Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-02-12

frinclpally because OF this fact, thu
names OF Hale, Emery, Young, Sawyer,
Drinkwater, Davis and Redrnsn are found
mong those supporting the city idea.
Late In the fall OF 1868, an act was pre-
pared by the Hon. l.. A. Emery. then as
ISOLATED with Eugene Hale in Law, to in
corporate the town OF Ellsworth into q
city. When the legislative session ope ned
in January, 1859, the act was presented
On January 20 the act was reported
from the committee on the judiciary by
Representative Rust of Belfast, and or
dered printed. On Monday, February 1,
on motion OF Senator West OF franklin, a
lifelong friend of Eugene Hale, the bill
was taken from the table and upon mo-
ton of the same senator given q second
reading and passed to be engrossed. Four
days later 1t was passed to be enacted in
the House, and the next day, February 8,
II was given passage in the Senate, and
Ellsworth was incorporated.
The first section of the act is as follows
j.. The inhabitants of the town of Ellsworth
in the county of Hancock, shall continue to
be body polite and corporate by the name
OF the City of Ellsworth, and as such shall
have. exercise and enjoy all the rights, i'm
munities, powers, privileges and franchise
and be subject TO all the duties and obliga-
to1s now appertainiug TO, or incumbent
upon, She Inhabitants or selectmen thereof
The municipal affairs were vested in a
mayor, a board of aldermen, consisting of
five, one from each ward, and council of
three councillors from each ward. Au-
thority was given and limited for borrow
ing money. The duties and functions of
the officers were defined. The mayors
salary was $50 year, while The aldermen
and councillors were to receive nothing.
The office OF the city marshal was created
and defined. Receipts and expenditures
OF money, custody and management of
city property, the different reports, the
assessors, their duties, powers and liza bill
ties, the collection of taxes upon assess
ment, the laying out and care of the city
streets, the redress OF grievances, the
matter OF sidewalks, the creation and en-
forcement OF ordinances. the tablish-
ment OF municipal court, the creation
OF wards and ward officers, the city clerk
and his functions, the manner of elections
tenure of office, the establishment OF the
city government-all these matters we're
provided for in the act creating Ellsworth
a city.
Steps we're then taken for carrying out
the plans laid down in this act. The
selectmen at a meeting on the 18th of
February, 1869, called for special meet
ing to accept or reject the act OF the Legis
lature Incorporating Ellsworth city.
4 he order was voted:
ITO e. Fl. Greedy, constable OF the Town
OF Ellsw orth, Greeting:
You are hereby required, in the name of
the state OF Maine, to notify and warn. the
Inhabitants Of said town of Ellsworth,
qualified to vote in town affairs to assemble
at Lords ball so called In said town
Saturday, the 27th day OF February, inst at
ten O'Clock in the forenoon, then aud there
to act upon the following articles, to wit:
LIST. To choose a moderator to preside at
said meeting.
End. To see IL the town will vote to &C.
cept the act to incorporate the town of
into city, as passed by tn present
legislature of this State. Said inhabitants
are to vote by written ballot, those in favor
of accepting said act having on the ballot
the word yes and those opposed, on the
ballot, the word mo"
3rd. Providing said act is accepted by
said town, to choose a committee to district
said town into wards agreeable to said act
OF Incorporation"
Given under our hands this 18th day of
February, 1859
NATHAN WALKER,
HAMILTON JOY.
ISAAC I. MURCH,
Selectmen.
On the 9th special meeting was held,
at which the voters of Ellsworth were to
give expression upon the proposition.
Although there were / 400 voters in Ellis
worth at the ii ne, very small vote was
cast. L. j. Grant was chosen moderator.
Two hundred and seventeen votes were
cast on the act of incorporation, 212 Eyes"
and five mo" The light vote was at
tributed to snow blockade and to the
fact that, as the meeting began to as
sem BILE, Lords hall, in which the meet
ing was held, began to give way and all
those who had not voted, voted not to
vote. The committee on districting the
town into wards was made up OF Jesse
Dutton, John ID. Hopkins, Nathan Wal
ker, Arno Wiswell and Isaac Murch.
The first caucus was held on March 6.
This was the republican caucus, with
Capt. Jesse Dutton as chairman and 2.
w. Perry, clerk. James F. Davis re-
ceived 1lS votes, n. A. Joy 81, and j, L.
nominated Erastus Redman. The contest
for the nomination OF police court judge
was much keener in each instance than
the contests for mayor.
The election occurred on the Sth Of
March. In surprising contrast to the old
town meeting, the iostling OF the crowd,
the noise, the hilarious acclaim for this or
that proposition had given way to quiet
and order. In this election James F. Davis
received 319 ballots and Mr.. Redman 1911.
A. f. Drinkwater was elected police judge
over William Somerby, 316 to 1877.
Upon the board OF aldermen were John
ID. Hopkins, J. L. Grant, Calvin +. Jordan,
Philander r. Austin and Jesse button.
First council was composed of L. A. Emery,
James H. Hopkins, George H. Brown,
Lafayette Davis, Ersstus HartshorD,
George Cunningham, James F. Hooper,
and Sylvester LORD.
The Indebtedness OF the city of Els
worth at that time, including the build
ing of Hancock hall, amounted to $1,000.
At the first meeting of the city govern
ment, which was held on the fifth day OF
April, the meeting was opened with
prayer by DIR. SewalI Tenney OF the Con-
gregational church. Justice A. f. DRINK
water administered the oath of office to
the mayor-elect. John Fl. Brimmer was
chosen and became the first city clerk,
William 0. Mcdonald, city treasurer.
Jesse Dutton, street commissioner, 5.
K. Whiting, chief engineer fire depart
ment, A. B. Squirting, city marshal, j. I.
Osgood, sealer OF weights and measures
aud inspector OF coal and oil. DR.. Tenney,
A. L. Drinkwater and l.. A. Emery were
superinteHding school committee; Calvin
ID Jordan 1ohn M Hale and Il, III. Stock