Evening star., 1949-05-08

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q recognition that voteless WASH
ington should be represented In
its civic affairs by leaders OF both
major political parties.
Down through the years. Re-
publican Presidents have named
Democrats to the post and vice
versa.
Three Nonpartisan
The political score card shows
16 Democrats and IA Republicans
and three listed as nonpartisan In
District commissionerships, since
congress set up the present form
of city government by the Act OF
June II. 1878.
But Mr.. Young is not the first
man to be nominated for fourth
term, however. for John Wesley
Ross. a Democrat, also shares that
honor. Mr.. Ross served = from
October /. 1890 to July %, 1902
Colorfal characters have occu-
pied the Commissioners chairs
dating from the first chairman OF
the board, the Civil War naval
hero, Seth Ledyard Phelps. down
through the years. Congress pro-
vided that the existing municipal
setup be composed of two civilians
named by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate and an Of
ficer of the Army's Corps Of Engi-
neers detailed to the commission
ership by the Chief Executive.
The Army officers who have
aided in guiding the government
are deemed nonpolitical. But
civilian and military city heads
alike, politics have swirled about
their heads in this city, where
politics has become a major busi-
ness.
Under these men the city
sprouted from q provincial town
to q world metropolis. Water
lines, sewers, streets. police and
fire departments and other mu-
nicipal facilities expanded, par
ticularly in latter years.
A list of Boards Of Commission
ers since 1878, with the political
complexion Of the civilians occu-
pying the posts is found in q 1905
House District Committee docu-
ment, prepared by the late VIII
liam Tindall, who was secretary
of the Board of Commissioners
from July /. 1878 for a good many
years. It is as follows:
Phelps Was First
First Board - Seth Ledyard
Phelps, nonpartisan president;
Josiah Dent, Democrat; Mai. Will
liam johnson Twining. July l,
1878 to November 20, 1879.
Second Board-Mr. Dent, Demo-
crat, president: Thomas Phillips
Morgan, Republican; Maj. Twin
ing. November 20. 1879 to May
3. 1882. CMaj. Twining died May
S. 1882.
Third Board-Mr. Dent, Demo-
crat, president; Mr.. Morgan, Re-
publican: Maj. Garret j. Lydecker.
May 18, 1882 to July II. 1882. No
reelection Of president Of board.
Fourth Board-Joseph Rodman
West, Republican. president; MIR.
Morgan. Republican; Maj. Ly-
decker. July II, 1882 to March 8,
1888.
Fifth Board-Mr. West, Repub-
lican, president to March 20. 1883;
James Barker Edmonds. Demo-
crat, Mai. Lydecker: MIR. Edmonds,
president from March 20, 1883; Mr.
West, Republican; Maj. LydeckerD
March 8, 1883 to July "a. 1885. No
reelection Of president Of board
Sixth Board-Mr. Edmonds,
Democrat, president william Ben
ming Webb, Republican; Maj. Ly-
decker. July "a, 1885 to April /,
1886.
Seventh Board-Mr. Webb. Re-
publican, president; Samuel Ed
win Wheatley. Democrat; Col. VIII
liam Ludlow. April l, 1886 to
January 27. 1888.
Douglass Repeated
Eighth Board-Mr. Webb. Re-
publican, president: Samuel Edwin
Wheatley, Democrat; Maj. Charles
Walker Raymond. January ~,
1888 to May 81. 1889. No re-elec-
ton of president of board.
Ninth Board-John Watkinson
Douglass, Republican. president;
Lemon Galpin Hine, Democrat:
Maj. Raymond. May 81, 1889 to
February IA, 1890.
Tenth Board-Mr. Douglass, Re-
publican, president: Mr.. Hine.
Democrat: 1t. Col. Henry Martyr
Robert. February IA, 1890 to Oc-
tober /. 1890.
Eleventh Board-Mr. Douglass,
Republican, president; John Wes-
ley Ross, Democrat; 1t. Col. Rob-
ert. October /, 1890 to October
Is, 1891. No reelection of presi-
dent Of board.
Twelfth Board-Mr. Douglass,
Republican. president; MFR. Ross,
Democrat; Capt. William Trent
Rossell. October is. 1891 to March
/. 1893.
Thirteenth Board-Mr. Ross.
Democrat. president; Myron Mel
vile Parker, Republican; Capt.
RosseH. March /, 1898 to May 8,
1898.
Fourteenth Board-Mr. Ross,
Democrat, president: Mr.. Parker.
Republican; Capt. Charles Fran
els Powell. May 8. 1893 to March
10. 1894. No reelection of presi-
dent of board.
Fifteenth Board-Mr. Ross,
Democrat. president; George
Truesdell. Republican: Capt. Pow
ell. March 10. 1894 to March q.
1897.
Sixteenth Board-Mr. Ross,
Democrat. president: Mr.. Trues-
dell. Republican: Capt. william
Murray Black. March 2. 1897 to
May 8. 1897. No reelection Of
president of hoard