Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-14

Waterville Mar. 10 jSpeciaD -
! Col. Frederic +. Boothby was inaus-
! urated as mayor of Waterviiie at City
hall Monday with appropriate ceremo-
MES, ano the new city government. in
augurated with him, at once busted it
self in taking up the work of the COM
ing year.
All the subordinate officers. with the
exception Of tie police department.
We're chosen without a contest. the
minority having decided not 10 delay
matters by nominating their candi-
dates for the various positions. The
police appointments will come UP Satur-
day evening at IN adjourned meeting
Of the mayor and aldermen. The only
formal vote taken was for member Of
the board of trustees of the kennebec
/ Water District. L. Eugene Thayer be-
ing defeated for reelection by George
L. Learned. ) to ., Of the municipal Of
fcers In each other case, the ballo:
was cast by the clerk. or by the mayor,
by unanimous consent.
The manner in which Mayor Booth
by presided over the deliberations was
surprise even to those who were ia
officer and parliamentaran. Under his
guiding hand the business was trans
acted so eNpedi,iously that the joint
bodies were in session only hour and
20 minutes. A whole day is frequently
given up to the session and sometimes
an evening adjournment is necessary.
Mayor Boothby's inaugural address
was modest but we'll framed docu-
ment. Wcich was heartily applauded at
its. conclusion.
The boards We're called to order at
1910.
Mayor Bartlett appointed Aldermen
SpauiGing and Daviau committee on
credentials. The committee reported
; the names Of the seven aldermen pres
ent, and the report was accepted
Alderman Spauldins and Councilman
Stewart were appointed a committee
to escort the mavor-elect to his p,ace
; ihe invocation was delivered bv Rev.
Frank H. Phalen.
The mayor. aldermen and council
men We're sworn by the city clerk.
Dexter H. Spauldins was chosen
chairman of the board of aldermen
and Fred II. Rose. chairman and Guy
Perry, secretary, of the common conn
Gil.
Inaugural Address
Mayor Eoothby then delivered his
inaugural address
Gentlemen OF the City Council.
We are gathered here TODAY 10 take
/ up the reins of government to which
we nave been elected as per provis-
..f
4"Hs Oh our charter. In other cities
where inaugural services are being
heid no doubt the incoming MAYOR is
lmpressing upon his audience the fact
that the last valuation was at a GER
tam figure and that the bonded debt
cannot exceed five per cent. of the
same. and therefore the utmost econ
o!ny must be practiced in order that
the tax levy shail not exceed a certain
rate.
In this city. in this respect. we are
spared detail of these things because
the Annual City Report just issued.
and quoted from so generously nv bo,b
political parties in the late campaign
gives all the information necessary
without repetition here. But for all
OF that we are elected to see that the
aHairs or the city are as economically
administered as consistent with the
public good.
AS to the bonded debt. / have no
doubt it is as low as it possibly could
be considering what had to be dore TO
hahiliment us a city and of very many
things accomplished we may we'll be
proud
We are told Watervilie was incorpor-
ated town in see and less than 60
years thereafter my father moved his
family here and | can we'll remember
now that, boy-like. in driving up Sill
Yer street ! thought I had never seen
such beautiful elms or better look
ing street. and strange to say. these
Impressions lineer with me still. NOT IN
mention other streets with which
soon became acquainted. Without look
ing up the census it occurs to me that
the population of the town at that
time, which included what is now Oak
iand was something less than 1000 and
literally the grass was growing in Main
street from Silver street down to the
bridge. Like all young men, dav
dreams were INDUCED in and | recall
that three Of us boys used to get to-
gether. dream of riches. coming hack
and retaining the plains, erecting
thereon embellishments sloping down to
the rivers edge and everything Of
which fancy could conceive. Alas two
OF the boys are dead and the other
stands before you now.
have. thought it proper to see what
the Chamber of Commerce, an adjunct
to every city's affairs and next to the
City Council in influence. would say as
to Waterviile. 1t says as we we'll
know. it is located on the west bank Of
the kennebec river. (and how l wish 1t
had the east bank from the Ticonic
bridge to the Benton line if no more).
and is the centre of the busiest section
OF the State. 1t has population Of
something like 10000. It's percentage
Of increase in population in the last
decade was greater than that of any.
Maine city and it is growing in a very
healthy manner. 1t possesses (as we
all know unusual advantages for the
location of factories and kindred bus
mess propositions.