The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-06
OFF FOR ENGLAND STORY OF Topeka
Dr. Chas NJ Sheldon Leaves Historical Collection Main Cor
Topeka Next Week City Hail.
Enter Prohibition Campaign in Framed Photograph OF Every
British Isles. Mayor From 1S5o-1SI1'
ONE OF TWO BATTLE CRY OF ALL CAPAlGN
He Has Collected Data Show All Mayors Capital City
ing Kansas Plan. Was Incorporated.
England Is Alarmed Over Preachers and MiliOnares
WOmens Liquor Habit Have Occupied "the Chair"
Historical Collection Main Cor
ridor City Hall.
Framed Photograph of Every
Mayor From 1S58-1917.
BATTLE CRY OF ALL CAMPAIGNS
All Mayors Since Capital City
Was Incorporated.
Preachers and MiIIiOnaires
Have Occupied ''the Chair"

The main corridor of the third floor
of the city building will be a gallery,
a picture of Topeka represented by
faces of the mayors from the time
that the city was invented" up to the
time when Mayor House started on
his mayoralty career.
It is nearly sacred to the commits
sioners, clerks, workers and even to
Rufus, the janitor. 1t is 'twice-told
tales" to nearly every one of the per-
sons interested in city affairs. 1t re-
peats battle cries of former mayor
alty campaigns, tragedies, comedies
and then the real business that was
| transacted in years before.
Starting at the south end OF the
east wall they run to the north in or
der of the mayors terms. Then on
the north wall, and continuing south
along the west wall, the mayor his
tory of the city is completed.
First comes Loring Farnsworth, the
first mayor of Topeka, when the town
was truly of ''mono-equis" dimensions.
He was elected for the term from
1853 to 1859. He was the first mayor
after the incorporation of the city of
Topeka, in the state OF Kansas.
Col. Cyrus K. Holiday. second
navor of the city, steps to the front.
He was the first mayor of the city to
hold a military title. His popularity
hazy even in the minds of Topeka )
oldest, is proved by the records that
show his reelection to the office in
1887 and again in so. He was a
"third termer'' who really pleased the
public.
taken bv Hiram Farnsworth, cousin
to Loring Farnsworth, the first mayor
He served one term from 90 TO 81.
Then comes Harris F. Otis, 81 and
's2, who was followed by ]. F. Cum
mings. Samuel Fletcher and Major W..
w. Ross, each serving one year
CYRUS K Holiday, second mayor OF
the citv. was again elected in 81 and
came out for another term in So. he
was defeated in the mayoralty cam
Daipn bv Orrin T. WEIGH, in 1858,
and then in the next election came
back and was reelected for the third
term against WEIGH, who had defeated
him but one year ago.
A Minister in Chair.
A minister then came to the mayors
chair in 10 and III, the Rev. j. b.
McAfee Following McAfee's term as
mayor came another comeback" race
in which Orrin T. WEIGH, who had de-
feated Holiday, was reelected Tor
second term, and was reelected again
and again, serving from II to IA.
Major Henry Bartling, second military
officer to hold the office, was elected
in IA to succeed WEIGH.
Then came a shift in the term OF
office for mayor to two years, which
it is remembered brought out one OF
the battles in the early political his
tory of the city. Maj. Thomas Ander-
son was elected as the first official
to serve under the new ruling, serving
from '73 to rs. and was reelected
for a second term ending TT.
NJ. H. Case, Joseph c. Wilson and
Bradford Miller came next, according
to this photograph history of the city,
each serving one term. Then history
takes on nearly a modern aspect,
when Roswell Cofran was elected to
the first term of his remarka BILE
career. Cofran served from IS to 81,
was defeated by Judge D. G. Metsker
for the term of 'S7 and 80, but he too
came back" for another term the fol-
lowing year. Then was reelected for
a third term in 81. In the most re-
markable manner, Cofran retired
from the MAJORITY and city political
light only to step out again in 1913,
nearly thirty years later and succeed
ed in a reelection to the chair. His
reelection gave him a fourth term to
the office. According to this history
| he is the only mayor of the city that
has succeeded in serving more than
the third term. The last term, how
0
city government. 1t was the second
term of mayor since the city was put
under the commission form of govern
ment.
When Millionaire Was There.
Following the third term of Mayor
COfran, DR.. d. c. Jones' took the Of
flee over for a single year, being sue
ceeded by Col. T. w. Harrison for the
remainder of the term. Charles A.
! Fellows, now millionaire, came to the
| mayors chair next and was followed
by Charles J. Drew and Albert Parker,
| both of whom served one term.
| In 1903 w. S. Bergundthal came to
office for one term and was succeeded
| by w. H. Davis. Then starts the his
tory of the fight for commission form
of government when William Green
was elected to the office in 1907. He
was reelected in 1909 and the final
/ steps for the new form of government
We're taken. Green stated that he
4 would resign from the office of mayor
! when the city commission form was
/ adopted; thus giving the people an
! other chance for a mayoralty cam
! ttics waxed hot and ]. B. Billiard won
| the race, serving the first term under
/ the commission form.
Cofran in 1913 rose from the quiet
| OF private life and was elected to his
famous fourth term as mayor.
Then comes the present admins
tration. modern history for true. May
! or House was elected in 1915 and
/ again elected to the office in 1917. His
picture, as yet, has not been placed or
the wall. and, according to the mayor
will not be placed there until he is DO
| litically dead"