The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-03
CHAIRMAN DALE REELECTED.
VICE CHAIRMAN LATHROP TURNED
DOWN BY COMMISSIONERS

Commissioner A. II. Moore Elected
Vice Chairman of the Board in
His stead-CommissiOne LathrOp
Ran Ahead of All the others on the
Ticket in Both Races He Has Been
in, and His Recollection as Vice
Chairman of the Board Had Been
Expected-COmmiss Qualified
Before Judge FcrriII, i'm His Room
at the De SotO-EIectiOn of County
Officers.
The members Of the Board of County
Commissioners were qualified and took the
| oath of office before Judge Hampton L.
! Ferrill, of the Court of Ordinary, in Judge
! FerrilTs room at the De Soto, yesterday
morning.
| For the last few days Judge Ferrill has
| been quite Ill and has been compelled to
remain in his room. The commissioners
elect, Messrs. J. J. Dale, Frank S, Lath
rop, A. b. Moore, A Vetsburg and Jacob
| Paulsen, went to Judge Ferrilps room and
| the simple ceremony incident to their in
duction into office was soon over with.
After taking the oath the commission
ers returned to the Court House, where
the first meeting Of the new board was
held. But little business was transacted.
As had been currently expected Com
missioner J. J. Dale was elected chair
man Of the board for the next four years,
an office which he has held for eight
years. During his entire tenure of office
as county commissioner, Mr. Dale las
willingly shouldered very much of the
largest share of the work and Is thor
oughly familiar with all the varied inter
ests and enterprises of the county.
AS had not been expected the commits
| sioners failed to elect Commissioner Frank
S. Lathrop, vice chairman. COmmissionaf
A. 3. Moore was elected in his stead.
Both times that Mr.. Lathrop has been
a candidate for County Commissioner he
has led the ticket by large vote. lie
rule that immemorial custom and usage
| have sanctioned is that the commissioner
elected by the largest number of votes
shall be chairman of the board but on
the former occasion, with Mr.. Lathrop's
approval. this rule was suspended, and
Commissioner Dale made chairman. 1t
was felt that he had more thorough ac-
quaintance with the duties of the office
than anyone else, and that he ought TO
fill it, conception of the fact with which
Commissioner Lathrop entirely agreed.
Last time Commissioner Lathrop was
complmented with the office of vice chair
man; this time he wasn't.
Commissioner Moore who succeeds to
the office, is one of the newly elected com
missioners, and one of the ablest,as he is
one of the most popular members of the
board.
None of the officers and county en-
ployes who are chosen by the commits
sioners were elected. This matter will
be taken up at the next meeting of the
board, which will be held next week
Some fear was expressed that the new
board would not re-elect Mr. ]. r. Saus-
sy county attorney. Mr.. Saussys oppo-
| nent, Mr.. S. L. Lazaron, is an active
member of the administration forces, and
| Mr.. Saussy's friends fear that this fact
will weigh with some of the commission
ers against Mr.. Saussy's long and able
| service.
AS the commissioners are never willing
| to discuss their appointments In advance
| of the meeting at which they are to be
made the exact status of affairs could
not be learned The doubt as to Mr. Saus-
| sy's reelection seems to be based on no
positive information, but it is quite gen.
eral. In reference to it, somebody re-
called the old saying that Where there is
so much smoke, there must be some fire."
AS YET no cpttCSl tiOi mas developed 10
! the reelection of Superintendent of Pub
lie Works and Roads Chaplin, County En-
| giner Brown or County Physician CHS
holm, and it is probable that all of these
officers will be chosen to succeed them
| selves No one of them is a politician and
there are no fractional reasons to urge
their retirement from the service of the
county. Certainly. there are no others
| for, so far as Mr.. Chaplin and Mr.. Brown
are concerned, the county owes to them
the excellent construction of the system
of roads and drainage which has been car
ried TO completion since their terms of
office began. DR. Chisholm's performance
of his duties as county physician has been
altogether satisfactory.