The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-20
A LONG DEADLOCK.
Broken by Election of McCann
as the Ballard Clerk.
FIGHT IN THE CITY COUNCIL.
Sixty-four Ballots Were Necessarv Ia .
Choiee-other ofaces Fflled-The
Various Committees.

II NOT Tor year has there been a session
OF the Ballard city council in which the
people manifested so much interest and
excitement as that held tonight. The
council rooms were full of anxious Office
seekers and interested visitors. The re-
suit oil the committee work published in
sundays PosT-INrTLLIGEScER created
general dissatisfaction. The friends and
adherents of the different candidates for
office were more particularly concerned in
regard to the office of city clerk, as four of
the councilmen were elected by conyen-
ton avowedly opposed to Hadfield for
clerk.
The first act of the council was to reject
the report of the committee of the whole.
Frank Frazer moved that the report be re-
Jecfed, on the ground that the salaries of
some OF the officers as fixed by the report
were too high. A. E. Pretty seconded the
motion In neat little speech, in which he
referred to the general dissatisfaction of
his constituents with the report The re-
marks of both counciImen were received
with loud applause. The vote stood as fol-
lows: Noes, Curtiss, Frazer, Pretty, Will
iams; ayes, Looney, Preston, Petersen.
The salaries of the officers were then
liked by open ballot at the following rates
per month: Clerk, SIS; marshal, $75;
night watchmen, S63.75; health officer,
SIS; city attorney, $50.
The salary of the city engineer was fixed
at S650 day and his assistants at So, 90
per day.
The appointment of street commissioner
and the fixing of his salary was post
poned.
The council then proceeded to vote for
city clerk and deadlock ensued, which
babe fair to keep the council in session all
night. The vote generally stood 8
for McCann, for HadfieId and
l for Allen. Ballot after ballot
was taken but no change was made in the
result. No candidate receiving a major
ity of votes. no choice could be made
Occasionally c. II. Hebner and Warren
Lucas received a vote, but the friends of
McCann and Hadfeld generally stood by
them. Mr.. Aliens solitary friend also
stood faithfully by him. Forty-three
ballots had been taken at 10 o'clock and
there seemed no immediate prospect of
breaking the deadlock.
At the Gath ballot. however, Mr. A. Nc
Cam received four votes aud was declared
elected city clerk. The declaration was
received with great applause and loud
clapping of hands.
Mr.. r. w. Grover and c. de Costa re-
ceiyed a complimentary vote for the clerk
ship. Mr.. Grover rose and thanked the
councilman for the honor and begged him
to favor Mr.. McCann. On the second ballot
afterward Mr.. McCann was duly elected.
Mr.. Charles Landers was elected marshal,
Mr.. John Keane police justice, Mr.. Nicolas
Beck and Mr.. Thomas Henry night watch
men.
There was considerable discussion over
the salary of health officer. DR.. J. Rine-
hart earnestly made plea for $50 a month,
and gave as one of his principal reasons
that the health officer would have to take
charge of smallpox patients, His remarks
fell like a dull thud on cold and unsym-
pathetic ears. Mr.. Pretty urged small
salary and his remarks were received with
great enthusiasm. He claimed that there
would be very little for the health officer
to do, and he considered SIS just and fair
price for the professional work he
would be expected to do. The ar
guments of Mr.. Pretty prevailed and the
mayor appointed the following standing
committees: Finance, A. E. Pretty, ]. J.
Williams, A. Eooney; license and revenue,
William NJ. Curtiss, II. B. Petersen, A.
w. Preston; streets, Looney, Curtiss,
Frazer; health and police, Curtiss, Pres
ton, Frazer; public buildings, Williams,
Pretty, Petersen: fire and water, Peder-
sen, Looney and Pretty.
All the appointments give much better
satisfaction than those first agreed upon.
Council fixed the bond of the marshal
and adjourned.