Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-02
ALEXANDER IN
OFFICE; FIRST
DAYSTRENU0US
NEW MAYOR APPOINTS TWO
ON FIRE BOARD
MAY MAKE CLEAN SWEEP OF
COMMISSIONS
Richard MoIony and Benjamin Rob-
inson Are First Selections
of the Chief Exec
utiVe
WI HEN Mayor Alexander told the

VIZ HEN Mayor Alexander told the
w council yesterday morning that
W he fully realized the responsible
tiles of the office he was entering he
did not know that awaiting his sigma
ture were 1000 salary demands, or he
might have made his language stronger.
1t wasn't exactly fair to inaugurate
new mayor on the first of the month
and give him the office without rub
| ber stamp. When he first took the place
he declared he thought he could get
along without a stamp, but after sign
ing hundreds of demands he came TO
the conclusion, about $3.50 p. M, that 1t
would be impossible for him to approve
| all those demands in his own hand
writing, and asked his secretary, Frank
| G. Henderson, to order him stamp as
quickly as possible.
That the new mayor Will make an
almost cean sweep of all his commits
sions seems probable from the action
| he took with the fire commission yes
| terday. This board usually meets
Thursday morning, and 1t gathered at
the usual hour yesterday morning, with
| former Mayor Stephens at the head or
the board. But the commission ad-
| journed until the afternoon in order
| that the new mayor might preside.
After the routine business had been
completed Mayor Alexander told the
| fire commission that he had nothing
| against any of them personally, but
| that it was only just to himself that
| he be allowed to name his own COM
missioners, and he asked each of them
| to present their designations. Two
| commissioners already had done so.
| Schwamm and McGarry, and the other
| two followed their example without de-
| lay. When question as to future bus
| mess came up the new mayor declared
| he could have a commission in five
| minutes.
| Park Commissioner Franz Kern also
sent in his resignation.
Two Names Annonced
Mayor Alexander announced two
members of the fire commission yester-
day. These two are Richard Molony,
retired, and Ben c. Robinson, printer.
| Mr.. Alexander said these two had ac-
cepted, and he had offered places to
| two others, had not received their Of
fetal acceptances, but expected to be
able to announce them today.
He would make no comment on any
of the other commissions, merely say
ing he would take action at the right
| time.
1t was Mayor Alexander at 11:45 yes
| terday morning. The council met and
concluded the official canvass of the
election last Friday. Before the pro-
| ceedings were finished City Clerk Lee
lande, with the oath of office book, ap-
peared in the council chamber and with
him was Mayor Alexander. Mr.. Alex
ander sat down in the seat of the city
attorney to await the conclusion of the
count.
A few minutes before Mayor Stephens
| had appeared in the council chamber,
and thereby broken another record He
has broken all kinds of records during
his short term as mayor, and went out
of office in record breaking manner.
| He was the first mayor in many adj
miniStrationS to visit the council off,
| cially. Harper was never inside the
council chamber during his term of
office, and other mayors before Harper
had contented themselves with sending
messages to the legislative body.
Just before Mr.. Alexander was sworn
in Mayor Stephens asked the privilege
of the floor, and addressed the council.
He said he wanted to thank the mem
bers of the council for the invariable
courtesy they had shown him during
his term and for the harmony that had
prevailed. He alluded to his record
breaking vetoes, five in one day, say
ing they had not always had the same
opinions, but that was nothing to their
discredit.
Councilman Wallace responded for
the council, and after speaking in the
highest terms of Mr. Stephens and his
official acts, declared he was one of
many who wished to see Mr.. Stephens
again in the mayors chair and for a
longer period.
Stephens Not Ambitious
In response to this Mr.. Stephens said
emphatically that, while he realized
the honor conferred on him by holding
the office of mayor of Los Angeles,
nothing could induce him to make a
campaign for the office, and that no
ones personal aspiration need be dis
turbed by any expectation of his en-
tering the contest. Whether this was
an allusion to Mr.. Wallace's well
known ambition to be the non-partisan
candidate for mayor at the coming
election or not, the crowd took it as
such and chaffed the councilman from
the Fifth good naturedly.
The council passed a resolution de-
claring the official canvass had shown
14062 votes cast for Mr.. Alexander and
1884 for Fred c. Wheeler, and that
according to these returns George AL
exander was elected mayor The oath
of Office was then administered by City
Clerk Lelande. 1t is very short, and
is the same that is taken by every
city official, from the mayor to the
members of the police department. the
name of the office alone being changed.
When he had taken the oath before
the council, and the crowd that had
gathered in the lobby to witness the
simple, democratic ceremony, Mayor
Alexander made d short talk.
"I realize the responsibilities I am
assuming in taking this oath of office"
said Mayor Alexander. 1T is no llght
task to be mayor of Los Angeles. but
I hope to be able to give good adj
ministration. I want to work in har-
mony with this council for good gov
ernment. have no political ambi-
ton / only want to do some good
before am too old"
President Pease Responds
This short message brought a round
of cheers and applause from the crowd,
and when it had subsided President
Pease responded for the council.
"There will be no diff1culty in the
way of the mayor and the council
working in perfect harmony. am
positive we win all cooperate in the
cause Of good government IL there 10