The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-22

<A1It<1 hiitO S&-4tN - Affe
city han this morning at 10 o'clock With
the Coming into power of the new mayer
came complete change IN the working
force In al Of the departments Of the city
with the exception of the fire department.
which viii be overhauied BY J. B. Hor-
rocks as soon as he has accustomed him.
self TO his new duties. and those directly
cnder the board Of public works. Chief Of
Police D. q. Smith was Immediately sup
planted fsy f. q. Hoge. and Harbormaster
Cliff made way for Il. G. Hofin. chairman
Of the Popuiist campaign committee
In the board Of pubiin works the mayors
new broom met an obstacle. Last night =
restraining order was issued by Jsigs
Prttehard In a suit brought by comEifs-
sioner n. b. Mullen. restraining Mayor
Fawcett from making any appointments
IN the department OF public works or dis
tasbing Commissioners Rydstrom and
Mullen In their possession of the Office.
As result OF the order. the light and wa
ter, street. sewer and city hail depart
menta remain unchanged. The case IL set
Tor hearing April 30
As soon az the rev council had organ
lied by the election of Councilman War
ner as president. Mayor Fawce;t was no.
titled BY \ committee consisting of Coun-
eiimen Harris and BaiEer. The new may
or was ushered into the council cham
Der, which was crowded. amid cheers.
Mayor Fawcetf transmitted a short mes
sage, rlsdging an economical administra-
ton, ana then announced that he had
made the following appointments:
Commissioner OF works. Thomas E. Do
herty.
Chief of police. r. c. Hoge
City attorney. J. r. Jucson.
Assistant city attorney, w, H. H
Keane.
Chief Of the fire department, J. B. Hor-
rocks
civil service commission, Messrs. F..
T. Oids. Guynor Teats and r. Sahms.
Harbormaster, II. G. Holm.
Clerk Of municipal court, N. d. Woln.
City librarian. Herbert Bashford.
city engineer, J. 3. Camp.
AS soon as Controller and Clerk Ben
nam had read the list. the Popuiists In
the council endeayored to have the body
confirm the appointments. A hot debate
followed, Harris urging that the appoint-
ments be laid on the table for one week
Buiser, Pop. objected. and made a lengthy
argument IN favor OF immediate action
Harris urged that the mayor had violated
the civil service amendments to the char
ter by attempting to I'LL the Offices in dis
regard OF them. although they we're adopt
ed by vote of the people at the election
on April I. Finally motion to receive and
file the Communication wae carried s-al
In appointing or attempting to appoint
chief Of the fire and police departments.
Mayor Fawcett has wantcnly ignored the
charter amendments incorporating tho
civil service into the charter and slapped
In the face the civil service commission he
named In hts message Section OF the
ordinance submitting the amendments to
the people provides that each of the
amendments hereinafter contained which
shall receive a majority OF all the votes
cast at the said general municipal elec-
ton on April I. 1895. shall be deemed to be
carried and the same shall become opera
tive and part Of the charter Of the city
of Tacoma apon and after the third Tues
day In April. 1886" Under this section the
civil service amendments became opera
tive the moment Mayor Fawcett assumed
Office and his appointments made within
an hour afterwards were in violation Of
the charter as II now reads
II Is the opinion of good lawyers that
the appointments mentioned are void and
of no effect. Notwithstanding this. Chief
Bruemmer. Of the fire department. and
Chief Smith. os the police, as well as
Harbormaster Cliff. surrendered their of
ices 10 Mayor Fawcetts appointees A
number of the police force were summa-
rily removed by Chief Hoge, including
Detectives Ashby and Evans. and green
men appointed In their places. notyith-
standing the fact that the police depart
ment Is included in the classified civil SER
vice
City Attorney John Paul Judson. who
took the Office vacated by City Attorney
Wickersham was asked as to the legality
or Mayor Fawcetts action. but declined
10 express an opinion in the matter. as he
said he had not looked the matter up
Section Of the civil service amendment
provides that ali subordinate Offices OF
the city shall be filled under examinations
made by the commission. II reads: said
commissioners shall classify all the Offices
and places OF employment with reference
TO the examinations hereinafter provided
for. except those Offices and places men,
sioned In section 10 Of this article. The Of
fees and places classified by the commits
SION shah constitute the classified civil
service of the city OF Tacoma and no ap-
po.ntmerts 10 any such offices or pisces
shall be made excepting under and Accord
ing 20 the rules hereinafter mentioned
All officers aro employees in the classified
civil service OF the city Al the time OF tn.
commencement OF this act shall be subjec.
20 examination under the provisions of
this article
AS stated above. the departments direct
ly ander the supervision andescontroI Of the
board OF public works were protected
from the onslaught Of hungry office seek
ers hy the action OF Commissioner Muller,
IN bringing a suit 20 test the validity Of the
charter amendments. There ars four clerks
n the light and water Office and two tn
sTisctorS. A number Of men are employed
IA the electric Hight station. In the pump
'Ag stations and as trimmers and on out
sde work. These VIII have a hold on their
IoAs Cor some weeks 20 come
T. +. Doher'v. Psoifr avenue barber.
Nho wss made commissioner OF public
werSs by Mayor Fswcett. made several
demands on MssSrs Mullen and Rydstra-n
- the board. for possession but was each
time unsuccessful pohcrty sat around
the cgser otfire Of the board this Afternoon.
watching his more fortunate political as
socsa;eS relieving the members Of Mayor
orr's administration. and finally left IN
dian Comm ,ssi1uer J. J. Anderson. a.-
pointed By Secretary Hoke Smith. was re-
tSinet by pctsyty 20 act as his counsel IA
the case. Mr.. Anderson made formal de-
saaad on the hoard for 2ossesssca on BE-
hals % his client, but had TO go away IN
satisfied
The bond % Treasurer Sternbsrg was
elsd iris sfierasos. IL Is for 500 esB aYi
Is sirrea rs ;he following, John s Baker
Sssss T. r Wallace. SIS 90. A {. Bro
kas. s. s.a, samuel WIikeson. s. So: George
Browne. s2sses Conrad l. Hosks, 81 sss.
Peter Irving. 81 80: p. c. Kaufman. & 40.
sad Chester Tnorne. SSaoa
Cogsciissasa . Thompson. Popal. st who h,s
served n the ccarcsi from the Thsr1 ward
foF two years- or retiring frosn c-see .o.say
assumed n position as csty detective under