The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-22
ELECTION is CALLED
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS NAMED
MARCH 10 AS THE DAY.
TO FILL TWO VACANCIES.
UNExPIRED TERMS OF THE ORDI-
NARY AND TAX COLLECTOR.

Commissioners Have Given More
Than Required Twenty Days No.
tice-To Avoid Possibility of Trou-
BILE, Clerk of Superior Court VIII
order an Election, for the Same
Purpose, at the same TIme-PIenty
OF Candidates for Ordinary, but
Only One for Tax Collaboration
test for Representative Likely to
he Held on Same Day.
The special election to fill the unexpired
terms of the late Hampton L. Ferrill and
James J. MCGOWAN. as ordinary and tax
collector OF Chatham county. will be held
March Is. The election was ordered at
special meeting of the County Commits
sioners yesterday afternoon.
Only three members of the board were
present at the meeting, Chairman Dale
being absent from the city and Commits
sioner Lathrop too unweN TO leave his
home. Those present were Vice Chairman
Moore who presided. and Commissioners
Pauisen and Vetsburg.
The commissioners wasted little time in
reaching the conclusion they embodied in
their call for the election. The two or
ders, one calling the election to fill the
Office of ordinary and the other to fill the
Office of tax collector, were read, then
passed and signed by all the commission
ers present. The term of the ordinary is
for four years and of the tax collector for
two years from Jan. /, 1901.
The day OF the election will be Friday
ba
the required twenty days notice. fixed by
the law, the election day being twenty-five
days distant from that on which the cleo
ton was called.
There is some doubt, apparently, as 10
whether or not the election TO fill the Of
fees should be called by the commission
ers or by the clerk of the Superior Count,
there being two laws bearing on the sub
ject which contradict each other in
terms. To obviate any possible trouble in
this respect. Clerk James K. p. Carr
will be asked to call an election to fill
the same Offices on the same day. SO that
there can be no question as to the legal
ity of the contest and no dispute among
contestants after it has been held. This
MIR Cali will do. The election will be held
under the auspices of the same officers
as il would otherwise have been, the only
difference being that it will have the
sanction of both laws on the subject.
Under the ruling of the Attorney Cen
eral the registration list of 1900. with the
addition of those voters who have quail
fed since the end of the year and who
get their names on the list fifteen days
before the election is held. will be used
on March 10. This leaves those who were
not qualified voters last year and who
desire to cast ballots for their favorite
candidate for either of the offices less
than week in which to pay their taxes
and register.
In the race for ordinary, there are still
three active candidates. MIR Frank E.
keLbach, the present ad interim incuTn-
bent of the office, Superintendent of Po-
lice Thomas Screven and Capt Henry Nc
Alpin. Mr.. J. r. Saussy. Mr. J. S. Col
Inns, Mr.. A. l.. Alexander and Others
who have been prominently mentioned in
this connection, have never yet said that
they would or would not offer for the suf-
frage of the people.
Around on the streets, however, and in
those places where politics is a constant
subject of discussion, it is said the race
viii eventually narrow itself down TO the
three candidates first mentioned, Mr..
keilbach. Maj. Screven and Capt. Meal
pin. This, however. is a mere surmise,
and the race may be enlivened in the end
by the candidature of some half dozen
or more active aspirants for the office.
For tax collector. curiously enough
there is but one candidate in the field
Mr.. David Wells, VIII m the County Com
missioners have appointed to discharge
the duties of the office until some one is
elected 20 fill the uneXpired term of Mr.
MCGOWAN. Mr.. Wells has said that he
would be a candidate for the unexpired
term when the election was held, but so
FAR not single applicant for the office
has entered the lists against him. Every
man who has been at all prominently
mentioned as probable candidate has
FASTENED TO deny the soft impeachment
1t is unlikely, though, when the compo-
sition OF the average Chatham county
politician is considered, that this state
OF things will be suffered long to con-
tinue.
Before the election is held il is likely to
be complicated further by the resignation
of Mr.. Wells as representative from Chat
ham county in the DOVER house of the
General Assembly of the state. The cleo
ton to fill his unexDired term will prob-
ably be held on the same day, and under
the same management as that for ordi.
nary and tax collector.
As candidates to fill the shoes Of Mr.
Wells, two of the younger members of
the bar have been prominently mentioned.
Mr.. r. L. Colding and Mr.. Gordon Saus-
sy who represent the two factions of
the party in Chatham county. Indeed.
Mr.. Colding has announced that he will
De in the race, and has notified some
OF his friends. These gentlemen will now
nave an opportunity to repay the warm
support they have received from Mr..
Cooling in the past