The Nome nugget., 1903-03-25
SANDSPIT
 IS AWAKE 5: Spirited Meeting Last Monday Night. POLITICS DISCUSSED RetrenChment in City Affairs Keynote of Different
 Speakers.
POLITICS DISCUSSED

The citizens of the sandspit fired W hat may be called the first shot of u c municipal campaign Monday night. The meeting was held in the Brids e school and was presided over by Jan es NcCoskrie, with r. Wal'ate Smith as secretary. The room was comfortat ly filled and the meeting was most or deily one. After Chairman McCos- krie had explained the objects of the meeting, there were a number of really excellent speeches. Some of the can didates for the council talked interest ingly and periodically, and all received attention. The meeting had been called, primarily for the election of a campaign committee and ward con- mitteeman. Both objects were quickly accomplished, Mr. McCoskrie, John De Fries and r. w. Smith being ap- pointed on the committee. John De Fries was also elected ward committee man.
 
 sentative citizels from ether portions Of the city, the east end being well represented by J. |. Pidgeon, candidate for councilman, G. r. GogSin, Jas. w. Bell, l.. C. Cooper and others. John Rustgard, w. Ii. Bard, w. J. Rowe. Pap Dean and Jack Calvin, also ,,;1 ,i,,, . Iat At1t and each made brief, but forcible, speeches defining their positions on municipal affairs. Retrenchment and strict economy with no ante-election pledges as regards candidates for mu- nicipal offices was the keynote of each speaker, and each speech was re- ceiyed with expressions of approval.
 The sandspit is pledged to Mir. Rust gard for the council and 10 Col. l.. L. Sawyer for school director. and each seems to have the entire confidence of their ward.
 John De Fries started the meeting with rattling good speech, such as is
 
 followed by Mr. Rustgard, who spoke Of the importance of legislation Tor Ala eka and he referred to the probable visit of congressional committee to Nome next summer. He said he wanted to have a good long talk with that committee on Alaskan affairs, and he
 T l. T H. ffnn as d member of the city council of Nome. It was small office but d man could make it an honorable one. He stated that had he not taken prom inent part in the agitation for free bridge across the river he would not have had an enemy in the city, but as it was they were working hard against him, and in vindictive manner.
 Josh R. Mcintyre advocated Rust gard's election, and mildly roasted the city council for their neglect of the sandspit.
 John De Fries followed and went eX- haustively into the financial condition of the city, and, he claimed the people had not received what they had paid for. ''Put new men in office," be urged, "and get the city out of debt.' He told of councilman who said he got ito the council because 'it would help his business" and said he i've don't want men like that"
 w. H. Bard said there were only a few questions to be considered. He stood fer retrenchment in every de- partment of the city, and he felt it to Le his duty as an American citizen to d } all he could for the town and section ill which all of his interests were con- ccntrated. The municipal government hAd cost too much and the expenses should be curtailed. He believed with t, c other speakers, thasdhere should be free bridge across the river but with a depleted treasury he did not new see how such could be had. J.L. Pdgeon was the next speaker. Retrenchment, he said, was his plat form. He complimented the sandspt people upon having nominated Rust gard, and said the mouth of Snake river should be improved in order to afford protection to small steamers. He al.o favored free bridge.
 Senator Schotield discussed city af- fairs, in an exhaustive manner. The A l.