The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-16
New York's First Mayor.


OF the six men who have been
elected TO the Office of Mayor of the
present city Of New York two only
survive-Major MCCLELLAN and May
or HYLAN. ROBERT A. VAN WICK,
who occupied the City Hall from Jan
uary, 1893, until January, 1902, Is
dead In Paris, where he went soon
after he was defeated In 1901 as
candidate for the Supreme Court.
His rejection at that election, which
brought Low to the Mayors office,
was the personal condemnation Wis
tied on him by the electorate. The
organization he had served was
Ousted from power In the city, and
RICHARD CROKER, It's boss, quit in de-
feat, to live in Ireland, visiting this
country only occasionally. An aut0c-
racy not less brutal than the Prus-
sian was smashed at the polls and
Its leaders driven from power.
The opportunity consolidation Of
fered to Mayor VAN WICK was I'M
usual. A man OF different mould
would have made an enduring name
for himself through statesmanlike
handling OF the problems that pre-
sented themselves to the Mayor and
the Board of Estimate. The charter
was an experiment. but It's awkward
provisions might have been twisted
TO good service. The city had then
Il bi-cameral legislature, consisting of
Council and Board OF Aldermen, BIZ
partisan Police Commission made up
Of four men, and q Board of Public
improvements to which broad powers
were intrusted. The men appointed as
commissioners by the Mayor were re-
movable at his pleasure for six months /;
the original Police Commissioners
were Tom HAMILTON, Of the late
FREDERICK 8. GIBBs's following, and
w. L. PHILIPS of Brooklyn. Repub-
licans, and Il. ]. YORK of Brooklyn
and JOHN r. SEXTON. Democrats. All
HAMILTON and PHILLIPS were removed
by Mayor VAN WICK because their
partisanship did not match his. He
named JACOB HISS and II. f. ABEL
to succeed them. Then came the days
Of DEvERY, "the best Chief of Police
New York ever had" In the Mayors
judgment, the abolition Of the bi-par-
tlsan board by the Legislature, and
the Institution Of the single headed
commission we now have. FRED GIBBS
never forgave Mayor VAN WICK for
his treatment of HAMILTON whatever
possibility Of Tammany cooperation
with the city Republicans there had
been persisted.
To get DEvERY out OF power was
the object Of the Republicans, and the
Police Commissioner was made re-
movable by the Governor, as he now
Is, and ineligible TO reappointment.
Had DEvERY been appointed Commits
sioner the Governor would have re-
moved him, but Tammany found "A
way to keep him in authority at head
quarters. Colonel MIKE MURPHY was
transferred from the presidency of
the Health Department to the commits
sionership of police he named DEv-
cry as his First Deputy, and In that
capacity DEvERY ruled the force until
SETH Low came into power and Gov
ernor ODELL released Colonel PART
RIDGE from the State Department of
Public Works to take the Job.
1.-The people do not vote to put a
man into office any more" said Mayor
VAN WICK in the gloomy days Of
his canvass for the Supreme Court ;
"they vote to keep somebody out of
office" They voted to restore VAN
/ WICK to private life, with the title
/ iceman indellbly imprinted on his rec
ord, and he quit the country for
Paris. So far as the city that had
done him honor and then rebuked
him as few men have been rebuked
was concerned, he ceased to exist on
January 1. 1902.
His successor, Mayor Low, was
beaten for reelection. but held in
honor by his fellow townsmen; NC
/ CLELLAN was elected twice, and now
wears the uniform of the United
States Army; GAYNog died In Office
mitchell, rejected at the polls when
he ran for second term. was killed
doing his part for his country, and
y