A Heartfelt Farewell to a Departing Official
Employees of the county treasurer's office threw an unannounced celebration for their outgoing chief, Byron Phelps, who was recently elected mayor.
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.
Mr. Byron Phelps, retiring county treasurer and mayor-elect, received a happy surprise Friday evening at the hands of employees of the county treasurer's office and a number of friends. Mr. Phelps was about to leave his house for his office at 7:30 o'clock in the evening to close up the day's work when the party arrived. After being welcomed, Mr. Amos Brown, acting as spokesman, told Mr. Phelps of the regret of all who had served with him at severing the daily intimacy, while expressing delight at the honor bestowed upon him by his election as mayor. As a token of esteem, an elegant leather-upholstered easy chair was presented. Mr. Phelps was so surprised that his emotions nearly overcame him, but he earnestly thanked his friends, reminding them that any credit for the office's administration was due as much to those who served with him as to his individual efforts. A mandolin orchestra provided music for the evening of conversation and singing.
“Mr. Phelps' surprise was so great that his emotions nearly overcame him, but he earnestly thanked his friends.”
Byron Phelps served as the 17th Mayor of Seattle, and this scene highlights the personal, often intimate nature of local governance in the 1890s before the professionalization of the modern civil service. Such public displays of affection for departing city officials are rare today, reflecting a different era of civic culture.
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