The Mayor's Chair Is No Bed of Roses

Mayor Horr, Councilmen Murphy, Marr, McBratney and Percival, with Assessor C. M. Moore and Health Officer Dr. Riley, presented their resignations at the meeting of the city council last evening in order to avoid any question as to the legality of the recent municipal election, because of the printing of the ballots. Their successors, those chosen at the municipal election, were inducted into office and took their seats in the councilmanic arena. Because of this event the council chamber was crowded, so that at one time it was impossible to gain admittance. The new officers were clad in their high day and holiday attire and looked as slick and clean as bright new pins.

Councilmen Marr and Sickels were absent, the latter being still ill. Mr. Marr's resignation was presented first, and his successor, T. H. Phipps, was sworn in. This was followed by the resignations of Councilmen McBratney, Percival and Murphy. Mr. Percival made brief remarks before retiring, with pointed reference to the recent report of the city engineer. He did not know why the report should have been submitted, or what its object was, but he felt sorely hurt, and considered it unkind and unjust that certain allusions should be made to the matter of sewerage, the laying of which Mr. Percival had personally superintended. He concluded with a compliment for City Clerk Arthur Callow and Street Commissioner Messegee. Mr. McBratney, who retired as councilman of the second ward, was sworn in as representative of the city at large.

Councilman Murphy, before presenting his resignation, stated that he wished to extend his sincere thanks to the retiring as well as the remaining membership, and highly complimented his colleagues for the harmonious spirit which had prevailed during their labors together. He referred to the arduous and thankless labors of the office, for which he received only abuse at the hands of captious faultfinders. Concluding, he said:

'I would, therefore, warn my successors not to expect that they will find their incumbency a bed of roses without thorns. They will run against many snags. They will find that their best friends will at times turn against them. Happily, if at such times the glamor to which I have alluded obscures his vision to insults and slights.'

The remarks were greeted with ringing applause which continued until Mayor Horr rose for his turn.

He likewise thanked the councilmen for their support and co-operation and then confined the balance of his remarks to a smooth and oily denunciation of the newspapers, which he said had so freely ventilated him, warning them that they could not prosper under such management; and stated that whatever has been said of him, he knew that his acts had been inspired by an honest and upright motive.

'My successor is able, honest and upright,' he said, 'and I hope he will not receive worse criticism than I have.'

The retiring mayor's remarks were interrupted and concluded by applause, and the newly elected mayor, E. G. O'Brien, stepped forward to take the oath of office, Councilman Ward taking the chair temporarily.

Mayor O'Brien, before taking his seat, addressed the following remarks to the council and spectators:

'Gentlemen of the council: I am not unmindful of the duties and responsibilities surrounding the position with which you have honored me. Mr. Horr as well said that the mayor's chair is surrounded by laborious tasks and trying duties, and its occupant is the recipient of frequent compliments from disgruntled men.

'I could not help but endorse the remarks of Brother Murphy referring to public ingratitude, having worked along the same road and shoulder to shoulder with him in years past, and I realize that every word uttered by him was fraught with solid truth.

'The performance of the duties of a mayor or councilman is met with so little but complaints, that he needs strong support, much stronger than he often gets, from his fellow-citizens.

'The prayer of Mayor Horr found a hearty amen from me, when he hoped that my treatment would be just. But the world is the same today that it was long years ago. Today it is 'Long live the king!' Tomorrow, 'Down with the king!' It was my pleasure—for it was a pleasure—to have the performance of public duties deferred—it was my pleasure to be crucified one year ago on the cross of public sentiment. Today is my day of public resurrection.

'But I am fearful of the results of the coming year. It is impossible for a man to discharge public duties to the satisfaction of every one, and it is a matter of congratulation that one possesses an acquitting conscience. I shall be content if at the end of my term of office my conscience shall acquit me of faithlessness to public duty and bear me out in my endeavor to act for the best interests of the whole city.'

With the close of Mayor O'Brien's remarks by vigorous applause, the resignation of C. M. Moore as assessor, and Dr. Riley as health officer, followed. Dr. Wyman being sworn in as assessor to the latter. Mr. Whitham was not present.

Warrants were ordered drawn in payment of bills for printing, merchandise, coal, blacksmithing, telephone service and the Westside Mill Co. The finance committee returned several bills without recommendation. Dr. Warren Riley's bill for services as health officer for 1891, $360, was held because, although the office was provided by ordinance and its duties prescribed, the amount of compensation had not been fixed. The Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co. claim of $1,555 was only partly due, the remainder falling due February 3, 1892. T. C. Van Epps's bill of $27 for one-half the cost of a sidewalk in front of his property did not show conditions warranting city payment. I. Liberman's claims for work on Rogers, Jackson and Madison streets, amounting to $1,047.92, were at variance with the city engineer's estimates; after discussion he was allowed $521.42 for grading those streets, and his bill for $526.50 for rock work was referred to the judiciary committee. Dr. Riley's bill was laid over for adjustment by the incoming council.

The city attorney reported on the petition of A. H. Chambers for a reduction of assessments for grading the property of Mary A. Chambers, holding that the assessment should be only the actual cost of the work at the time. Resolutions fixing assessments for street improvements were adopted as follows: grading Union from Water to Eastside, $9,678.82; grading San Francisco from the water front to Tenth, in Sebree's addition, $2,667.05. Assessments were confirmed as follows: grading Central from Fourth to Pioneer, $9,287.06; grading Fifteenth from Main to Adams, $579.98; grading Central from Pioneer to Washington avenue, $1,302.48; grading Columbia from Eighth to Thirteenth, $2,320.38. The ordinance granting W. A. Whitney authority to maintain a district messenger service was postponed indefinitely.