Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-05-21
THE NEW BOARD GOES IN
INAUGUR ALTON AT NOON TO.
DAY.

The MayOr Takes the Oath and
Delivers His InauRural-COm-
mittees Announced at the First
Meeting of The New Board.-
Following upon the stroke of noon in
the court house beliry. in the presence of
citizens Vi Asheville and surrounding
towns, the first Reform Board of Alder
men died by limitation and the new
Board was ushercd into existence.
The court house was nearly filled with
those drawn thither by desire to see
the Inauguration ofthe Mayor and Alder
men elected with him, Messrs. W. A. Blair,
Henry Redwood and Fred. A. Hull. In
calling the house to order the Mayor
said the hour had arrived for the admin
istering of the oath. To do this he had
selected that esteemed citizen, Justice A.
T. Summey. Mr.. Summey then ascendcd
to the platform and read the oath to the
Mayor, who kissed the Book and sub
scribed to the oath as prescribed. This
ceremony concluded the Mayor began
his inaugural. speaking without manu-
script. The inaugural in part was as
follows:
The Mayors speech,
From Shorthand Report.
"FcHow Citizens After a residence of
SO years, almost uninterruptedly, in the
city of Ashevile and the county of Bun
combe, have never experienced the time
when an assembly OF the good people
hcsitated to give attention to al appeal
to their sense of Justice.
81 ask that it be remembered that a
little more than a year ago, without any
solicitation on my part. the suggestion
was made to me that should assume
the position of Mayor of Asheville. As
this is rather plain and not very anus
ing statement of facts that shall give
you, perhaps YOU will let me suggest a
rather amusing point at the beginning.
don't think any OF you know who was
the first man in Ashevile who made that
suggestion, so far as it came to my cars
| doubt, in view of recent occurrences,
that any Que could guess. 1t was no
other than MIR. Frank T. Robinson. cd
itor of THE CITIZEN. In his Office, where
he fills the position OF getting up alb
stracts of deeds, he being friend OF
mine, as supposed, he said to me, the
first man who ever intimatcd such a
thing to me, Mr.. Patton, the citizens OF
Ashevillc want you for Mayor said,
Il do not think they do. There are bet
ter men here more qualified for that
position than myself He said, The
people want you and they must have
you Not for one moment did say that
did not appreciate the compliment
which he paid by making that sugges-
ton, nor the compliment which YOU
paid me by electing me in MAY. But
did deprecatc the responsibilities which
were to be placed upon my shoulders
"Fcllow citizens, saw here, as stand
before my God. that for not a single mo-
mcnt from that day to this has the wei
| fare Of my fellow citizcrs been out of my
heart or mind. whether have bccn here
or away from here. MY whole time has
been devoted to your services, my whole
private business has been neglected ant
dt serted to my great material damage
There is not Il man in this town who
does not know that this is the case. But
YOU will ask, What dyou accomplish
am free to confess that ! did not ac
complish what hoped to accomplish
| merely made start. did not apprc
ciatc the horrors of the situation or
would never have accepted. appeal tc
Mr.. Gudger and ask him if he did moi
say that 7. w. Patton made the best
Mayor that Ashevile ever had. Yo,
have had other good Mayors in Ashc
vile, Mr.. L. |. Aston, Mr.. "A. T. Summey
Mr.. ]. l.. Rankin and Mr.. Harkins
"ln the course of events we had meet
| ing of the school committee in the cit,
hall. That was fatal day for me
Understand that AM not disparagini
the honor you have done me. appreci
ate it and thank you for it. At tha
meeting some OF the gentlemen expressed
their opinion that it would be bette
that | should be elected. That put tn
thought i'll my mind that it was IN.
duty that should struggle for anothe
year, if my ellow-citizcns thought fit t.
impose the burden upon me. determ
incd to accept it. When the reporter G
THE CITIZEN came to me to see it wa
candidate, ! said that was not
candidate, but that ii my iclow-citizcn
saw fit to impose the burdens upon III
for another year, would bear them.
accepted the position with the full inter
ton to do my duty as the law provide
that | should swear that will do tan
as will do it.
what has been the reward Wha
have been the punishmcnts which hay
been inflicted upon me during the las
four weeks? You all know. 1t is III
necessary tor me to mention them. Yo
need not answer the question now. TAX
it to your homes and turn it over
your minds and hearts and ask you
= selves, what has T. W. Patton done t
deserve the punishment which has bee
inflicted upon him since April last? NJ
name and my fathers name have bee
made the butt OF ridiculc and of charge
which cannot be mentioned in this a
scmbly, thanks to the presence of Il
adics. You all know it and will bear n
out in it. My feelings Of selfrespcct ha,
5 been degraded because i have had chaIg
brought against ME that would be co
sidered disgraceful if applied to an i
mate OF the Raleigh penitentiary. Tbi
is the reward of a years faithful servic
and of giving up my own private bu:
ness and Of being, as Mr.. Gudger says
have been, one of the best Mayors thi
Ashevillc ever had. did not care for t
salary attached to the office, but | d
hope that my good name and my father
good name might be shielded from SUI
sings and arrows as have been throw
against them.
\ ~ have little more to say on that su
} ject. There have been certain charg
made not OF the character to which
have referred and to which it IS perfect
proper that should reply briefly. o
Of these charges was as to my polite
What are my politics, was asked. | W