Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-04-10
CHARLES MURPHY
IS BIG WINNER
Feature of City Election is the
Majority that Druggist
Rolled Up.
TOTAL VOTE WAS 1883 TO 637
}. L. Chick. +. III. Glass. \. j. Archer
and T.. ". Creaser Are the
Commissioners.

The first city elction under the COM
mission form of city government
brought one of the biggest surprises
that city politics ever had, when
Charles r. Murphy piled up a major
ity of 546 votes over his opponent
Henry H. Soule. sweeping every pre-
cinct in the city with good leads
1t had been generally conceded that
the election between the two men
would be close, and that II would not
be decided until the final precinct was
IN. A surprise was given when the
vote of the first precinct to report on
mayor, the first precinct of the first
ward, gave Murphy a majority of
139 votes. This was followed "A few
minutes later by the report of SO
majority in the third ward. II then
simply became a question as to how
large the majority of Murphy would
climb, as these two precincts had Civ
en- him lead of over 200 votes over
Mr.. Soule.
The standing of the two men in the
community was of the highest, and
IT had been constantly conceded that
two stronger candidates could not
nave been put up for the Office
AS a result of his victory at the
polls Monday, c. r. Murphy becomes
the mayor of Alma for the next two
years, as under the new charter Alma
elects her city officials only once in
two years.
The race between John c. Chick,
Floyd H. Glass, Jasper w. Blakely
and Winfred f. Wilson for commits
sioners for the four year term, turned
out about as had been expected, ex-
cept that Chick and Glass were given
majorities larger than their staunch-
est Supporters had anticipated. The
vote given John c. Chick was the
largest polled by any of the candi-
dates, who had opposition at the polls.
That of Floyd II. Glass was a little
over two hundred less than that given
Mr.. Chick. but his vote was more
than double that of the third man.
For commissioners for the short
term Phillip W. Creaser's vote was
the most surprising. He led the short
votes, having a count of 1924 in the
entire city. Albert j. Archer showed
the strength that had been expected
and placed second and is also elected
commissioner. Ii had been expect
ed that j. NJ. Montigel and Creaser
would have a close fight, but the
strength that Mr.. Creaser pulled left
ka
Nelson Fullerton's best for the entire
city put him fourth in the short
termers with very little over one
third the vote polled by Creaser. He
had only 3S5 votes
William II. Rogers. who was a can
didate 10 succeed himself as Justice
of the peace. had no opposition and
was reelected There were few
scattering votes for other candidates
throughout the city
The candidates for supervisors in
the various wards had no opposition
and the vote for them was practically
a vote of confidence. j. f. Fuller
was reelected in the first ward with
6lS votes. Nick r. Saad in the sec
ond ward was given handsome vote
also. Alfred r. Smith, candidate for
the first time for supervisor in the
third ward polled all except one vote
in his ward, having 1872 majority.
Jacob ID. Helman. senior supervisor
of the city. was given very flatter-
ing vote in the fourth ward, another
indication of the very able service
which he has been rendering for
some years.
Alma's vote on the beer and wine
amendment was almost three to one
for the continuance of dry Michi-
gan. Every precinct returned a ma
jority of good proportions for the
drys. The vote in the city and coun-
~ was about three to one.
Alma also voted overwhelmingly
for the good roads amendment, every
precinct returning a large majority
for this measure. Alma's vote for
good roads was over three to one.
The county went strongly for good
roads also with a vote Of over three
to one for the amendment.
The salary amendment was defeat
ed by fairly good majority in Alma,
and was hit at just about the same
ratio throughout the county. The
vote in Alma was heavy against this
amendment and 1t was defeated in
the county.
Following are the results Of the
city election: