The Alaska daily empire., 1917-04-12
CounCiImen Agree Stand Together Against
 Valentines
 CzariSm.
CHIEF HARDING STAYS
Chief of Police Notified To Continue in Office, and COunCilmen All Be-
 hind Him.

l small minority or the people of tn
 city" was the way member of tn
 City Council expressed the status o
 the differences between the Mayo
 and the CounciImen, which resulte,
 from the attempt of Mayor Elmer.
 Valentine to take personal charge 0
 affairs at the Council meeting las night.
 This statement was made follow
 ng an informal meeting of all si, | members of the Council, at which |
 vas decided that Mayor VaIentin, would be served with notice to cal "a special meeting of the Council fo Saturday and that in the meantim, Chief of Police w. s. Harding wouIt be recognized as the lawful holder O that office. Harding has been noti lied to continue to discharge the du ties of the office and to disregard he single-hand act of the Mayor in appointing E. J. Sitter chief O police. All members of the counc ises.
 The council will also probably re fuse to permit Mayor Valentine tc hold membership on committees. He had appointed himself chairman oi two of the important committees, and to membership on others Members of the council are advised that un der the law the Mayor has no pow CT to act on committees or to vote or otherwise participate in meetings of the council beyonr presiding and advising.
 The members of the city counci' have selected Judge John R. Vim and Judge H. H. Folsom to repre- sent them in the matter, and it is not at all certain that the matter will not be taken into the United States District Court.
 The law governing the election and .enure of employees of Alaska cities provides that they shall be elected oy the city council and hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. In the face of this statute the Mayor last night summarily an nounced that all the city officers and employees are out of their jobs, then he proceeded to reinstate some of the officers and to oust the chiei of police. Without consulting the Council he appointed E. J. Site, chief of police.
 Harmony Conspicuous For Absence
 Tt is my purpose to work in har- mony with you" was the message Mayor Valentine gave to the city and the councilmen last Friday night ir his annual message, but there was about as much harmony at the meet ing last night as there is supposed to be of water in the domains ot Pluto.
 utes of the meeting of last Friday had been read Mayor Valentine de clared all appointees or those elected to public office by former councils were out of jobs" then in the same breath declared that, as there had been no auditing committee. City Clerk and Magistrate Petit would continue. in office until such time IS there, has. been on O. K. on his accounts. Isaac Sowerby and II. k Shepard were appointed an auditing committee. They may choose third member,
 Three applicants for the position of City Clerk and Magistrate asked for the appointment They were E W. Petit, present encumbent; Johr Dudley and J. Montgomery Davis No selection was made and the may or said there would be none until af ter an auditing report has been re ceived.
 Vim & Gore and Judge II. Fl. Fol som. presented applications for City Attorney, but committee consisting of Councilmen King and Blomgrel was appointed to investigate and re port upon the need for one.
 There were no applicants for Cit. Physician, and Councilmen King ant Raymond were appointed to see i there was any necessity for such al officer
 B. L. Hines applied for the posi- ton of City Engineer. but the ap plication was laid over.
 Thomas Banbury was the only ap plicant for City Wharfinger, but thu appointment was not confirmed unti an auditing report has been received w. M Kesselring was unanimousl. chosen Street Foreman. He was tn only one applying for the position Frank F. Sargent was unanimousl. chosen Fire Truck Driver. There wa no opposition.
 James McKanna and Felix Ora, applied for appointment as Assessor and committee of Councilmel Blomgren and Raymond was name to probe into the qualifications o the applicants and the necessity fo such an officer.
 Revives Chief of Police At this stage of the session. May or Valentine arose and announces that in fairness to all, there were tw applicants for the position of chief Q