The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-10

ton are many and perpleNing, and l wish
to say as emphatically as l can that what
ever success has attended my efforts as
Commissioner has been due i'll a very great
measure to the loyalty and devotion to
duty of the officials and employees Of the
District. For their support l am and have
been at all times very grateful. l accept
this beautiful gift as token of your good
will. and you may rest assured that l shall
always prize it very dearly. and that it
Will be constant reminder of friendship
and good wishes you have expressed for
ME.
Il have received number of letters eX-
pressive of the good will of the people l
have endeavored to serve. and yesterday
l received from the gentlemen who repre-
sent the local newspapers at the District
Building an exceedingly kind note. That
note | appreciate much more than l can
express, and l here take occasion to pub
.icly return my sincere thanks. to these
gentlemen. The relations between us have
at all times been of the most pleasant ma
ture. and / also wish to say that to them
l am greatly indebted for many, very
many kind things. l deeply appreciate
the kindness with which they have dealt
with me, knowing that they are at all
times able to make or break public Of
fetal, and that muchs depends upon what
they write and how they write it. / once
more thank you. my dear friends
The Oath Administcrcd.
AT the close of the brief response to the
addresses given him Mr.. Wight suggested
that the oath of office be administered i'm
mediately to the incoming Commissioners,
Messrs. Ross and mcfarland. and that he
might be permitted to present those pres
emit to the new member of the board. This
| arrangement was consented to and the
Secretary of the Board, DR.. William Tin
DALI who is also notary, stepped for
ward and administered to Messrs. Ross
and mcfarland the following oath:
Having been appointed and confirmed q
Commissioner of the District of Columbia.
| you do solemnly swear that you will sup
port and defend the Constitution of the
United States against all enemies, foreign
and domestic; that you will bear true faitn
and allegiance to the same; that you take
| this obligation freely without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion: and
that you will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the office on which you are
about to enter: So help you God"
The heads of departments, clerks. and
/ employees of the District were then pre-
scented to Mr.. Mcfarland. who had gra-
ctons word for each one as he passed and
shook his hand. Mr.. Wight introduced
each person as he came forward to be in
| troduced to the new Commissioner
At the close OF the reception the formal
| signing of the oaths of office was attended
to before DR.. Tindall, acting as notary.
| 1t was stated that the bonds of Commits
sioners Ross and mcfarland were in prop
er form, and it was learned that the FL
deity and Deposit Company of Baltimore
| had become surety for the Commissioners
to the amount of $50 600 each as required
by law.
ORGANIZATION of the Bonrd.
The Board OF Commissioners then met
to organize. Mr. Ross temporarily taking
the chair of the President Mr. Ross read
from the organic act of the Incorporation
of the District of Columbia clause of
section 2, as follows:
And one Of the three said Commission
ers shall be chosen president of the Board
of Commissioners at their first meeting,
and annually, and whenever a vacancy
shall occur thereafter
Mr.. Ross said that it had been a custom
OF long standing that the president of the
Board should be in utilization with the po-
litical party at the head of the National
Government. While 1t was unwritten law.
he thought that the sanction of custom had
made it binding. Therefore he took great
pleasure in nominating Mr.. mcfarland for
the Office of president of the board for one
year from this date
The motion was seconded by Commits
sioner Beach and was declared unanimous
ly carried.
The attention OF the board was first
directed to the division of departments
over which each Commissioner will have
personal supervision After an expression
of preferences in the matter and brief
discussion of the subject only a few
changes were made. In general Commits
sioner Mcfarland takes over from Com
missioner Ross the public schools and
matters pertaining thereto, as well as the
charities, and Mr.. Ross takes from the
assignments which Mr. Wight had the
Police Department. collection and disposal
of garbage, and the Columbian Hospital
for Women. Mr.. Ross also retains charge
of the Washington Asylum. The follow
ing is the full list of the assignments as
made yesterday:
Commissioner ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
boilers. chimney sweeping. superintendent
of charities. charitable and reformatory in
situations receiving aid from the District
government inspection of coal. coroner q ld
assistant coroner board of dental examin-
ers, druggists to the poor, excise board.
fire department, inspection of flour, in
spection of food. hack stands, harbor mas
ter, hay scales, health Office, insurance
companies. liquor licenses, inspection of
lumber, markets Gncluding Hay Market
Square,, board of medical examiners, care
of municipal building. transportation of
psupers, physicians to the poor, commits
s;oners of pharmacy, board of control
Rock Creek Park. pOundmaster, sealer of
weights and measures, board OF examiners
steam engineers. veterinary surgeons
telegraph and telephone service, inspec-
ton and measuring of wood.
Commissioner Ross Almshouse, Wa h
ington Asylum Hospital, assessments o.
general taxes and special assessments other
than water assessments and rents, Asses
or Board of Assistant Assessors, Attor-
neys Office Special Assistant Attorney,
Auditors Office. Bathing Beach. claims
against the District of Columbia, Collector
of Taxes. cxofficio Trustee Of Columbia
Hospital for Women, Disbursing Officer
dog tags, collection and disposal of gar
bagc, commitments Of insane, Free Public
Library. licenses other than liquor Gauger
and Inspector Of SpirituOus Liquors, mu-
ncipal lodging house, police. police re-
wards, police and fire surgeons. Prop
erty Clerk President of Rock Greek Park
Board of Control. sweeping and cleaning
streets, avenues and alleys. tax sales.
Workhouse.
Commissioner Beach-Inspector of AS
phait and Clements. Engineer OF Bridges.
Inspector CT Buildings Engineer Depart
ment, Chief Clerk: Computing Engineer,
conduits. preparation and record of con-
tracts, Electrical Engineer, Inspector of
Elevators, fire escapes. Inspector of Gas
and Meters highway extension plans.
Superintendent OF Lamps. Street, Gas and
Electric Lighting; Parking Commission,
supervision OF parking Superintendent Of
Parking payementS Permit Clerk Plumb