Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1893-05-15
TAKE HOLD
4 INDUCrED ~ INTO OFFICE AT
NOsBrg TODAY

zm Taking The once s1avor Pat
sOss ss&live rs an Inaugural That
tA Too Plain TO sse BHisunSler-
asOod-Rze 10 RsasmtItar with City
Figures.
The weather today was not just what
q "Reiormer," anyone else for that
matter, could desire. brt the Reform"
administration. scheduled to take hold
OF things municipal at high noon today.
did take hold as though weather was al
unknown quamtity in the Queen City o'
tho Mountains.
And at the moment when the Reform
ers'' assumed control of Ashcville's
affairs. Ma,or Blanton and Aldermen
Baird, Waddell, Mcdowell and Leonard
prcfixcd an "cx' to their titles. and tt
world moved on in it's usual course.
Promptly at IL ot lock. in fact, just
as the first stroke of the clock in II c
court house tower was heard, Mayor
Blanton took up tuunbler and raped
on the desk for order. He looked out
over crowd that filled the court house
a crowd that was made up of the repro
sent n tive men of the city. In his Goa
la pei was n lovely rose, which he laugh
iugly told some one was the last rose o
summer. Mayor Blanton then rad tho
folio wing oath which he asked Capt.
Patton to subscribr to:
II, T. w. Patton, do solemnly swear
tn at l will diligently endeavor to per-
form faithfully and truly. according to
my hest skill. Judgment and ability, all
duties of the office of mayor Of the city
of Asheville, while l continue therein,
and will cause to he executed. as far as
and regulations made for the govern
| ment of the city. and that in the dis
charge of my duties l will do equal JUS
tice in all cases whatsoever, so help me
God"
Capt. Patton kissed the Book and sub
scribed to the oath. whereupon Mayor
Blanton, with an eloquent gesture.
| introduced "the Mavor of Asheville, -
and Mayor Patton was greeted with a
| lustv cheer. The new mayor then called
up Aldermen elect B. H. Cosby. Fl. La
mar Gudger. w. w. Jones and Jas. M.
Westall. and to them administered the
| oath of the office TO which they had been
| elected.
The HnauXural.
This done, Mayor Patton, who had
taken the ju 'Re's stand, withdrew from
| a bulky envelope several sheets covered
| with figures, and in a clear, delibera te
tone began the delivery of what was
probably the first inaugural ever deliv-
cred in AsheviIle. He warmed up after
a few minutes and nothing except short
hand writing could have kept pace with
his flow of words.
In opening the inaugural Mayor Pat
| ton said he hoped that. amid tho
manv prevailing difficulties, he might
aid in leading the people to renewed
Son ON one thdt point the he ctzsn. s
of Asheville had come to the conclusion
that municipal offices should be divorced
from politics. and hoped that the Re
FORM movement would not be brought
into disrepute by any act of the new ;id
ministration The ablest men in the
rest municipal government came wher
the offices were taken out of politics
Mayor Patton referred in compliment
airy terms to THE CITIZEN, whose edito
rials he delighted in reading.
But" said the Mayor, "how are w
are right? Surely not by arguing OF
theories, but it must be bv ou
acts. Now, how can you form an ide;
of the " ork that is before us unless vo'
know the situation as it confronts u
when we go into Office ?"
| mayor HaLLO0 Cnen began rcIeTTlHS u
his figures, which were taken from tn
citv's books. He showed that the city
real estate was valued at SIPS ,OOO
while it was put down that the persona
property was worth $222,O0O. Wit
| this latter valuation he did not agree
believing the more correct valuation t.
he perhaps $40, 900 The city's sewer
and waterworks. he thought. should
not have been included in the list OF pei
Sonal property.
Bonds NHuss Hse sold al Far
When Mayor Patton had come to TIL
department of public works. he said h
hoped the very ist thing the new Boar
would do would be the taking of steI
to complete the Church street pawn,
Considerable thought was given to I'll
matter of the sale of the improvement
bonds by the old Board. The law,
declared, plainly stated that the bono
should not be sold for less than par, an
the sale below par was violation of I'll
law, whether the discount was for cor
nilsson or what not. 1t would be pa
of his duty as Mayor: If he sold bond
. | which he would not do for less than pa
to work without charging a commi
sion. Referring to the per cent. c
given by the contractors when the bOnG
were sold, the Mayor said that no bu.
;. ness man was likely to give discoui
unless he had good margin OF pront
sight
AS to the schools, Mayor Patts
hoped the administration would be al
to assist the school committee out of t
present dilemma.
The list of official salaries for the pa
year received considerable attentio
The list showed the salaries to amou
to $23, ,25O. and Mayor Patton assur
everybody that the city would not p;
that amount in salaries this year.
Ex-Mayor Blantou here asked: "Ho
will you reduce them Captain" and t
Mayor replied. I'VE will come to the
duction later on"
"k few months ago." the Mayor &C
tinued. 'the people met in this c'.u
house and decided that the Legislatu
should be asked to fix the Aldermen
salary at 5000 a year. Recently t
Board of Aldermen went into executi
session. What does executive sessi