Evening star., 1897-05-08
N | NE TENTH BOARD
Mr.. Wight and Mr.. Ross Sworn in as Com
missioners.
Mr.. Ross Made President-Assfgnme
of Duties, With Some
Changes,

missioners John B. Wight and w. NJ. Black
captain of engineers, U. s. A.
There was notable stir at the District
building this morning. A new board of
Commissioners was about to take COM
mand of the District ship. and the clerks
were imbued with the active spirit that per-
vaded the building.
Promptly at o'clock Mr.. John B. Wight
arrived. He greeted the clerks pleasantly
on his way to his office, and then sent for
Secretary Tindall to put on the finishing
touches that would make him a Commits
sioner. A moment later DR.. Tindall arrived
with his old corporation Bible, that has in
Quoted into office governors, mayors, men,
ters OF the legislature and common cOun-
Gil. Commissioners and other officials, who
are required by law to take the oath of
allegiance. and swear TO faithfully and hon
estly perform the duties intrusted to them.
The Eible is a small affair, covered with
leather and having rudely carved on its
cover plain cross. Secretary Tindall pre-
sented the Bible to Mr.. Wight and he ran
his flnger through the leaves and let 1t rest
upon verse. Then the oath was admins
tered, i'll which he swore to support the
Constitution of the United States and faith
fully discharge the duties of his office.
The verse upon which Mr.. Wights finger
rested was the 9th of the 34th Psalm and
reads as follows:
"Oh, fear the Lord We His saints, for
there is no want to them that fear Him."
In the meantime Commissioner Ross had
arrived, and Secretary Tfndal1 repaired at
once to his room, where the oath was
again administered. Commissioner Ross
followed Commissioner Wight AMI with de-
liberation inserted his forefinger in the
leaves of the sacred book. The reporter
noted the verse. 1t was the thirtie.h verse
of the tenth chapter of Kings and seemed
most appropriate. 1t runs as follows:
And the Lord said unto Jehu: Because
N hat
which is right in mine eyes, and hast done
unto the house of Ahab according to all
that was in mine heart. thy children of
the fourth generation shall sit on the
throne of Israeli The swearing in con-
stituted the regular program Of the official
proceedings, and the new board of Com
missioners was ready to organize.
President of the Board.
AS president of the old board Commits
sioner Ross called a meeting for the pur-
pose of formally organizing Commissioner
Wight occupied the seat formerly used by
Commissioner Truesdell, to the right of
Commissioner Ross. The courtesies of the
day had already been eXcha aged, and the
board proceeded at once to business. The
nrst thing to do was to organize.
Commissioner Ross promptly moved that
Commissioner John b. Wight pc made
president of the board of Commissioners
This was as promptly seconded by Engineer
Commissioner Black. Before the motion
was put. however, Commissioner Wight en-
tered an objection. He did not desire the
Office unless II was the wish of the admin
istration that the republican member of the
board of Commissioners should be its presi-
dent. After some discussion. Commissioner
Wight proposed that he visit the White
House and learn the wishes of the execu-
tive. Mr.. Wight went to the White House
and was promptly usnerei into the pres
ence of the President where he explained
his mission. The President replied that he
had no wishes i'll the matter. save an or
ganization that would best serve he inter-
ests of the District. That he left the mat
ter entirely in the hands of the Commits
sioners.
AT IL o'clock the board promptly recon-
vened. Commissioner Wight explained his
interview with the President, and then
quested Commissioner Ross to withdraw
his motion. This was done, and Comnis
sioner Wight promptly nominated Commis-
soner Ross for the presidency of the board.
He was promptly elected Commissioners
Wight and Black were then chosen acting
presidents in the absence of the president.
The best of feeling prevailed at the meet
ing, and the positions of the Commissioners
at the board table remain the same.
Assignment of Duties.
After the reorganization had been COM
pleted the question Of assignment of duties
came up. Several changes were deemed
desirable for the common good and were
made, the new assignment reading now as
follows:
Commissioner Ross-Auditor. collector of
taxes, assessor, almshouse, Washington
Asylum, assessment of general and special
taxes, attorney for the District, charities,
gauger of liquors, reform school, schools
workhouse, property clerk, street sweeping,
licenses.
Commissioner Wight-Fire department,
Chesapeake and Ohio canal matters, Chin
ney sweeps. coal inspectors. Columbia Hos
pital, coroner, flour inspector, harbor mas
ter, hay scales, health Office insurance
companies. lumber inspectors, markets,
paupers, police, sealer of weights and
measures, telegraph and telephone service.
inspectors of wood, boilers, steam engi-
necrs.
Commissioner Black.Building inspector,
elevators, fire escapes, bridges contracts
gas and meters. lamps and gas, parking
commission, railroads, improvement and
repair of highways, inspectors of asphalt
and cements, river front, sewers, survey
ors office, water department, inspector OF
plumbing and plumbing board. under
ground conduits, superintendent of prop
erty, streets and roads. subdivision of iand
computing engineer and permit clerk.
The changes are as follows: Commission
er Ross gets the auditor and collector of
taxes, and Commissioner Wight takes the
fire department, boilers and steam en-
gineers, while Commissioner Black has
added to his many duties the control of
the offices of the building inspector, with
elevators and fire escapes.
Makes u Change.
The first change that will strike a citizen
when he visits the Commissioners Office
is the new arrangement Of Commissioner
Wight. Instead of having a private office,
where all business was formerly attended
to- he has moved his desk into the main
room with his secretary, and there will
meet and personally attend to all the
wants of citizens. At a certain hour each
day thereafter to be decided upon) he will
repair to his private office to get up his
work, leaving his secretary to look after
the main Office.
Mr.. Wight brought his own secretary
with him to the office. He is Mr. j. Van
Allen Shields, who for the past three years
has been the private secretary of the man
aging editor of The Evening Star Mr.
Shields is thoroughly fitted for the position
which he has been called upon to All. he
ing young man of broad and modern
views, well educated, graduate of Column
bian Law School, and an expert stenog
rapher and typewriter. Mr.. Shields rs Of
the muscular Christian type being an
active and effective worker in the ranks
of the Christian Endeavor Society. and one
of the star players in the Saturday Night
Bowling Club. He entered upon his duties
today.
Two Trnnsfert
Mr.. Fred. Alvey, who was acting private
secretary to Commissioner Truesdel has