The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-07
When II will Be and What Il
Is For.
LAYING OUT NEW PRECINCTS.
Sumbie Between the Charter and shs
statutes-ons Of ths Issues TO BE
Fought out.

out the charter says s.for 1t least
thirty days prior" 70 the day Of election,
and the word prior" is held by the su-
preme court TO mean, in case of notices,
lust prior" The enabling act says also
that ten days notice must be given of
/ election, and that notice could have run
concurrently with the publication of the
charter. but for provision that the notice
OF election cannot be given until the pub
LEGATION for thirty days of the charter has
been sworn to by the publishers. In order
to reach both ends of the proposition the
charter must, therefore, be published for
forty days.
Assuming that the publication will be-
| gin on Saturday. tins brings the election at
forty days from the 9th inst, exclud-
ing Sundays. to September "A.
| Circumstances have compelled the char
ter-makers TO include retroactive provis-
ions, the principle of which is that the
wards and precincts proposed in the new
charter must be used in voting for it. This
involves considerable change in the pre-
cinct lines, and the information in many of
the certificates already given to voters I'M
der the new registration law must be cor
rected. There is no time nor any authority
Tor new registration, SO that the city
clerk viii be compelled to relocate voters
by means of the registration book. and no.
sify them OF the change by publication
The city will be divided into eight wards
as detailed in the PosT-ISTELLIGEscER of
| Tuesday, bat the number of precincts
must be determined by the council. con-
tanning. as-near as may be- $50 voters in
each precinct. taking the number of voters
/ at he last election.
The can,paf~x, rail L.
! seems probable that the charter will be
adopted, but vigorous effort will be made
| by the Democrats to elect majority of
both houses. in order to secure submission
at the next following general election Of an
amendment to the charter providing for
the election instead # appointment Of all
department officers, except, perhaps, the
library and park commissioners.
The chief officers to be elected are a
mayor, who will serve for two years and
receive salary of $1,000; treasurer and
tax-collector, salary $500; corporation
| counsel. salary 5000; police Judge, salary
| $2,400; city clerk, salary $1,000; city attor-
| ney, salary 81. 500. The mayor can only
| serve one term of two years. and is ineli-
gible for any other city Office for two years
| thereafter.
The city council will consist of two
houses. The board of aldermen will have
nine members, elected at large, and q
house of delegates of sixteen members, two
from each of the eight wards to be created.
The first council will go out of Office in
March. 1892, and after that the entire
house of delegates will be reelected
every two vars. In 1892 the five
aldermen receiving the highest num-
Der of votes win serve for four
years, and the other four for two years,
and thereafter the number to be elected at
each election will be four and five alter
nately. SO that each alderman will serve for
four years,
The city clerk will hold Office for two
years, will appoint his own deputies, and
have power to remove them.
There are also TO be elected four commits
sioners Of the fire department, who will
constitute board together with the mayor.
OF the first four elected two will serve for
two years, and thereafter the term for eli
viii be four years. They will appoint the
chief, etc.
Tie first mayor to be ele cted under the
charter will have conside rable patronage,
as large number OF appointments will be
made. including several boards.
The mayor will appoint four police COM
missioners, one each for one two, three
and four years, to serve without compensa-
ton. A peculiar feature of this board is
that the members must be confirmed by
the house of delegates. all other appoint
ments by the mayor being with the con-
sent of the board of aldermen. The re-
strictions against their interference in poll
tics are extraordinarily exacting. This
board win appoint the chief Of police and
ali subordinates.
The board OF public works viii consist of
three members, appointed by the mayor
under the same general rules as other
boards are appointed.
The board of health will consist of three
physicians to be appointed by the mayor
and board OF aldermen.
The mayor will also appoint port war
den, board of five park commissioners
with salary OF $500 each, and board OF
five library commissioners, of whom two
must be women.
One of the most autocratic offices is that
of city comptroller. He viii be appointed
by the mayor. subiscE 10 confirmation by
the board OF aldermen. He will keep an
absolute check upon all financial matters
OF the city without handling any cash. He
is the only head OF q department expressly
provided with seat in each house of the
citv council.
Each of the heads OF departments will
have considerable appointive power. the
board of public works selecting the city
surveyor, superintendent of streets, engi-
neer of water works. etc.
The provisions with regard to the assess
ment of property-owners for street inn
provements are very specific. but these
cannot be summarized and are best told in
their own language.
An immense number of ordinances must
be passed by the new council to carry the
proyis ions into effect. but until such enact
ment is made all ordinances remain in
force, and all present officials not expressly
provided for retain office until action is
taken by the council.
In the sketch already given OF the men,
bers of the commission the names of Judge
Rochester and Colonel C. NJ. Sheafe were
inadvertently omitted, and the record
would be incomplete without them. Colo
nei Sheafe rendered conspicuous service By
his assistance to Judge Greene in the me
chanical work of supervision, and Judge
Rochester does not stand second to any
body in bearing the responsibility of the
charter. Hsis sponsor for the public library
project, his article on the fire department
was the only one passed without q single
amendment, and he fought valiantly for
party principles in the organic Law. He
was born in Boyle county, KY. in 1857,
and was admitted to the bar in 1879 He
practiced for a time in Minneapolis, but in
,Ss4 became resident OF Seattle. He was
elected probate judge three years later,
ms,<> u h;rh tsrna ha has heen in a.t;r.