The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-04-20
YICTORS IN CONTROL.
DEMOCRATS TAKE CHARGE OF THE
CITY GOVERNMENT.
FLOWERS FOR THE NEW MAYOR
Mayor German in His Inaugural Declares
in Favor of Two-thirds Rule-A New
City Hall Needed-All Bills Against
the City to be Paid at once.

The Democratic party took charge OF
the administration of the affairs of the
city Monday evening under the most
suspicious circumstances. Immedi-
ately on the adjournment of the old
| Council sine die the new arrangement
of the Council chamber was made and
the new city solons were escorted to
their positions by the City Clerk. The
chair of the Mayor, together with the
officials desk, was perfect mass oil
flowers sent in by enthusiastic and ad-
miring friends. Among the most beau
tiful floral tributes were large bouquet
of La France roses, the gift of w. H.
Schott. Another beautiful piece was a
floral pillow presented by large num-
Der of friends, headed by Thomas
Hoban bearing the inscription " Our
Mayor" Another was floral chair,
presented to the Mayor by the mem
bers of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the
A. O. FL. City Clerk Gustav Jacob
was also generously remembered and
two large lunches of roses declared his
popularity among his friends.
After the Aldermen had been seated
the retiring President of the Council
escorted the Mayor into the Council
chamber and he was received with an
outburst of applause which lasted for
several minutes. When silence reigned
again Mayor German took up the work
of the evening and ordered the Clerk
to proceed with the calling of the roll.
After the roll call Mayor German de-
livered the following inaugural address
to the Council:
Gentlemen:-By the sovereign will
of the people of the city Of Kenosha,
the administration of the affairs of this
municipality has been committed to
our charge.
In accepting this high honor and i'm
portant trust we must ever keep in
mind the sacred duties and RESPONSE
bilities this expression of confidence by
the people imposes upon us.
From time immemorial, up to one
year ago, it had been the established
rule of the Common Council of this city
that no ordinance should be passed
unless at least two-thirds of the nom
bers of the Council shall vote in favor
thereof.
At that time, by strict party vote,
it was then and there determined that
the inherent rights of the city and Of
The people may be defeated, given
away and granted to foreign corpora
tions or others by a mere affirmative
vote of the members of the Council.
I would suggest that you Immediate
| ly abolish such a pernicious rule and
restore the old safeguard requiring the
vote of at least two thirds of the mem-
bers for the passage of all ordinances,
excepting as otherwise provided by the
charter, and by so doing you will to a
great extent protect the interests of
the city and the rights and property of
| it's citizens.
We enter upon our administration
with a treasury almost depleted and it
would be futile in me to recommend
extensive public improvements in view
of our present deplorable financial con
dition: and shall call your attention
only to such Improvements as I deem
actually necessary at the present time.
For the first time in the history of
Kenosha we find the Council composed
of seventeen members.
Tho oooorovoodo +;oy,o boco4oForo Gov
the proper transaction of the business
of the Council were extremely limited,
but with the Council as now constituted
or present Council chamber will be
found entirely too small and our ac-
commodations miserably inadequate
| for the occasion. I call your attention
to the fact that at the present time the
city of Kenosha has neither a vault,
safe or other depository for the safe
keeping, care and preservation Of it's
public records, or of any of the valuable
papers, mortgages and documents, of
which its City Clerk is by law the Gus
todian, the loss or destruction of which
would be loss to the city and to the
individual which cannot be estimated.
We certainly may be charged with
negligence if we permit this condition
TO continue unchanged.
It has never been contemplated or
intended that our present building
should be considered as a city hall and
would suggest and recommend that
at your earliest convenience measures
be taken looking to the erection Of a
building suitably arranged and adapted
to the needs of our beautiful and grow
ling city, which may appropriately be
called City Hall.
By and through the munifcence and
generosity of our esteemed townsman,
the Hon. z. G.. Simmons, our city has
been favored beyond our most sanguine