Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-27
TIE NEW CITY COUNCIL.
INAUGURATION OF THE MUNIC-
IPAL GOVERNMENT.

day. and the machinery OF the City Gov
eminent for the next two years was put
in motion. The ceremonies attending the
inaugural were brief. The members of
the new Council entered the Long Room
from the Mayors Office at u O'Clock. The
old members occupied very nearly the
same seats as during the last term. Clerk
Rebarer was at his desk and most
Of the other city officials were
present As the MarshaPs stan
fell announcing the opening OF the
inauguration the spectators, quite num-
Der Of whom were present, dropped into
the seats around the Council chamber
and awaited the ceremony mere were
ro sDepches. and. aside from the organ
cation of the Council, there was very
f-ftIe Of interest To the average spectator.
Iudye Adams was present, with the OFF,
,.srs Of the Superior Court, and admins
Tered the oath seYeFally TO the Aldermen
and then TO the Mayor. The form OF the
oath 10 which each member Of the COun-
/ ell subscribed was as follows
I DO solemnlv swear that I viii faithfully
execute the duties Of an Alderman OF the city
IL savannah according 10 the laws OF the
state and the ordinances Of the city 10 the
best Of my ability and understanding
TAKING THE OATH.
The oath was administered TO the Al
men in alphabetical order, MIR. Bogart
being the first to become legally men,
Der OF the Council, and DR.. Duncan next,
followed by Messrs. Derst, Hamlet. Ham,
+ ilfon. MYERS. Nell. Mills. Nichols, OCOn-
nor Thomas and Wells. The Mayor was
Z the last to receive the oath Judge Adams
was thanked for the service he had rem
dered. and with the officers Of his court,
retired.
/ declared the Council ready for business.
| In announcing the standing committees,
which was the first business disposed OF,
: the NavOr spoke at considerable length
unOD the duties they would have to perform
and tue necessity for thorough knOWl-
dee and familiarity with the ordinances
governing the various departments. He
I suggested that the members OF
T Zach committee, so far as they
were unfamiliar with the ordinances gov
I pruipg the department over which the
I committee would have control. should
carefully read and make digest Of the
laws, 50 that they might avoid the neces-
I sity Of calling upon the Corporation At
! t0rnev OF the Clerk or other official when
/ ever they required information. He sim
| cereIv hoped the duties Of the respective
7 committees would be mutually agreeable.
I and that the obligations Of all the men,
/ bor- world Ire discharged faithfully and
/ honestly and 10 the public good
TIRE COMMITTEES,
The standing committees were then
uounced as follows:
Accouuts-AlIermen Thomas, 0'ConnOr,
Assessment Aldermen Myers, Wells
Thomas Hamilton. Bogart.
t!ir Lots-Aldcrmen Nichols, O'Co1nor,
Drainagc-Ariermen Nell, Thomas, Dun
iFiuance-A.dermen hamilton, Thomas,
sir Aldermen Mills. Nichols. Hamlet.
/ Harhor AMI Wharves-Aldeimen Bogart,
Health and Ccmetery-Aidermen Duncan,
i MHrEet %&ii'dermen Derst. Nell Myers.
/ l'oUce-A dermeu O'Connor, Hamilton,
/ Streets ami Laues-AI5ermen Hamlet
/ Wells. Nichols, Mills. Duncan.
/ Water-Aldermen Wells, Hamilton, Dcrs'
! Since the inauguration Of the last
I Council there have been several changes
/ in the naming Of the committees. The
/ Committees on Gas. Jail. Pumps. Public
Buildipos and Education have been
( abolished The Committee on Dry Gull
I ture has been changed to the Drainage
I Committee. The Committee on Public
! sales and CITY Lots viii be known as the
/ Committee on CITY Lots. The Committees
I on Docks and Wharves and River and
] HarbOr improvements have been cOnsoll-
I dated in the Committee on HarbOr and
/ Wnarvcs The supervision OF the city
Dumps and water works Will fan under
/ iha Committee on Water. The makeup
I Of the Committees on Finance and Ac-
I counts is the same order as under the
: last administration. Alderman Hamilton
is at the head Of the Finance Committee,
ana : Herman Thomas at the head OF the
/ Committee on Accounts. The new men,
lers Of the Council figure prominently on
/ an the committees, and comprise ma
I ilrity of the Committee on Finance.
ELECTING A CHAIRMAN.
/ The organization of the Council was
/ completed with the election Of Chair
/ man. Before an election was entered into
/ Alderman Hamilton made q protest
| against the custom which has prevailed
l i'm recent wears of electmg to the Chair
manship the Alderman who had received
| the largest number Of votes. He believed
} the custom 10 be OF no practical benefit,
but rather "a detTimcnt 10 the hest
I interests of the city. In taking
this stand i'm opposition to the
prevailing custom he paid high COM
pIiment 10 Alderman Duncan, VINO
| i'm the recent election received the nigh
/ est vote OF any candidate on the ticket.
/ BEING opposed to the selection of a Chair
man on this ground he nominated Alder
man Duncan solely because of his fitness
and the eminent qualifications he pos
sessed for the position, and moved lis
election entirely independent Of his hay
ceiyed the highest vote at the election.
| UpOn second To the nomination DR..
Duncan thanked t1e Alderman for the
honor paid MN by the nomination. He
I cOihcla ied fully in the belief that the Gus
tsm Of selecting as Chairman OF the COun-
4 ell any Alderman on tbs ground that he
! had received the highest number Of votes
| was detrimental TO the cIty's IN
| terests. lie believed the pre-
I sent board should put itself on record
/ as opposed to the custom, and That IN
| future elections il should be understood
| that the position would I've filled without
| regard to the number Of votes any Alder
man should receive at the polls. He
/ ,ynuld he glad that the position be occu-
pied bv any other member than himself
/ who might he nominated, in order that
| the stand taken 10y the Council might be
put in practical operation. There were
1 40 other nominations, and DIR. Duncan
was unanimously elected. Alderman
Myers was also unanimously elected Vice
Chairman.
SELECTING THEIR SEATS,
The Chairman of the Council took the
seat opposite the Mayor, vacated By
Alderman Wilder. The returned Mem
bers occupy the same seats as IN the Oh
Council, except Alderman DeIsl, VINO
moved into the chair occupied by Alder
man Green. Alderman Myers VIII sit in
The chair vacated by Mr.. Hanley, Alder
man ROgart in Mr.. Minis place, and at
ms right Alderman Mills IN the seat
formerly occupied by Alderman Derst.
The rules governing the last Council,
subject To revision. were adopted as the
rules of the new Council, and commit
tee Of revision. con listing of Aldermen
O'COnnOr, Duncan and Nichols was APP
pointed. The Mayor announced that he