The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-03
GOTHAM POLITICS.
STATUS OF THE CONTEST OVER THE
CITY OFFICES.
Hubert o. Thompson Said to Yield to His
Successor-The Corporation Counsel
C0ntest-Brief History of the
Cause of the Trouble.

NEW YoRK, Jan 3-Mayor Grace
took his Office As mayor
OF the city at noon Thursday.
Previous to that Mr.. Kirk, acting mayor,
had appointed f. S. Wood, Mayor Edson's
hrother-in corporation counsel, but
when he went to the Office to take possession
he found Lacomte, the incumbent,
hal fortified himself by locking
the door. aud Ind force Of
clerks IN hal t, repel "boarders." /"
MIR Wool consequently retired. There will
probably be litigation over the office HUI
bert O. Thompson said be would make no
fight against the appointment Of Sqaires as
commissioner OF public works
On Friday Mr.. LacLmbe still held the
office of corporation counsel An order OBJ
tanned from Judge Truax Thursday was
served upon Wood requiring him to show
cause why he should not be enioined from
any attempt TO take possession of the office
of the corporation counsel except by the pro
cess of a writ Of quo varranto.
Mayor Grace entered his office at 11:30
a. IN. Friday. His first act was to swear in
q commissioner of deeds He said: Il shall
not make any appointments to-day unless |
appoint two commissioners of accounts.
consider that the appointment of Col Wood
by Mr.. Kirk Thursday was not valid and
consider that Mr.. Lacombe still has the legal
title to the office. ] shall not make any ap-
pointment in his place for the present.
VI sThe new commissioner of public works,
Rollin NJ Squire, appeared at the. office at
noon Friday He had a cordial handshak-
ing and a brief conversation with his prede-
cessor. The latter then turned over to him
the papers and other effects of his of
flee and escorted him on a tour through
the building, introducing him to the
heads of bureaus and other attaches as they
went along.
Mayor Grace said that he recognized the
appointment of Mr., Squire as a commits
siener of public works He said he was al
vised that he should so recognize him
whether the acts of Mayor Eison and the
aldermen were or were not in contempt of
court
Following is a history of the cause of the
difficulty as stated by O. newspaper cor.
respondent: Mr. Edson was candi-
date for nomination to the office
of mayor early last summer, and
supposed all along that he would win it and
be elected But he was hardly mentioned
when the nominating convention was held,
tho county Democracy, Independent Demo
Gratis, and Independent Republicans choosing
Grace as their nominee, while Tammany
put up Hugh j. Grant, young alderman,
and the Republicans nominated Fred s.
Gibbs The fight opened with Mayor Edson
bitterly opposed to everybody and especially
to Grace, and for the latter's
defeat the retiring mayor worked
Gealously. On Dee 10 the terms of Office OF
Commissioner Thompson and Corporation
Counsel Lacombe expired, and great pres
sure was brought to bear ON Edison to reap
point them. He rejected every overture,
charging betrayal to Thompson, and
on Dec. Is sent to the boart!
of aldermen for confirmation the
names CT Gen. Fitz-John Porter, as com
missioner, and Morgan j. O'Brien as cor
poration counsel. O'Brien was rejected
without a dissenting VOTE and Porter's name
was laid on the table by such vote as t.
render it impossible to call it up again.
Then the fight ragged hotter than ever, ami
the days few on. With the expiration OF
Edson's term the contirmatory powor OF
the aldermen expired, and left the
incoming mayor virtual autocrat
to appoint wh0msoeyer he pleased.
Deals We're made between the several halls
of aldermen and matters got in such shape
that no more could be confirmed
for any position. Thompson engineered
the several deals so as to let Edison
slip out of Office without making an appoint
ment on the strength of supposing that
Grace would reappoint him (Thompson),
but Grace refused to make any such
pledge The courts were repeatedly
applied to, and ininnctions issued re
straining the aldermen from acting
in any capacity, but injunction after in
junction was dissolved, and the board met
on Dec. 81, and confirmed the nomination OF
Squires as commissioner of public works, re
| fusing to acquiasce in that of Congressman
DOrsheimer as corporation counsel.
The Importance of the fight lies in the
enormous patronage of the office of com
missioner of public works, owing tc
the fact that a new acqueiuct
is to be built to reinforce
the water supply of the city, which will cosi
a large sum of money. in addition TO tn,
usual disbursements of the office, which ar.
very great