    Thomas Bryce - 1,242
    Thomas Davies (incumbent) - 1,207
    Thomas Foster - 1,131
    P.H. Drayton - 1,114
    Dr. Samuel Thompson - 946
    David Carlyle - 814

### Third Ward

    A.F. Rutter - 2,856
    John Shaw - 2,856
    O.B. Sheppard (incumbent) - 2,827
    Bernard Saunders (incumbent) - 2,718
    James B. Boustead (incumbent) -2,001
    Ernest A. Macdonald - 991
    John S. Lucas - 686

### Fourth Ward

    Wm. P. Hubbard (incumbent) - 2,798
    Wm. Burns (incumbent) - 2,621
    James Crane (incumbent) - 1,777
    William Carlyle - 1,543
    James Jolliffe (incumbent) -1,354
    H.E. Trent - 1,291
    F.W. Unitt - 1,221
    J.E. Verral - 941
    Robert P. Hall - 536
    James Langdon - 340
    D.H. Watt - 89

### Fifth Ward

    Robt. H. Graham (incumbent) - 2,042
    W.T.R. Preston (incumbent) - 1,778
    Francis H. Woods - 1,746
    John Dunn (incumbent) - 1,643
    William Bell (incumbent) - 1,609
    A.R. Denison - 1,412

### Sixth Ward

    James Gowanlock (incumbent) - 1,566
    James Scott (incumbent) - 1,153
    John J. Graham (incumbent) - 1,042
    Adam Lynd M.D. - 947
    James M. Bowman - 931
    J. Harvey Hall - 834
    Hugh MacMath - 751
    George Gilbert Rowe (incumbent) - 518
    Joseph Pocock - 500
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