Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-10

At tho biennial city election last
Saturday honors were divided between |
the Democratic and Republican party, |
the former electng seven OF the II
members of City Council and the
assessor and collector in tho Southern
district, and tho latter the mayor and
other city officers. With the exception
of the assessors aud collectors. the plu-
ralities were small. Henry 9. McLear
was elected mayor by plurality of 3T6,
while the plurality of William u.
| Curry, Republican, who triumphod
over William l.. lIamann. Democrat.
was but l62. The other pluralities for
general city officers were as follows:
| c. NJ. Leitch, Republican, president
| of City Council, 249; Henry q. Con.
rad, Republican, city solicitor, BIG;
Eugene NJ. Sayers, Democrat, assessor
and collector for the Southern district,
I,O2G: Thomas S. Lewis, Republican,
assessor and collector for the Northern
district, l,2GI.
Many people were somewhat sur
prised at the result on the general
ticket. and some OF the party workers
whose hopes were not realized claimBd
that their CO. workers wero unusually
and fatally inactive, but thia is soms.
what discounted by the fact that a
larger vote was polIcd than at the city
election two ynars ago. AT the last
citv election there were S,2GS votes
cast for the Office OF mayor, while on
Saturday tho number reached 1896.
Therefore, tho natural supposition is
that the independent voters were
largely in evidence aud turned out
in force. 1t is matter of surprise,
however. that tho Democrats failed to
: capture more of the offices, al tito
] leaders wero Of the opinion that very
effective work was being done in the
! party and there were no uisseusionH
worthy OF mention. except in two or
Q three of the wards, where there we're
: some local cnntentiona, which had hui
: little TO do with the general result.
! Tho results in the Courcilmanit
n contesta were more surprising to tht
4 Republicans than the Democrats, az
= the latter felt that they would rot carry
Il more than seven of the wards, whit
the former were equally as Contiden
= in this respect. 1t was known tha
& there wRs some local contention in thl
= Fourth ward among tbe Democrats
2 some of tho friends of Councilman
$ Meauey and Jamss Kane, tho nominee
z opposing each other, and, as matte
= of fact, working against each other
u In tho other wards thnre were n
= serious controversies in the party, and
: as far as is known, IN nearly evHr
Ia case all Democrats worked and vote
i for tho Democratic nominees. Ih
e new Council will stand as follows:
b Fresdent--Chares NJ. Leitch, II.
J First ward--George O'Neill, ID.
Second "A Michael Il. Cannon, d.
- Third Dennis y. Leary, ID.
~ Fourth h--James Kane, ID.
Fifth-,Inmes W. Robertson. r.
: Sixth-George NJ. Fisher, Il.
{ seventh, Henry W. Zebley, Il.
: Eighth James II. Morris. II.
Z Ninth--GaIeb s. Watson, Il.
: Teuth--John L. lIealey, D.
p Eleventh = Henry II. Smith, d.
: Twelfth james B. Oherly, d.
Eight of tho members elect, Messr
O'Nelll, Leary, Robertson, Fishe
y Zebiey, Watson, Smith anil Oberl
are members of the present Council
q and their re election should be col
4 sidered quite complimentary.
8 Saturdays contest, notwithstandiI