Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1917-05-04
Roy c. Sargent's First Ses-
sion AS Mayer Marked
By Clash With Council
PHILLIPS MAKES SPEECH
Former Mayor Recommends
That City Pay $500 By
Popular Subscription

| Roy c. Sargent tasted his first de-
| feat as mayor of Aberdeen at the first
session of the council over which he
presided Wednesday night when the
council refused to confirm his appoint
! ment of T. M. Quinn, of Hoquiam, as
chief of police of this city.
Mayor Sargent said he was greatly
disappointed at the action of the coun-
Gil. He claimed he was acting in the
best interests of Aberdeen as he saw
them and that most of the councilmen
had promised him they would confirm
his appointments.
Il asked each of you gentlemen"
said Sargent, with two exceptions,
privately, what action you would take
in regard to my appointments and
each of you, whom l asked, declared
you would confirm my appointment
to the office of chief of police. The
one man, resident of this city, to
whom | offered the place, declined
it. l named Mr.. Quinn with no
thought of vote getting; with no
thought save the best interests of
the city. feel deeply humiliated
over your refusal to confirm the ap-
pointment now, and l feel l am en-
titled to be given your reasons"
Councilman Pista said he would not
vote for an out-of-town man. Council
men Weiland and Mcknight gave
practically the same reasons for voting
against Quinn, but. Mcknight claimed
he might not have voted for the
mayors choice even if Quinn lived in
Aberdeen. Weiland said the county
electorate had turned down Quinn for
sheriff and he did not see any reason
for the city of Aberdeen accepting him.
The vote stood Pista, Weiland, Fra
ser, Mcknight, McMaster, Moore,
Strommer and Grant against, and
Bowes, Empey. Egerer and Walker
for Quinn. The mayor expressed his
chagrin at the action of the council.
All of his appointments of other Of.
ficials were confirmed. He did not
| make any changes in the personnel of
offices held under the regime of former
Mayor Phillips. L. D. Kelsey, city en-
gineer; A. E. Cross, city attorney;
| Geo. Bowen, water superintendent: w.
H. Tamblyn, fire chief; and DR.. ]. B.
Kline, health officer, will retain their
positions. No appointment was made
to replace M. J. Lowry, street COM
missioner.
Ex-Mayor j. M. Phillips thanked the
city officials and councilmen for their
cooperation during his two years of
office. He said it was a pleasure to
act for the city but he thought the
mayors salary should be increased to
$500 and be raised by popular sub.
scription. He expressed regret at the
failure of the occupation tax to pass
during his tenure of office as he said
he thought this a fair way to raise
necessary funds
| Mayor Sargent, in taking office
touched upon the problem presented
by the city's depleted treasury and
debt of $1S0,OOO; advised buying
power for street lights through
meters and, if possible, installing a
municipal lighting system operated
by the overflow of the Fairview res
ervor when the Wishkah system is
installed; expressed entire satsfac
ton with the progress of work on
the Wishkah water system; found
fault with the sanitary conditions OF
the city; declared his intention OF
continuing the former mayors policy
against illicit liquor traffic, and ad
vised that, some time before the next
legislature, census of the city be
taken with the view of finding il
Aberdeen is not first class city with
power to write it's own charter.
Protests were made by H. H. Grif
fin, local agent for the Northern Pa
NillC dlll u. l. lhSh, hOA ehS
Aberdeen Realty syndicate, against
graveling Front street in South Aber
deem, provided for in an ordinance
passed last week. The matter was
laid over a week.
On a request from the Grays Har
Dor Motor Ship corporation for 6
right of way to it's plant between the
Western mill and Gays Harbor Ship
building company's yard, it was giver
the right to lay plank street con
Meeting with Heron, under supervision
of the city engineer.
The report Of Chief of Police R. ]
Schmidt showed 60 arrests, 40 being
for drunkenness, in April; four giver