Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-17
INAUGURATION.
CITY Government for 1903
09 Begins Work.
Address by Mayor P|aisted and
Election Of Officers.
Democrats Take Presiding Officers
Of Both Evenly Divided Bodies.

! 4 good number of spectators were
present to see Mayor Plaisted enter
upon his third term and to watch the
progress of the contests for the
| various city offices. Owing to Il dead
| lock which existed in both branches
for a time over the selection of then
respective presiding officers the meet
| ing was a prolonged one and it was
| 10 before the members We're able to
| go home to dinner.
Inasmuch as both the board OF
aldermen and the common council
We're evenly divided along political
lines. each containing as many Repub-
Republicans felt that it would be a
| fair thing to allow them to have the
| presiding officer in one of the two
| branches. Certainly it did not seem
an unreasonable request. but the
Democrats wanted both of the presid-
| ing officers, and after numerous
| ballots had been taken and 1t was seen
that the Democrats had no disposition
| to make a fair division of the matter,
| the Republicans gracefully yielded the
point and allowed the reelection of
the Democratic presiding officers in
the two branches. SO much for 4
beginning of the third nOn-partisan
administration under Mayor Plaisted.
The outgoing city government met
at 10 O'Clock to dispose of the
remnants of last years business left
on hand and the final roll Of accounts.
amounting to $3.50. was passed. 1t
was voted that all papers and matters
Ia N fhn
city government. Then Alderman
Andrews of Ward on behalf of his
Republican associates in the upper
branch thanked Mayor Plaisted for the
fairness with which he had presided
over the body during the past year and
expressed satisfaction at the harmony
which had uniformly prevailed among
the members. Mayor Plaisted ac-
knowledged the cordial words Of
Alderman Andrews and thanked all
the members Of the board for their
support during the past year, ex-
pressing hope that as much harmony
and good feeling might prevail during
the year to come Then on motion Of
Alderman Locke. the retiring mem
Der from Ward /, the board adjourned
sine die
The newly elected aldermen and
councilmen then gathered in the room
| of the aldermen and were sworn inso
| Office by City Clerk EewDert, first the
eight aldermen and them the 16
councilmen and then the whole "a as
members of the city council. All We're
present The two bodies then met in
| their respective rooms and entered
~ IL o. mil
| ton. The attempt to elect president
of the board of aldermen resulted in
four votes for Alderman Andrews Of
Ward . and four for Alderman Skehah
of Ward {. Six ballots We're taken
with the same result.
In the meantime the common council
was deadlocked in similar fashion.
Councilman Holway of Ward pre-
siding as temporary chairman. and tine
ballot for permanent chairman re-
| suited in eight votes for Mr.. HOlway
and eight for Councilman Ward of
Ward Z Five ballots We're taken with
| the same result. Then, for the sake of
varying the program little. the
council proceeded to the election of a
clerk and all 16 of the votes cast were
! for Robert r Partridge who has held
| that office for the past two years.
| II was nov proposed that the repre-
senta tires of the two parties of both
! brlflcn hes get together in Il conference
| and talk over the deadlock. According
| ~, Aldermen White and Moves and
| Councilmen Gannctt. Merrill ard
| Weeks we're appointed to discuss the
| matter and they retired for that pur-
| Pose. The Republican members OF the
committee OF conference expressed tht.
| feeling that since both bodies were
evenly divided politically, the presid
| ing officer OF one should be a Republic
| can and of the other one q Democratic.
| The Democratic contention was that
| both presiding officers should be Demo-
Gratis The fairness OF the Democrat
| ic attitude in this matter is left to the
| citizens of Augusta. The conference
was not 81 long one. since the Eepubli-
| can members felt that they were elect
! ed Ia transact business and not to de-
lay it by trying to argue with Demo-
| cratic cullea CUES whose minds were not
| open to any appeal Of fairness. Accord
| ing. tn, members returned to their
respective chambers and on the sixth
ballot for president Of the common
| council Mr.. Holway Tetrained from
voting and in consequence Councilman
| Ward the Democratic candidate for
president. received eight votes to seven
| for Mr.. Holway. Later. in the board
of aldermen. MIR. Andrews made the
| motion that ne clerk cast the ballot
| OF the beard for Alderman Skrhan as
| president Of the board of aldermen and
| this was accordingly done.
| II was 11.30 before The two bodies
met in joint convention in the common
council room to listen to the mayors
address. and elect city officers. A COM
mittee escorted the mayor from his
] office Ia the council chamber where all
| stood as the oath of office was admin
istered by City Clerk Newhert and n
prayer was offered by Rev MIR. Rob-
erts. the rector CT st. Marks church
Mayor Plaisted then read his inaugur-
n; address. of which the full text is
| given below.
Mayor PIaisted's Address.
Gentlemen OF the City Council: