The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-31
FOUR COMMISSIONERS SWORN.
WE'LL RECEIVED BY THEIR AssOCI-
ATEs-To-DE AND THE PUBLIC.


Their Six-Year Terms Begin TO-mOr-
rOw-The Commissioners VIII Hold
Their biennial Elections Monday.
Recollection of officials All Along
the Line PrObabIe-Chief McDer-
motifs Friends CongratuIating
Commissioner Gleason No other
Application for the Chieftancy of
the Police Filed as Yet.
The new commissioners took the oath
of office yesterday. being sworn in by
Mayor Meldrim at the city exchange. with
the exception of Mr.. w. G. Cam, the new
water commissioner, who was out of the
city. Mr.. Cam will doubtless take the
oath to-day.
| The six-year terms Of Office of the new
commissioners will begin tomorrow. They
will most likely be called upon to perform
their first official duties on Monday when
the commissions will hold their New Years
meetings and the biennial elections will
be held.
Although it is not expected that any
| changes will take place, considerable in
terest attaches to these elections. The
water commission will elect a superintend-
ont the fire commission a chief and as
sistant chief and the police commission
a chief and assistant chief. Supt. Lof-
ton of the water works will doubtless be
reelected without opposition and Fire
| Commissioner Cunningham will doubtless
cast his vote for Fire Chief Ma
guire in order to make the cleo
ton unanimous There was a rumor
yesterday that there might be opposition
to Assistant Chief Mouro, but who was
likely to be the opposing candidate the
rumor did not state. 1t is probably I'M
founded.
Chief McDermott's friends weres con-
graduating him yesterday upon the APP
pointment of MIR. Gleason as police COM
missioner, apparently regarding this fact
as tantamount to a reelection of the chief
No one else has filed an application for
the position of chief of police as yet, and
it is not certain that there will be any
other. Chief McDermott's friends predict
his unanimous election by the commits
sion. 1t has been common talk all along
that one of the hold-Over commissioners
would stand by Chief McDermott, and the
other would vote against him in case the
| new commissioner should also be opposed
to the chief.
Whether it was Chairman Karow or
Commissioner Vetsburg who was opposed
to the reelection of the chief rumOr has
never stated. Some have held that eX-
Mayor Myers and Mr.. Netsburg being close
| personal friends and Mr.. Myers and Post
master Haines being also close personal
friends that it was Mr.. Vetsburg who
would be influenced by Mr.. Myers to cast
his vote for Mr.. Haines. Others
supposed that Commissioner Karows close
relation to Congressman Lester and the
latter's friendship for Mr.. Haines would
| secure Maj. Karow's vote for the latter.
Both suppositions do injustice TO the gen.
tlemen mentioned. Neither Maj. Karow
nor Mr.. Netsburg are likely to be govern
ed by such influence. Knowing Chief Nc
Dermott well from the close association
in which they have been brought with
him in their official relations it can be
stated certain that they will cast their
votes for or against him according to
their judgment of him as an official and a
man and for what they believe to be the
best interests of the department. The
odds are in favor of Chief McDermott,
however Ii one of the holdover commits
soner's is for him he is safe, while it win
require the votes of both TO defeat him.
The new commissioners were generally
congratulated yesterday by their friends
upon their appointments. The holdovers
expressed themselves generally well pleas
ed with the selections of the mayor and
council.
'1Mr. Cam is the very best selection
that could have been made for the water
commission" said Chairman Dixon to
Morning News reporter yesterday He
will not be chairman Of the commission,
though, not just yet
THE selection of Mr. Cunningham for
the fire commission was an able one" said
Chairman Grayson of that commission,
'and it will give me pleasure to welcome
him to the board"
Chairman Grayson said he has no inten-
ton of resigning from the craftsmanship
just now.
Maj. Karow said that he had no doubt
that Mr.. Gleason would make an able po-
lice commissioner and that he would work
in harmony with the board
The park and tree commission will i'm
mediately begin the work of reorganizing
its force and getting in shape for the com
ing year. The reappointment of Capt. c.
S. Ellis is heartily approved by the mem
bers of the commission, who would have
greatly regretted to lose him from the
board.
Monday nights meetings viii furnish
some indications as tc whether the com
! missions, as newly composed, are to have
| plain sailing for the next two years or
! whether there are TO be snarls and tan
! giles in their official deliberations.