The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-10
ONLY IN ALLEYS.
Mayor Davis Says He Can't
Travel Anywhere Else.
Greatly Surprised at the Flood
of Applications.
CHIEF STILL IN AIR.
Says That He May Not Appoint
Tonight.
Fire Marshal Wilmarth and
Engineer McCabe May Hold On.
CHIEF STILL IN AIR.

Mayor Davis will appoint at the coun-
ell meeting this evening the fire marshal
and city engineer. He may also appoint
the chief Of police, city physician. as
sistant city attorney and street commits
siCner-
G. o. Wflmarth and James F. McCabe
are almost certain to be reappointed to
their present positions, fire marshal and
city engineer respectively. These are
the best paying jobs within the gift
of the mayor.
There is nobody who knows who will
be chief OF police, or if there is, he has
kept the information most exclusively
to himself
Mayor Davis said this morning: Il
have not yet made up my mind about
the appointment Of a chief. I may not
be ready to make the appointment to-
night. I can't say"
Tonight Mayor Davis viii appoint his
new committees. He is now working
on the list in an effort to get it finish
ed up before the meeting.
Samuel 7. Howe will in all probability
be chairman of the ways and means
committee and Charles K. Holiday
chairman Of the streets and walks COM
mittee.
The police committee, about which a
good deal of tumUlt has been raised,
viii cut very little figure. Il viii be
allowed to stay in the cOnatOSe cOnQ1-
tion which has characterized it for the
past year, and no one viii care much
who are its members.
The great center of interest in the
present situation is the appointment of
chief of police. One crowd of people
insist that A. G. Goodwin must" be
the man; that Mayor Davis can't posi-
bly, avoid appointing him.
Another crowd is backing Tim Dono-
q
police officer Of known ability, who win
do what he is told to do.
AS a compromise candidate, John
Gardiner is much discussed. Gardiner
combines some elements of strength
possessed by both of the other eandi-
dates.
Tim Donovan is tried and true in the
exact place where Goodwin is weak
But Donovan is a Democrat. and there
SIS a great howl being made against the
appointment Of a Democrat. 1t would
turn a lot of the rampant Republicans
against Davis if he should appoint
Donovan but the people want a CHIEF
OF pOlice-not a politician Donovan
however, lacks executive ability.
John Gardiner is an experienced Of
dcer. He may be a logical cOmprO-
mise But he does not have the back
ing that the other candidates have.
Meantime Mayor Davis talks tc
everybody, listens to endorsements
reads letters Of mendation-anC
says absolutely nothing. He is the
mummest man about his appointments
that the politicians have ever encount-
cred.
This morning a reporter for the
State Journal asked one of the right
hand men of the new mayor what tbs
indications are in the fight for the jot
OF chief of police. The right hand mar
said:
There is just one man in this towT
who can tell you; that's Davis. He's
the only man who knows. and I dom
care what other people say he is go
ing to CO."
Mayor Davis was in his Office at tbs
city hall this morning. A State Jour
nal reporter was apparently the frs
to discover him. This was inferred
because Mr.. Davis was alone when TIT
state Journal man arrived. He wa
not along again during the who'll