Seattle Aldermen Kill Scurry's Confirmation in a Jiffy
A raucous 1895 council session turns into a fight over public works, unemployment relief, and a telephone monopoly.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Interest in the meeting of the city council last night centered on the confirmation of John G. Scurry to succeed Andrew Jackson as a member of the board of public works. It was evident that something was in the air, for in the face of the usual custom allowing final action to go over one week, the confirmation was picked up and killed in less than a jiffy. Alderman Compton said it was an unheard-of proceeding and was excused from voting, while Daulton said he was totally unprepared for such sudden action.
When the board of aldermen met, Sweeney was elected president to fill Miller's position, the latter being acting mayor through Mr. Phelps's absence from the city. Jordan spoke in favor of taking up Scurry's confirmation, saying that Jackson was serving without bonds and the matter should be settled. The rule to put off confirmations was one of the board's own making and could be undone at any time. His motion to take the matter from the table prevailed, and a ballot on Scurry's confirmation was taken, resulting as follows: Ayes, Daulton and Sweeney; nays, Brewer, Anderson, Lovejoy, Clise and Jordan. Compton was excused from voting after a statement that he saw no reason why there should be a vote on the confirmation when all other appointments had gone over a week.
Jordan then called for the report of the committee on the Industrial Co-operative Association petition. Compton said Jordan was the chairman but had called no meeting. Rev. D. C. Garrett spoke in favor of the petition. After a spirited discussion it was decided to have a meeting next Thursday morning, at which representatives of all societies seeking aid may be heard. A fierce fight was made on the efforts of the Union Trunk Line to refrain from operating its cars on the south end of the Beacon Hill line.
The house of delegates deferred action on a petition introduced by Crighton asking the state legislature to abolish the police court. The telephone ordinance was killed on a committee report.
“It was evident that something was in the air, for in the face of the usual custom allowing final action to go over one week, the confirmation was picked up and killed in less than a jiffy.”
In 1895 Seattle's council fought over a public-works appointment, unemployment relief, and a telephone franchise in a single night—a reminder that city hall has always been where the era's biggest fights over jobs and monopolies land. The language of "unemployed" and "franchise" could be transplanted into a modern council chamber almost unchanged.
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