The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-20
The $500.
Retired Politician
MOraliZes


was raining, / casually strolled owe,
the building" reminiscently unused
the Retired Politician. "And YOU
can just bet, Pensacola has a pretty
municipal building. 1t is better ap-
preclated by those who know what
sort OF conditions housed the city
business in times gone by. While
there this afternoon l met my old
friends Jim Sweeney and Dan Muir.
ply. They are politicians OF. the old
school. l was told that another old
timer, John b. Jones, who | wanted
TO shake hands with, was not in at
the time. Say that is a great man
and Pensacola people hardly appre-
cate him. In times gone by, John
acquired the name of Honest John,
and ne fits the title right, for il
ever John Jones ever harmed a soul,
it is not known to his intimate
friends. 1t is young bunch in the
city building now, and | could not
heip engaging in a little compare
sons In my mind. There was sleek
and genteel Mr.. Heinberg, the city
clerk, whom | could not help COM
parlno to my lamented friend, Felix
Glackmeyer of the old days; there
was Willie Eggart, the comptroller,
whom | could not help comparing
with George T. Morgan, who created
the office of comptroller, then had
himself appointed and I believe. af-
terward elected to the office. George
was sort OF fixture in the office
until John Ward came along and was
induced to beat George, and I do not
know who was the most surprised
IL al ,4
John died in office, and l believe
George is in Tallahassee. Then Joe
Hicks was in the tax collectors Oh
flee. | pictured my old friend, Neils
Mex. Oerting, who held the job for
about fifteen years and who was
| beaten by John Cary Whiting, new
man in politics at that time. He re-
signed
"But about the city building: Many
years ago, before Pensacola began
to take on new life, and largely due
to my deceased friend, Bliss, the city
officials were crowded for quarters.
The city had building on the site
of the present police headquarters
It was two-story, brick affair. On
the ground floor was the city jail,
the office of the marshal, the turn
key and other attaches, and | believe
the street superintendent had an of
flee down there. Upstairs was where
the city's entire business was con-
Quoted. At one end of the building
were the clerks and the tax collect
or's office, They occupied the same
room. On the other or the western
end was an office occupied by the
mayor, the comptroller, and the city
health officer. It was there that
Captain Hays, long since deceased,
Of to-
casnrnigns. In the space between
these two offices was a court room
where in the morning the mayor
would hold city court; in the after
noon the boards of safety or the
board of public works, would hold
forth, and at night, about once a
week, the city council would meet. |
tell you it was crowded "headauar-
ters." and / can put my hand now
on Pensacolians who will recall some
Of these things. Meetings of the
council in those days were signals
for scraps. There were a dozen men
the redoubtable Muldon, who is vet
in this city. There were Jim Me
Hugh. John Christie, Frank Reilly,
Bill Durham, William Hays, John
Broughton, William Keyser, L. Hill
ton Green, Will Meyer, j. ~ An
drews, Oscar Maura, John Welsh. w
B. Wright, Henry Bars and good
man. others whom I could name. All
these did not serve of course in the
same term, but they are among the
city's past lawmakers. And a meet
ing of the council was an event.
Hilliard. Jones, Welles, Northup,
Reilly, Bliss were mayors as I recall
them in the order named. and / be- |
: ha1 10 of
all. Bliss was a man who carried his |
point if possible, and if he could not |
larry It in the council it was not in |
frequent for him to do so through |
the newspapers, for he was voluble |
contributor to the papers. Factions /
were prominent, and ALWAYS bobbed |
up in some way, especially around
about city election time. But it was
fun, and | enjoyed it very much. In |
the lot below, and on the Main street /
side, the mules of the board of pub
lie works were kept, and during an /
heated debate one night !.
when Bliss as mayor was champion
ing a cause. and was opposed by /
Muldon. both speaking heatedly in /
the stuffy room, proceedings were
rudely disturbed when one of the old |
Mauds down in the lot below APP +
peared as if she wanted to be heard |
in the debate also, for she let out
one hee-haw after the other, which
turned an otherwise serious discus
sion into something different Yes.
the mules were kept in the lot, and
even the patrol wagon occupied
corner of the lot where now is occu-
pied by the newer police station.
Scbad was marshal then, and, accom-
modating as he is, he is the one who
induced Maud to cease until the
aforesaid debate ended by ordering
old man Henry Coburger, the patrol
driver. and John Burns. the street
70 rrnrrido oarlr-