Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-01
WIGHT Isl PRESIDENT
Reorganization Of the Board of Dis
triet Commissioners.
STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER ROSS
No Change Made in Assignments
Of Departments.
CAPT. BEACHTAKESTHE OATH

Captain Lansing H. Beach, who was de-
tailed by order Of the President several
days ago to succeed Colonel VIM. NJ. Black
| as Engineer Commissioner Of the District,
the order to take effect June 1, 1893. this
morning took the oath Of Office before DR..
| William Tpoall, the secretary of the board
| OF Commissioners About one Of the first
| official duties of the new Engineer Com
| missioner was to participate in a meeting
| OF the board for the purpose of reorganiza-
ton, the law providing that upon a change
| In the personnel Of the board there shall be
a president chosen. At this meeting, which
was held few minutes of II this morn
| ing, Mr.. Ross nominated Mr.. Wight as
president Of the board, and he was unani-
mously elected.
1t will be recalled that early In May of
last year Mr.. Wight declined an election
| as president of the board. He then ex-
planned that while he was aware 1t had
been the rule to elect as president of the
board or commissioners the civil Commas
s!oner Of the same political faith as the
existing administration, yet he felt that,
| In view of his inexperience and Of Mr..
Ross long experience Commissioner, the
| latter should for a time at least be the
Presiding officer Of the board. Upon Mr..
Wight's declinatiorl, for the reasons stated,
Mr.. Ross was unanimously elected as presi-
dent of the board, so continuing until to-
| day.
MIR. Ross Statement.
When the board had been called to order
| this morning, Mr.. Ross said he had q
| statement to make in writing, and he
| tllereupon read the following:
THE organic act Of the District of Co
| lumbia provides that whenever a change
occurs in the personnel of the board Of
| District Commissioners, choice of a pre-
| siding officer shall be made for the succeed
| ing term.
Although 1t has been the practice to
| elect as president the civilian Commissioner
affiliating with the dominant political party,
yet when the late board was organized
Commissioner Wight gracefully declined
the proffered election, in view of the fact
| that he had just entered upon the duties
pertaining to the office of Commissioner
of the District. No such reason for his
declination now exists. The accession to-
day to the board of Engineer Commission
er Beach affords a most agreeable oppor-
tunity for a renewal of the motion made
by me in May, 1897, for Commissioner
after service Df more than five years
with five boards OF Commissioners as pre-
siding officer, Iiwish 20 express to all Of
my associates. pass and present, my sin
cere gratitude nnr Ill Of the honors receiv-
ed at their hands. Ito the influential press
| of the capital andi to all of the generous
people of the District of Columbia / ten
| ueE my HedTti6xt unAnkS lot the klnQQeSS
| and forbearancs with which my efforts to
serve the District In the office which
now vacate have been received. am con-
fdent that the same courtesy and consider
alton will be shown to the new president
Of the board InoW move that Mr.. Wight
| be elected as president of the board"
Response by president Wight.
Capt. Beach seconded the nomination
and, upon vote. beinge taken, he and Mr.
Ross voted ayes Mr.. Ross rcourteously va
aatedchis seat and Mr.. Wight, upon TAX
ing 1t, said: h.Et -.'t
Mr.. Ross. Iiwant to express my admira-
| ton for the very able manner In which
you have performed at all times the duties
OF the office which you have just now va
Gated. In doing so l express admiration
both as citizen of the District and as
one who has had the honor to be your
associate on the board Of Commissioners.
deeply appreciate the consideration you
nave invariably shown me, and the very
graceful manner in which you moved my
election as president of the board. 1 &C
cept tho office merely because it appears
to be the prevailing sentiment that the
incumbent should be of the same political
faith as the dominant party l sincerely
trust that | shall! be able to perform its
duties to the satisfaction of the people
or the District, and If can but follow in
your footsteps l know shall succeed"
Assignments of Departments,
70 Mr. Ross inquiry as to whether there
should be any change in the assignment
OF the various departments Of the Dis
trict government between the Commission
ers Mr.. Wight said that SO far as he was
concerned he should dislike to see any
change made in the existing ARRANGEMENT.
captain Beach remarked that he did
not see any reason for change just
at present, although he might have
some to suggest later, and Mr.. Ross
expressed himself in a similar manner. It
was thereupon decided that for the present
at least, there shall be no change in the
assignment of departments of which the
respective Commissioners have immediate
| control. The existing assignment of these
departments is as follows:
Commissioner Wight-Inspection of boil
ers, Chesapeake and Ohio canal matters.
chimney sweeping, inspection of coal. Co.
lumbia Hospital, commissioners of phar-
macy, coroner and assistant coroner eX-
else board, fire department., dental exam
liners, druggists to the poor, inspection of
flour, inspection of food, garbage depart
| ment, harbor master, hacks and stands
hay scales, health office, insurance COM
panies, inspection of lumber markets. med
ical examiners. municipal building paupers
police, pound master, inspection of sailed
provisions, sealer of weights and measures.
steam engineers, police and fire depart
ment surgeons, telegraph and telephone
service veterinary surgeons and inspec-
ton and measurement of wood.
Commissioner observation-disclosures, George
town; Washington asylum, assessment of
general taxes and special assessments other
than water assessments and rents; asses
sor, attorneys office, auditors office, char
tiles charitable and reformatory institu-
lions receiving aid from District revenues,
collector of taxes office, gauger and in
spector of spirituous liquors, municipal
night lodging house and wood yard, prop
erty clerk, public schools, trustee of boys
reform school, trustee free public library
and street sweapirg and cleaning depart
ment.
Commissioner Bdach-Chief clerk of en-
gireer department. preparation and record
ing Of contractsy highway extension plans,
fire escapes, inspector of buildings, inspec-
tor of elevators wharves and river front,
street lighting dfviftOn including inspector
of gas and meters, superintendent of lamps,
telegraph and telephone lines and under
ground conduitR, subdivision Of land, Dis
trict surveyor. trees and parking division,
including parking commission and superin-
tendent of parking, water division, includ-
ing superintendent; water registrar and
chief clerk, andIwater mains, assessments
and rents, perInft clerk, sewer and plumb
ing division. including inspector Of plumb
ing, plumbing board and superintendent of
sewers, stables of engineer department,
street and road division. including comput-
inc eppineer enpineer of bridges