The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-10-23
CONTEST EN-
L|VENS' CITY
CAMPAIGN
THOSE WHO ENJOY A POLITICAL
FIGHT ARE INTENSELY INTER-
EsTED IN CONTEST BETWEEN
GELLATLY AND GRASS.

City politics anent the mayoralty
are now assuming definite shape. On
the one side are lined up with Henry
Grass the men who oppose Mayor Gel
latly politically, the men who oppose
the plans of the city administration
and those who oppose the closing OF
the saloons in the city This follow
ing represents some of the best men
in the CITY,.
John A. Gellatly has been inactive
thus far in the campaign but his fol-
lowing represents the larger portion
of those who voted for a dry town.
The improvement of the city in the
way of graded streets, concrete side
walks, perfect water system and
other of the various civic improve
ments has made a strong following
for MI Gellatly.
The present lineup in the division
of councilmen seems to be as fol-
lows:
Grass men:
n-at-Large-Ed. S. Rus
sell.
Second Ward-C. B. Halbert.
Third Ward-W. G. Stacy.
Gellatly men:
Councilman-at-Large A. Piper.
Second Ward-R L. Bartlett.
Third Ward-L. " Wells and Geo.
F. Begg.
No councilman is to be elected from
the First ward.
Among the Grass forces is a good
sprinkling of local option men who
believe that he will enforce the law
rigidly enough but not so strictly as
does Gellatly. One factor that is hav-
ing an i'll effect upon the candidacy
of the present mayor is the city inn
provement question. 1t is generally
recognized that in city of the char
acter of Wenatchee when it is throw
ing off it's swaddling clothes, assum-
ing city airs, and changing from d
rural village into city, that the first
improvements made by the city au-
thorities are bound to cause dissatis-
faction.
The residents have to be educated
into the way these things are done.
The city council at the beginning of
its term last January started in to
outline a plan of beautifying and i'm
proving the city. This plan as out
lined at that time has been carefully
chez avenue, Palonse street, Kittitas
street, Douglas street, Chelan avenue
and a number of smaller streets are
completed or are in course of i'm
provement.
The legal red tape incident to the
improvement of a number of other
streets is now under way. During the
commencement of this work the cred
it of the city was poor. 1t was i'm
possible to dispose of Improvement
district warrants and a portion of the
work had to be paid for by direct as
sessment. This in some instances
has worked hardship and the ad-
ministration is getting the blame for
it.
Due to the present improvements,
however, it is now possible to dis
pose of improvement district war
rants and further improvements will
be paid for by five year bonds. This
should be credited to the efforts of
the present city administration.
Wenatchee avenue and it's improve
ments is also entering as factor in
the fight. The original plan of the
city council called for the paving of
this street. In response to a petit
tion presented by large number of
the property owners the paving
clause was eliminated. The petition
ers argued that owing to the num-
Der of fills that would be required
on the avenue the paving would be
unsatisfactory, notwithstanding the
protest of Engineer Ward. The coun-
Gil deemed that the protest on the
paving was on account of the expense
and decided on macadam. During
the past week a strong sentiment has
developed that instead of the six in
ches of crushed rock on the street a
light coat only should be applied so
as to permit paving next year after
the street has thoroughly settled. The
council, acting in good faith, saw no
way of changing the plans at this
late date without endangering the COL