Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-01
.HOPEWELL BECOMES
. F|RST-CLASS CITY
Mayor and Council Named by
Governor Take Office
To-Day.
HARRISON is WITH MILITIA
President of Board of Aldermen
Must Serve as Acting Mayor
During His Absence.
HARRISON is WITH MILITIA

Hopewelrs Board of Aldermen. which
comes into official existence to-day
under the recent act of the legislature
will Itself decide who is TO be acting
Mayor OF the guncotton city in the
absence of Mayor Benja min Harrison.
The latter was appointed to this Office
by Governor Stuart for term which
begins to-day and expires on Septem-
ber ]. 1920. AS major commanding the
First Battalion of the Second Virginia
Infantry, already called to the colors.
lie Will not be able to serve.
Confronted by this situation, Cover
nor Stuart applied this week to A,tor-
ney David y. Harrison, Jr., of Hopewell
for his construction Of the law govern
ing the filling of vacancy in the Mayors
office. Mr.. Harrison. as member of the
House from Prince George County at
the last session. was patron OF the bill
which created Hopewelrs government
Mr.. Harrison replied yesterday with
an opinion, in which he holds that the
temporary absence of Mayor Harrison
must be cared for under the general
law which provides for the assumption
of the Mayors duties by the president
OF the Board of Aldermen. In this view
AttorneyGeneral Pollard concurred
PRESIDENT OF ALDERMEN
MUST SERVE AS MAYOR
The calling into service of Major
Harrison had produced lively politi-
cal situation in Hopewell. Candidates
galore were proposed for the vacancy"
and gossip busted itself with fguring :
out the manner of selecting successor
In some quarters ii was believed that
the Governor would have 10 make
another appointment. Others favored
an election.
Under the decision now reached
Major Harrison will qualify. and the
president of Hopewelrs Board OF Alder
men will become acting Mayor of Hope
we'll and discharge the duties OF that
office until Mayor Harrison returns
The three members of the Board are:
NJ. a. Finn, appointed for term which
expires September /. 1920, and Richard
Eppes and II. j. Watkins. whose terms
expire on September l. 1918. The fac,
that Mr.. Finn is the long-term member
gives support to the assumption tha t
will be elected president OF the
Board, and will. therefore, become
acting Mayor of Hopewell. The Board
itself, however. will elect, and there is
nothing in the law TO bind them TO the
selection OF the long term member.
HARRISON CONSTITUTES
LAW on SUBJECT
In his letter to Governor Stuart. At
torney David a. Harrison. Jr., states
the law on the mayoralty question as
follows:
The general law as to who shall act
in The absence OF the Mayor of a city
is as follows:
Section 1893 of the Virginia Code {:
IN the event OF the death. resignation,
removal OF the Mayor, or his inability
to discharge his duties from some other
cause. his place shall be filled and his
duties shall be discharged by the presi-
dent OF the Board of Aldermen or by
the president of the Council, accord
ing IS the City Council has or has not
two nchcs, until another Mayor is
elect and qualified. or until such liza
bility iull cease.
The charter Incorporating the city
Of Hopewell in reference to the same
matter reads as follows:
"'Provided, that if the removal or a
change of residence of the Mayor or of
any member of either branch of the
Conncil shall create a vacancy in such
position and in the event of n vacancy
occurring by reason of death, removal
or otherwise in the office OF the Mayor
before the first day of September, 1920,
such vacancy shall be filled for the un-
expired term by the Governor
But, since the temporary absence of
lot IIar it. ,,aif =
from office nor change of residence
nor a resignation, the charter is not
applicable. This. then, means that the
general law controls. And. under the
general law as above set out the
Mayors place is filled and his duties
discharged by the president of the
Board of Aldermen until another Mayor
is elected and qualified. or until his
liability to discharge his duties shall
cease"
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
GOES OUT OF OFFICE
With the Board of Aldermen to-day
will take Office also the Common Coun-
Gil, composed of Plummer G.. Bunting
and ]. NJ. Luke. whose terms expire on
September l, 1920. and G. f. Camp. DR.
J. c. Bodaw and j. w. Phillips. a3
pointed for terms expiring on Septem
ber /. 1918.
The swearing in of the Council and
Mayor will mark the death OF the Ad-
ministrative Board, which has been the
governing body under the emergency
act of February 2s Mayor Harrison
Continued on Third PageD