Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-25
NAMES MATHEWS
AND MAI. NORTON
FOR WATER BOARD
Councilmen Postpone
Confirmation
Mayor Harper Selects Republican and
Democrat to Succeed Messrs. Ell
lott and Mead, Democrats,
as Commissioners

Mayor Harper sent in the appoint
ment of Gen. John r. Mathews, banker,
and Maj John H. Norton, retired con-
tractor to be water commissioners to
fill the terms of Commissioners j. M.
Elliott and William Mead, which ex-
pired in March.
After some debate, Councilmen Wal
lace and Wren leading the opposition
to displacing Messrs. Elliott and Mead,
it was decided to lay confirmation over
for a week.
AS late as yesterday morning Mayor
Harper offered reappointment to COM
missioner Mead, but he declined to
serve again on the plea that he was
going away for a year. Last spring
and once afterward, Mayor Harper
stated last night, he offered reappoint-
ment to Mr.. Mead.
The two men whose terms have eX-
pired are Democrats, while Maj. Nor
ton is q Republican.
Gen. Mathews is well known as a
former postmaster as well as veteran
banker, Mayor Harper having been as
sociated with him in the same bank.
Mai Norton is a former contractor,
widely known in the west, and like
Gen. Mathews is a wealthy man. He
was formerly of the firm of Drake SS
Norton In Southern Pacific contracts
IN California and Arizona, and has
extensive realty holdings on Broadway
and elsewhere.
AS the council will have special
session this afternoon it is possible
that confirmation may carry then If
the question is brought up, as is IA
vored by the Republican councilmen.
Both Councilmen Blanchard and
Healy, Republicans, have been grant
ed leaves of absence for thirty and
ten days, respectively and both are
anxious that the confirmation be set
tied before they go away.
AS soon as the mayors message was
read Councilman Lyon moved and
Councilman Healy seconded a motion
to confirm.
Councilman Wren wanted week S
delay.
Healy said he had known these two
men for thirty years, and as both are
held in high esteem in Los Angeles he
saw no reason for delay.
Wallace Sounds Warning
Councilman Wallace spoke at length,
urging that the responsibility OF the
council in confirming or rejecting was
Just as great as was the mayors in
making the appointments. a.
He spoke of the general stagnat1on
in the bond market now and of the loss
of esteem which the Pacific coast had
sustained as a result of the San Fran
cisco, exposeures, adding that with such
men as Messrs. Elliott and Mead off
the board investors might go slow in
buying the $23,000,000 bond issue.
Answering questions of Mr.. Wren,
CITY Attorney Hewitt said that the
primary responsibility rested with the
mayor in making the appointments,
the council merely exercising super
visory control.
Councilman Dromgold said he want
ed to stand behind the mayor in every
L. IN.~,a dc Ce
1t would help their sale. He wanted to
see unanimous Endorsement. How
ever, he preferred to apply the mayors
own remedies when in doubt by asking
the newspapers to thresh the question
out for a week and get at public senti-
ment before voting confirmation.
Councilman Pease said the new NOM
inees were good men, so were the old
He preferred to see the question dis
cussed for a week before voting.