The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1906-02-24
Reported He Will Put in NUM-
cipal Ownership Partisans.
Whenever He Has the Opportunity
Hereafter During His Term of
Office.
MIR. }. Il. WILHELM QUALIFIED.

The appointment of Mr.. James L.
Wilhelm, editor and owner of the
Register, to the board of public
works, came as great surprise to
many people, as Mr.. Wilhelm has so
often taken issue with the city ad-
ministratioIfs, especially to acts of
the mayor on various occasions. In
fact, he has, at times, been the most
bitter and caustic critic the demo-
cratic administrations, especially the
last one, have had, and it is even
said that he voted for very nearly
every member of the two present
boards of the council.
Mr.. Wilhelm was surprised him
self at the offer of the position, it is
understood.
81 was petitioned by a number of
Mr. Wilhelm's friends to appoint him
to the board" said the mayor today,
"and the idea struck me favorably.
Mr.. Wilhelm should make good
man for the place. We hear so
much about jobbery in contracts and
that sort of thing, and we are to
have a good deal of work done this
summer. Every one knows Mr.. Will
helms position on such matters, so
let us see If we have such COM
plants this year.
1t Is whispered that the mayor is
stacking the cards for an exclusive
municipal ownership board of works,
and Mr.. Wilhelm's appointment
would tend to confirm the report.
Mr.. Wilhelm is an out-and-out mu-
nici2al ownership partisan, and it is
said the new members of the board
to be appointed will be men of the
same views. Every one knows the
mayors views on the subject, and it
would be no surprise If he sur
rounds himself whenever possible,
with men in sympathy with him on
that question.
Mr.. Ed. Noble, one of the present
members of the board of works, who
is expected to step down and out
shortly, as he is to have a residence
outside the corporate limits, and the
administration has decided that this
disqualifies every one except posi-
bly, the mayor, is municipal owner
l..t 4.
like the mayor and some of the 9TH
ers.
He believes in the city getting the
best possible service at the least pos
sible cost. In the question of award
ing a contract for street lights, he
favors the city letting a contract and
closing its plant temporarily at least
as he and his board have had charge
of the light plant for two or three
years, and know that the city will
save money and get better lights by
getting them from a private compa-'
ny.
1t Is the general belief, however,
that it is Mayor Yeiser's intention to
put municipal ownership partisans
in the municipal boards during the
remainder of his term, whenever he
has the chance.
Mr.. Wilhelm this morning took the
oath of Office as a member of the
board of public works, and became
a full-hedged member.
The council does not have to APP
prove the appointment, the char
ter providing that only the board of
aldermen has to approve the mayors
appointments of members.
Some of the mayors friends seem
to think that in the appointment OF
Mr.. Wilhelm, the mayor kills two
birds with one stone, as he gets a
man of his own peculiar views on mu-
nicipal ownership, and at the same
time may silence one of his most
chronic critics. A good many peo-
pie doubt the latter, however, and
are waiting to see how long 1t will
be until the mayors new member of
the board of works takes the hide
of his honor or some of the mayors
protages, in his paper.