Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-07
IN DEADLOCK
Caucus Gets Into a Tangle Over
City Clerkship and Water
Craftsmanship.
Disposition Manifested to Turn
Down Capt. Shawl. D. Vitek
Leads in Voting.
Water Committee Chairmanship
Between Fisher and Henry..-
Mack an Issue.

The caucus of the hold-over and the
new members of the council Saturday
night for the purpose of deciding who
shall fill the minor city positions and
who shall serve on the water works
committee got into merry tangle, the
outcome of which is problematical.
The city clerkship and the makeup OF
the water committee are the bones of
contention. superintendent of Mains
Mack is an ISSUE and the matter may
NOT be settled until Councilman Mer-
rift Greene returns from California.
1t is possible that Councilman Harris
will hold the key to the situation and
may hand the key over to Mayor Jones
and request that official to trun it, al
tho the latter has no desire to do so.
The deadlock may be broken tonight
after the new council is organized. One
thing is apparent, and that is a dis
position on the part Of the council TO
turn down City Clerk Shaw after one
years service. 1t was the general sup
position on the part of the public that
Mr.. Shaw would be given at least an
other year, but it seems he has an
tagonized some of the members OF the
council, altho his competency and
ability are unquestioned.
The caucus agreed upon three of the
aI,pointive officers by re-electing the
following:
Street Commissioner-Geor Ord
way.
City Surveyor-William Bremner.
Boiler Inspector-Frank j. Kearns.
AS early as Saturday afternoon
cilmen were sounded as to their atti-
tude towards ex-Superintendent OF
Mains E. 2. Mack, as it was believed
there was a disposition on the part OF
some to reinstate Mr.. Mack Council
man Kreutzer one of the present mem
bers of the water committee, declared
that he was for Mack, and this caused
the latter to be made an issue, as the
committee selects the experimenting
Councilmen Fisher and Henry are
the candidates for the committee
Craftsmanship. 1t was known that
Fisher would not vote to reinstate
Mack, while Henry refused to go on
record. The vote in caucus was by
secret ballot, and resulted in Fisher re-
ceiving five votes to four for MI.
Henry. All the hold-over and newly
elected members were present with the
exception of Mr.. Greene, who has not
yet returned from California, but who
is expected the latter part of the week.
The vote stood five to four for many
ballots and 1t was apparent the dead
lock could not be broken in the caucus,
SO the work of selecting the other
members of the water committee went
over and the councilmen proceeded to
ballot for city clerk.
There were seven or eight candidates
for the position of clerk, or at least that
| number who had signified their Wiling
ness to accept the position II 1t came
| their way. Among these were Clerk
Shaw. ex-Clerk J. G. Trotter, I. A. Rob-
ison, F. Aubrey Smith, George Neil and
L. D. vitek The latter was not an ac-
tive candidate for the place, but had
friends on the council who presented
his name, and he went into the caucus
with the greatest strength. Mr., Vitek
received five votes, with the other cans
didates receiving scattering strength in
the first few ballots. after which City
Clerk Shaw was united on by the OPP
| position and received four votes. The
caucus adjourned at a late hour with
out the deadlock being broken
When the new council organizes to-
night the water committee and clerk
ship questions will come up in open
meeting. and it is possible that the
deadlock may be broken. AS Mr.. Greene
will not be present to qualify. City So
llicitor Van Law has rendered., by re-
quest, an opinion as to the status of
DR.. Harris, whom he succeeds. Mr.. Van
Law holds that Mr.. Harris must be
considered member of the council un-
til his successor qualities, and he may
have the privilege of settling these
questions before he steps down and out,
Some of the members, however, favor
postponing the selections one week, or
until Mr. Greene returns from the west.
If the question is left to DR.. Harris the
water craftsmanship may be settled. as
Mr.. Harris led the fight against Super
intendent Mack which resulted in that
official's retirement. Harris. while not
particularly friendly to Mr.. Fisher, and
who has lined up with Mr.. Henry on
many questions, would favor the former
for chairman were he sure Henry would
vote to reinstate Mack. On the other
hand DR.. Harris Is friendly to City
Clerk Shaw and if vote is reached on
that question tonight it is probable a
tie will result and 1t will be UP to the
mayor to decide the clerkship.
AS the ballots were secret the council
men themselves do not know exactly
how the members voted on the ques-
tons in controversy.
The councilmen are holding numer-
GUS consultations today and late this
afternoon it was expected that an
agreement would be reached and that