Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-03
H. F. OWES ELECTED
CITY TREASURER
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! seconded it. MIR. Gorgas then offered
the name of Mr.. Royal
! Before this question is put to
Vote" said he. 4 should like TO make
| a few remarks, and the best way 10
get the matter properly before this
| body / suppose would be to move to
strike out the name of owes and sub
| Stltute the name of someone else.
! My suggestion may not be seconded;
| | merely ask councils indulgence"
/ Proceed said the city's new
executive.
! MIR. Gorgas then said he believed
the city treasurer should be man
of experience and one who has the
confidence of the people.
| Il have in mind" said he. one
/ who | believe would he willing TO
| agree to accept the salary of $4,000
as provided by council instead of the
/ fees from collections. Just how much
the position is worth by the collection
| system | do not know but | should
say roughly it is between $4,000 and
$4,000. The right of council to adopt
the salary system instead of the fee
system has been tested in the courts
of Pittsburgh and elsewhere, | under
stand. and it has been decided that
the salary provision cannot stand.
/. However l believe that if council
| Ielected man with the understanding
! that he would accept the salary and
! turn in the fees from collections, the
/ city would save the difference. And
! there are some men who are honor
/ able enough to hold TO that agree
ment. | have such a man in mind
one who has been a city treasurer,
one who has served the public long
and faithfully present the name of
John X. Royal
Commissioner Bowman was inn
mediately on his feet:
In response to the remarks of my
! friend. Mr.. Gorgas,' said he. Il only
wish TO say that | think Mr.. owes will
serve the city as faithfully as any one
who has ever before filled that office
/ or who ever will in the future
No Second For Royal
! Mr.. Royals nomination was not
! seconded. Then +. Il. Gross the new
! commissioner of parks made his
maiden speech.
With the idea in mind that the
! plan as suggested by Mr.. GorGas could
! be followed | had about decided to
! vote for the candidate who would
1 promise to accept the salary and
turn over the fees to the city" said
/ he. Since coming here. however.
understand that this cannot be done
| legally There my opinion in the
matter cannot hold. The wind is out
of my sails
Well" concluded Mr. Gorgas. "as
no one has seconded Mr.. Royals
nomination and as we are all re-
quired TO vote, l suppose l shall have
TO vote for Mr.. Owes
And when the roll was called every
councilman voted for Mr.. owes.
| Brief Ceremonies
The ceremony incident to the in
auguration of the new council was
! brief. The Council Chamber was very
! fragrant with roses and lilies. on Mr..
| Bowman desk was an immense bas-
ket OF roses from the water depart
ment employees and a bowl of pink
carnations from Harry {. Morton. a
/ former common councilman: on Mr.
Lynch'S desk was a great basket of
/ Richmond roses, the remembrance of
| the highway department; on Mayor
Meals desk were a great basket of
/ lilies and roses from the new execu-
tiVe's friends among the railroadmen
from the Railroad Boys the card
stated-and another basket OF roses
| from Mrs. A. NJ. Hamer. wife of the
new clerk to the mayor. Another
basket contained American Beauties
which was presented to council by
the city clerks office.
Mayor Takes Oath
/ The retiring mayor, John X. Royal.
called the new body to order at eX-
actly 1s.0S o'clock. City Clerk Charles
| \. Miller read the election certificates
after which the retiring executive ad-
ministeerd the oath to his successor,
| DR.. Meals. The assembled council
men and room full of spectators
/ stood while the oath was being admin
( istered. Then the other four coun-
/ cilmen, Messrs. Gorgas, Bowman,
! Lynch and Gross lined up in a row
before the mayors rostrum and re-
ceived the oath.
Did you men all file your expense
laccounts?' suddenly inquired the new
mayor. The candidates nodded.
The first legislation introduced was
a resolution from Mr.. Lynch which
authorized the adoption of the old
/ council rules. Mr.. Gorgas followed
with resolution apportioniEg the
offices as follows: W. l.. Gorgas, su-
perintendent of finance and accounts;
| Harry F. Bowman, superintendent of
public safety; William H. Lynch. su-
perintendent of streets and public inn
| lprovements: Z. z. Gross, superinten-
! dent of parks and public property;
Mayor Meals to he superintendent of
public affairs.
Following the election of Mr.. owes
as city treasurer, Dewitt A. Fry was
sworn in as city controller.
The Mayor got a quiet little bit of
fun out of the new city treasurer,
when he swore him in. Did you use
any money to bring about your cleo
ton? he grinned. Then he admins
tered practically the same oath as
was required for the councilmen. Mr..
! owes grinned back and said, No"
Mr.. Gorgas' bond as superintendent
of finance was approved. This calls
| for $4,000. George 4. Gorgas and
Milton II Plank are his sureties. MIR.
! owes bond called for $4,000. The
Fidelity and Deposit Company of
Maryland is his surety.
Messrs. owes and Fry Immediately
went over to the city treasurer and
began their inspection of the books.
Mr.. Owes took over from o. NJ. Cope
| lin, the retiring treasurer, $366. 6.602.15
as the city's balance. The clerks un-
/ der Mr.. Gorgas' direction worked all
day yesterday closing the accounts.
Mr.. owes said that he had no plans
| for the future conduct of the office
as vet except that he means to retain
| for the present at least James G.
Miles and Clarence E. Weber as
clerks, if they wish to stay.