Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-05-04
OLD GIVES WAY TO new
KIRKPATRICK INDUCTED INTO
OFFICE WITHOUT POMP.
Municipal Administration Changes and
Elective Offices Are Filled With
out Friction or Contest.

Mr.. e. c. Kirkpatrick was inducted
into office of mayor last night without
pomp or unnecessary ceremony. The
oath of office was administered prior
to the converting of the old council
Auditor and Police Judge Gregory per-
forming the duty of administering it.
The aldermanic body, after having
transacted some unfinished business,
which included the adoption of an Or
dinance providing for street improve
ments, the allowing of bills and the
closing up of some matters of minor
importance, listened to Mayor Van Ors-
del's retiring address, adjourned sine
die, whereupon the newly-elects as
sumed their respective stations. Mr..
Kirkpatrick was greeted with hand
shake by the retiring chief executive
while Auditor Gregory administered
the oath of office the aldermen elect,
after which performance Mr.. Barbar
succeeded DR.. Hayter as alderman-at-
large, Mr.. Sweeney taking the place
made vacant by Mr.. Gohrke, Mr.. Card
that made vacant by Mr.. Barber and
Mr.. Miller succeeding himself. Fol-
lowing the changing of seats and the
retirement of those who had served
the city during the past two years,
Mayor Kirkpatrick delivered his in
augural address, published elsewhere
on this page together with the retiring
address of the outgoing mayor.
Further than this there will be no
change in city officials during the en-
suing two years. Walter G. Vassall
was reelected city treasurer by the
council, W. C. Chase city marshal, Ed
+. Coad city attorney, Peter S. Green
wood street commissioner, S. b. Tay-
1orcity engineer and John Shaw night
marshal. There were no other nom1-
nations except for the latter position
Mr.. Shaw and John Dawson were ap-
plicants for the place, and Mr.. Kirk
patrick placed both in nomination and
put choice up to the council. The
ballot was unanimous for Mr.. Shaw,
the present incumbent.
Mayor Kirkpatrick then named the
following standing committees of the
council:
Finance-Miller Barber and Card.
Streets-Barber, Westover and Swee-
ney.
Ordinances-We Miller and
Knight.
Fire and Water-Knight, Young
and Card.
.sealth and Police-Young, Knight
AM mas eeney.
Iamx--Miller and Westover, N. L.
Guy,lr'. ]. Coad, w. L. Soehren.
Chief of Fire Department-Augus
P. Riser.
Marshal-Oliver Chase.
Night Marshal-John Shaw.
Street Commissioners. S. Green
wood.
Immediately after having concluded
this regular annual program, the new
council got down to business and in
structed the auditor to advertise for
bids for street improvements as pro-
vided for by the outgoing body, bids
to be as a whole or in part, and also
for bids for the oiling of city streets
and country roads within the corpor-
for bids for the oiling of city streets,
bids will be invited for spreading the
material, and for furnishing and
spreading. Oil may now be had at
so cents per barrel F. o. B. Portland.
and the spreading offer made the
county is 3.6 cents per gallon. This
is about the basis on which bids will
probably be made.
The street commissioner was in
structed to wash the hard-surface
pavements. The water company very
generously offered to provide water
free of charge for the first washing of
these thoroughfares.
The council declared its intention to
improve Uglow avenue from Ash
street to the Carpenter bridge, and the
auditor was instructed to commence
the necessary proceeding to that end
A number of property owners on that
thoroughfare was present and ma
jority expressed a preference for a
forty-foot improvement with concrete
curbs. The road beyond the railroad
track will probably be sixteen feet in
width.
Alderman Westover thought the city
should have a market inspector, and
moved that the ordinance committee
be instructed to prepare an ordinance
providing for such an official, to ACT
without remuneration, but the motion
was not seconded and was lost in the
shuttle. This, however, reminded the
mayor that the city is lacking
plumbing inspector, and he recon-
mended that an ordinance be prepared
to this end later.
The street commissioner was in
structed to prepare the streets for oil.
ing, after which the council adjourned
to meet again next Monday evening al
the usual hour, when bids for sixty
cords of wood for the rock crushel
will be opened.